As the new chairman of the Bradley International Airport board of directors, Caren A. Kittredge will have a lot of say over the future of the airport. What she won’t have, though, is a shortcut through Transportation Security Administration lines or a special parking space.
“The first thing my friends asked me, after congratulating me, was if I was going to get bumped up to first class,” said Kittredge, who travels “in spurts” for her position as head of national marketing for Aetna’s local and regional businesses but still finds time for volunteering.
“Aetna is a great community partner,” she said, adding the company gives her the flexibility to do the volunteer work she does.
Kittredge, 47, was appointed to her volunteer position by Gov. M. Jodi Rell.
“The governor asked me to do this because I have some background in volunteering,” said Kittredge, adding that she has experience as president of the Bushnell Parks Foundation, member of the Judicial Review Commission, and service on the Glastonbury Economic Development Commission.
“It’s one of those things,” she said. “You start doing things on a volunteer basis … and you have a little bit of success … and people want you to do more things.”
Her fellow board members (there are seven total) may welcome Kittredge’s desire to reduce the meeting frequency.
“That’s my charge going forward. You have to meet as things come before you. I try to be efficient,” she said.
Her board is responsible for setting policy and not the day-to-day operations of the airport, which is the 53rd largest in the country based on passenger volume. Kittredge said the board continues to work on the airport’s master plan, as well as interact with the Federal Aviation Administration.
“The airport is a great asset,” Kittredge said. “It is a great economic driver for the state and surrounding communities.”
In her new role, Kittredge wants to continue the emphasis on economic development and opportunities for the airport.
“We can’t drive forward if the airport doesn’t do well,” she said. “I tend to take a long view and have a strategic bent. We’re going to continue to work on the customer experience to make it the strongest it can be. I’ve seen Bradley as a consumer. I’ve also seen the way other airports of this size handle things.”
