The CEO of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority has been fired.
Rob Wigington was released from his position immediately, according to officials with the MNAA. The decision was made at a meeting on Wednesday.
They added he had been on sick leave since July.
Reports stated the Board of Commissioners decided to let Wigington go for many reasons, including his alleged failure to disclose the contents of negotiations, lack of financial control with reported excessive severance packages for some, and the repeated refusal to communicate with the board or follow board policy.
Those with the board voted to name Chief Operating Officer Doug Kreulen, who had been filling in for the position, as interim president and CEO.
There was no word on who will permanently replace Wigington.
The move immediately ended Wigington’s tenure. He was hired in 2012 and earned a salary of $288,000 a year.
The board released the following statement:
“The Board of Commissioners has a fiduciary duty to do what is best for the organization and the city we serve. In this case, by unanimous agreement, the board acted to make a needed change in the top management of the Airport Authority. This is a critical time for Nashville International Airport as we confront rapid growth and the launch of a major expansion program, and it is critically important we have the right leadership in place as we go forward. I commend my fellow board members for acting in the best interests of the Airport Authority today.”
Wigington's attorney sent a letter to local media outlets in response to the the firing, saying the MNAA violated the Family Medical Leave Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act, and Wigington’s contract.
