New aviation boss at Wasaya: First Nation carrier hires V-P of Exchange Income Corp.

• Author: Ross, Ian
• Position: ABORIGINAL BUSINESS

Thunder Bay-based Wasaya Airways have snagged a 25-year aviation management veteran as its new president-CEO. Michael Rodyniuk took the controls of the First Nation-owned air carrier on June 8.

He succeeds Tom Morris who retired after 21 years.

Rodyniuk spent the first week on the job flying to stations across northwestern Ontario, touching base with established clients and many of the carrier's employees.

"I've been out meeting with our larger charter customers and scheduled customers and making sure that they understand that we're here for the long term."

Rodyniuk had been vice-president and COO of the aviation arm of Exchange Income Corporation, the Winnipeg parent company that purchased Bearskin Airlines in 2010.

Prior to that, he was COO and senior vice-president at Winnipeg Airports Authority and has held revenue, marketing and sales management positions at Westjet Airlines, American Airlines, United Airlines and Swiss Air Group.

In an interview, Rodyniuk painted a picture of blue sky optimism that begins with shoring up its core market and examining future opportunities for expansion beyond being a small regional player.

In taking the job, Rodyniuk believes Wasaya has a great potential to be both profitable and offer a high level of service with the ability to geographically grow its operations in any direction.

"It's an airline that has a very unique regional niche, but at the same time it's gotten greater potential to appeal to the more mainstream Canadian traveler.

The mix between the two is really quite attractive.

"But there's a focus that needs to be placed on our core market that we currently serve and making sure that we give them the very best passible service."

Wasaya Airways LP is headquartered in Thunder Bay with bases in Sioux Lookout, Pickle Lake, and Red Lake. With a fleet of 18 aircraft, Wasaya provides scheduled passenger, charter, freight and fuel services to 25 destinations.

Last year, Wasaya has received national attention for all the wrong reasons with media reports of Transport Canada safety violations, growing debt, and concerns about improper use of a company credit card by a senior manager. A restructuring process...