New Clark County aviation director to be named next week

James Chrisley, a member of the leadership team at Harry Reid International Airport for nearly nine years and a former squadron commander at Nellis and Creech air force bases, is expected to be named director of the Clark County Department of Aviation next week.

Chrisley, 53, who has been senior director of aviation for the county since September 2015, is expected to be appointed director Tuesday by the Clark County Commission, succeeding retiring Rosemary Vassiliadis.

Clark County Manager Kevin Schiller appointed Chrisley to the position July 29 subject to commission ratification.

He will succeed Vassiliadis Sept. 12. She announced her retirement in June after serving as director since 2013 and working for the county for 28 years.

Prior to joining the Department of Aviation team, Chrisley spent more than 21 years in the Air Force, advancing through the ranks to hold a variety of leadership and management positions within the Mission Support and Civil Engineer career fields. He served as deputy commander of the 99th Mission Support Group at Nellis AFB and commander of the 799th Air Base Squadron at Creech AFB. In those positions, Chrisley oversaw and managed basewide support activities including civil engineering, fire emergency services, personnel services, communications, morale, welfare and recreation programs, food services, emergency management, and transportation operations and maintenance.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and a master’s degree from the University of Texas, Austin.

In 2017, Chrisley was appointed to the Nevada Homeland Security Working Group, now known as the Nevada Resiliency Advisory Committee. As a continued voting member, he helps in the creation of policy for all emergency management mitigation, response and recovery efforts throughout the state of Nevada.

Chrisley also was a key contributor as a member of the Las Vegas Super Bowl 58 Host Committee’s Transportation and Parking Committee in 2023-24. He led the coordination and execution of airport operations when hundreds of private aircraft flew into Southern Nevada airports in the first-ever megaevent hosted by the city.

Chrisley also has been a point man for planning, coordinating and advancing the Southern Nevada’s new airport project and overseeing the master planning efforts for Reid International, Henderson Executive and North Las Vegas airports.

Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on X.