GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — At its Wednesday night meeting, the Brown County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an agreement that places Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport under the operation of Vantage Group Services LLC.
There was some public push back against the decision at the Wednesday night meeting.
"It is effectively making us dependent on a private corporation," Joey Rosscoe, a resident of Brown County, said. "If our problem with how the airport was being run was the management, it’s just kicking the can down the road."
Still, the board voted unanimously to make Vantage Group the new manager of the Green Bay Airport.
“Brown County still retains full ownership and governance of the airport, this is not an airport privatization," Nyika Allen, senior director of global operational excellence at Vantage Group, said.
Vantage Group has managed airports across the world.
In a presentation before the board meeting, top executives from Vantage laid out what the agreement will entail.
“It’s really about understanding the county, understanding the area, understanding the needs," Frank Scremin, Vice President of global operational services at Vantage Group, said.
The initial agreement will last five years, with the possibility to renew two additional five-year periods.
Brown County will pay Vantage a one-time mobilization fee of $350,000, plus $950,000 each year.
There will also be annual payments based on passenger growth, up to $250,000, and annual payments based on profit growth.
Per the agreement, Vantage Group will receive 10% of profits made above $2.5 million.
Vantage Group says this money is available already in the airport’s operating budget, and the cost won't be burdened on the taxpayers.
"We have looked closely at the books and accounting for the airport and we are sure that the airport can carry this cost in its operating budget," Allen said.
Vantage will embed three of their own people at the airport- an executive managing director, commercial director and operations director.
This means three airport employees will be fired: the airport assistant director, airport director and the marketing director.
“We should be very thankful for the service that they provided to Brown County and to the airport," Brown County Supervisor Patrick Evans said. "I don’t like doing that ever, and I don’t think anyone does, but that's part of business."
Vantage will handle day to day operations and business strategy, while Brown County will approve budget, and retain statutory authority.
During the presentation, Allen said some of the group's main goals are air service development, long term airport vision, operational excellence and passenger experience improvements.
“We’re excited to start this new journey," County Executive Troy Streckenbach said.
Streckenbach said the agreement will help the Green Bay airport compete with the Appleton Airport.
According to airport records, the Green Bay Airport saw 696,527 travelers in 2025, while the Appleton Airport saw 1,267,634 in the same year.
Despite overall support from the board, some critiqued the lack of transparency with this decision
“These conversations have been happening for months in closed session," supervisor Rachel Maes said. "I understand the sensitivity, especially when personel is involved, but having no opportunity to provide coverage or inform the people of Brown County, not being able to answer questions about misconceptions, about what's going on, I think it’s a disservice to the public.”
Streckenbach said the public was given the chance to engage on Wednesday night.
“Well, this is a public process right here," he said after the vote. "As you’re aware, this does have a significant impact, so the proposal wasn’t ready necessarily to be brought forward for full disclosure.”
Streckenbach said the employees who were let go from the airport will be employed until October. He said Vantage Group will take over management starting Thursday.
PREVIOUS REPORTING:
The Brown County Board of Supervisors is set to vote on a proposed agreement that would place Green Bay Austin Straubel International Airport under the operation of Vantage Group Services LLC, a private airport management company.
According to a resolution added to the agenda for Wednesday night’s meeting, county leaders and the airport oversight committee believe the airport should move “to the next level” while continuing to operate without relying on property tax funding.
Under the proposed agreement, Vantage would manage the airport on behalf of Brown County.
The agreement would also eliminate two airport leadership positions: marketing and communications manager and assistant airport director.
The airport director position would remain, but its annual salary would be reduced to $1.
The county could temporarily extend those positions through Oct. 16, 2026, during the transition period and continue paying their current salaries during that time.
Vantage also agreed to interview affected county employees for possible jobs with the company.
The Brown County Board of Supervisors will meet Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the Pine Room at the Central Library on Pine Street
