What We Do
The Eugene Airport Advisory committee develops recommendations for airport staff by providing an ongoing citizen perspective and review of airport capital improvement projects, environmental issues, airport finances, air service development and changes to airport administration policy. Members have an initial term of three years, and can be reappointed to up to three terms allowing a total of nine consecutive years of membership.

The AAC meetings are open to the public and occur on the third Wednesday of each month beginning at noon. Meetings are held at Airport Administration at 28855 Lockheed Drive, Eugene.

Chairman Wally Anderson
Wally Anderson, vice chairman, joined the US Air Force in 1967 and served four years. He spent four years working on jet engines for fighter and transport aircraft around the world. Wally received his private pilot license in 1974 and has owned certified and experimental aircraft. Presently he owns a 1938 Piper Cub and a RV 6A which he built. Wally serves on the Experimental Aircraft Association Homebuilt Aircraft Council in Oshkosh as one of four members advising the staff on matters of interest to the membership.

He started Synergy Air LLC six years ago with the primary focus of helping owners build their own aircraft. Wally was instrumental in starting EAA chapter 1457 here at the Eugene Airport two years ago and served as chapter president for almost two years. He is a volunteer Technical Councilor for EAA helping promote safety in aircraft construction of homebuilt aircraft and has also served on the Eugene Airport FlyFest steering committee.

Vice Chairman John Tamulonis
John Tamulonis has been with the City of Springfield since 1985, and is now the Community Development Manager in the City Manager’s Office focusing on the City’s economic development and tourism activities. He staff’s the Springfield Urban Renewal Agency’s plans to redevelop the Glenwood and Downtown areas. He primarily assists firms with information on development issues, public sector incentives, and resources for business and job development.

He has overseen the Springfield Museum and several federally funded housing programs for low- and moderate-income residents. John Tamulonis has a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning (University of Oregon, ‘79) and a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (University of New Hampshire, ‘71). Since 1969, he has owned, managed, or operated several small private firms and managed activities in public agencies and nonprofits.

Linda Ackerman
Linda Ackerman is serving her third term on the Airport Advisory Committee. The airline industry has been part of Linda's life for a long time. She started out working in flight operations with Lufthansa German Airlines in Duesseldorf and Frankfurt, Germany. After moving from Germany to Oregon, Linda started her career as a corporate travel consultant. She retired in 2002, but is still involved in the travel industry as a volunteer travel consultant to the artists and executive staff of the Oregon Bach Festival.




Shannon Nill
Shannon Nill joined the Eugene Airport Advisory Committee in July of 2006. Shannon, age 46, has been a life long resident of the Eugene area outside of his time in Corvallis getting a degree in Speech Communications with an area of concentration in Business. Shannon's wife's name is Barbara who likes to fly right seat on breakfast flights. Shannon owns a Car dealership and helps manage his fathers RV dealership, both in Junction City. Shannon is one three boys of Herb and Sally Nill. Their family has a corporate aircraft and hangar for the business, based at the Eugene Airport.

Shannon's interests include flying his Cessna 172, boating, golf and most other outdoor sports. Shannon is the President of the Oregon RV Dealers Association, Boy Scout Executive Board Member and is active in sponsoring and fundraising for FFA and 4H Club. "I am proud to be assisting this committee in steering the future of the Airport. So many good things have developed recently and the future looks really bright for Mahlon Sweet Airport."

Janis Ross
Janis Ross is the Vice President of Convention and Sports Marketing for Travel Lane County, with primary responsibility to market the county as a convention, meeting and sports event destination. Prior to joining CVALCO in 2004, Ross was Director of Sales at The Governor Hotel in Portland. She has an additional 10 years of experience as a corporate meeting planner and marketing communications manager.

She received her Bachelors Degree in Business Administration/Marketing from Portland State University. Ross currently serves on the board of the Southwest Oregon Chapter of the American Marketing Association, is a committee chair for Meeting Professionals International Oregon Chapter, and serves on the national leadership conference committee for Professional Convention Management Association.

Dan Rodriquez
Dan Rodriguez, chairman, recently retired as the Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations/Executive Director of the University of Oregon Alumni Association where he served for more than 18 years. He is a graduate of Arizona State University receiving a B.S. in Business Administration. He has also done graduate work at the University of Santa Clara in the M.B.A. program.

He is currently a Board Member of the US Bank Eugene/Springfield Community Advisory Board and serves on the board of the Eugene Chamber of Commerce. Dan has also participated in the Eugene/Springfield Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program. Dan is married with two grown children and two grandchildren.

Chris Nystrom
Chris Nystrom has served as an advocate for Eugene/Springfield area businesses for over fourteen years. She has led multiple regional economic programs that have received worldwide recognition for promoting business retention and expansion, as well as facilitating export business from the region to many global market places. She has held key roles with the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce and Lane Community College Small Business Development Center in addition to owning and managing several private businesses. In her current role, she serves as Marketing Director for one of the largest regional CPA and Consulting firms in Oregon, Kernutt Stokes LLP. Nystrom holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Finance.


Rachel Edwards
Rachel Edwards represents the local hospitality industry on the AAC. She has a passion for providing excellent guest service to visitors to our community. As Director of Front Office Service at the Valley River Inn she has received the highest guest satisfaction scores for Sunstone Hotels.. Previously Rachel was the Front Office Manager at the Hilton Grand Vacations Club on the Las Vegas Strip. Prior to that Rachel worked at the Hilton Eugene & Conference Center.




Laura Potter

Laura Potter is the Director of Business Advocacy at the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce. In that role she has lead the Chamber’s public policy efforts on a wide range of issues including downtown development, public safety, transportation and Envision Eugene. Before coming to the Chamber in 2010, Laura worked as the Director of Government Affairs for the Lane County Home Builder’s Association. She has served on several policy committees including the Eugene Comprehensive Lands Assessment, the Envision Eugene Community Resource Group, the Envision Eugene Technical Resource Group and the Eugene Transportation Community Resource Group. Additionally, Laura serves on St. Vincent de Paul’s First Place Family Shelter Advisory Board and the Home Builder’s Association Government Affairs Committee. Laura is a Eugene native. She has a degree in Philosophy from the University of Oregon. She lives in Eugene with her husband and young daughter.