A Vision to Move Texarkana Forward

Texarkana Regional Airport  Executive Director Paul Mehrlich acknowledges that the five-year terminal project is the first step in changing the face of the airport

by LISA PORTERFIELD THOMPSON

photo by PEYTON SIMS

Paul and his wife, Cynthia, look forward to raising their son, Ferdinand, and daughter, Katarina, here in Texarkana.  (Photo by Chessa Helms)

The Texarkana Regional Airport, also known as Webb Field, has been serving the community for 91 years, standing the test of time, surviving economic depressions, natural disasters, and recently, even a pandemic. Amazingly, despite tough and turbulent financial times, the airport seems to be on a forward progression, and there is no doubt that this progress is due in part at least to the leadership of the airport’s new-ish executive director, Paul Mehrlich. 

Paul was hired in December 2019, “right before the world shut down,” as he puts it. He, his expecting wife, and young son, arrived in Texarkana just as the national pandemic was shaking the foundations of society as we know it. While this proved to be interesting timing, it was not altogether bad. In fact, Paul found that he arrived on scene just in time to prove his salt to the regional airport in quick fashion. But we’ll get to that soon enough. 

James Bramlett, President of Texarkana Farmer’s Bank & Trust, Jay Ellington, Texarkana Arkansas City Manager, Texarkana Arkansas Mayor Allen Brown, Dale Morris, Director of Government Affairs for American Airlines, Paul Mehrlich, Airport Executive Director, Ray Abernathy, Chairman of the Airport Board, Texarkana Texas Mayor Bob Bruggeman, and David Orr,  Texarkana Texas City Manager, during the groundbreaking on the new passenger terminal building June 12, 2021. (Photo by Shelia Brown)

Paul grew up the youngest of four children in Provo, Utah, where his parents still reside today. He was the only boy in the family, and his first airport job was at a small municipal airport in his hometown refueling airplanes. Paul went to Utah Valley University and graduated in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in aviation. 

As seems to be the trend with Paul, the timing of graduating with a degree in aviation in 2008 seemed to be ominous, as a national financial and housing crisis was unfolding, and airlines were crippled amongst the chaos. Paul decided not to seek employment with an airline, despite having a license as a commercial multi-engine pilot. Instead, he enlisted in the United States Navy and was stationed in Newport, Rhode Island. 

Paul, Cynthia, and Ferdinand in front of the Flagship Detroit on June 12, 2021.  The Flagship Detroit is the oldest operating DC-3 still in its original American Airlines Livery. The flagship came to TXK as part of the 90th anniversary of commercial operations with American Airlines at Texarkana Regional Airport. (Photo by Tyler Brown)

It was there, during officer training school, that Paul sustained an injury that would end his military career. He was honorably discharged from the military with a National Defense Service Medal, sent home, and quickly realized he didn’t have a backup plan.

Paul and his wife, Cynthia, whom he’d met while in college, moved to Florida, where he hoped aeronautical jobs would be plentiful, to seek gainful employment. Paul ended up landing a job working at Planet Hollywood in Orlando at Disney World. He transferred to work at the Las Vegas restaurant and shortly thereafter found himself working as a sous chef in Los Angeles. He would eventually find himself opening a new restaurant for Wolfgang Puck at LAX. 

It was there he realized his life was not what he intended it to be. “It was an amazing rabbit trail I ended up on in the restaurant world,” Paul said, “but I was actually getting further and further away from what I wanted to be doing.” 

So, Paul looked for an airport job once again, and landed a gig at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport in San Diego, California. There he worked his way up, and when the airport manager was called into active duty service, he was named acting airport manager.  “I knew I had nine months to make a name for myself,” Paul said, “so, I tried to work on the things that would make the biggest impact in the shortest amount of time. I ended up changing the name of the airport while I was there, which ended up being a much bigger deal than I anticipated. When the manager returned from his deployment, I started looking for work elsewhere and found a job as the Environmental Operations Manager at Love Field in Dallas. I was over the noise program and wildlife program.” 

Texarkana Regional Airport’s Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting truck sits outside of the airport’s fire station. The new terminal is being built next to the fire station. (Photo by Tyler Brown)

When he wasn’t listening to nearby residents complain about the noise of jet engines near their homes, or relocating flocks of birds and ducks from the runway, Paul’s time in Dallas was spent seeking a master’s degree in business from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. He graduated with that degree in 2018 and made it his goal to become an airport director.  “I’d never been to Texarkana, or even been through it, but when I started looking for jobs again, I was looking for a place to raise our family,” Paul said. “I wanted to raise my son, Ferdinand, who is 6 now, somewhere other than cramped living in a big city, especially with a second child on the way.” 

When Paul came to Texarkana for a job interview, he noticed a lot of construction in the downtown area.  “I drove around downtown, and I could see lots of projects happening,” he said. “It was clear this community was once great, and something happened along the way to freeze it in time, but the construction projects and progress made it clear to me that something was happening here. I could tell that this community was changing.” 

Once he landed on the ground in Texarkana, Paul was thrown into a campaign to save the daily American Airline flights servicing the airport.  “Airlines across the nation were cancelling flights and shutting down services to smaller markets, so it’s really incredible that we kept them here,” Paul said. “They say the biggest causes of stress in life are starting a new job, having a baby, and buying a new house. Well, my wife and I did all three in 2020, and on top of that, an all-out battle to keep American flying.” 

Paul and Cynthia welcomed their daughter, Katarina, in April of 2020.  “Getting through the pandemic and not losing American was really a huge accomplishment,” Paul said. “We kept flying. We haven’t been cancelled. Not everyone can say that.” 

Paul said his plans for the airport are not to maintain status quo.  “When I first got here, I had lots of big plans. That’s one of the reasons I chose to move to Texarkana,” he said. “Sure, most people would use Texarkana like a stepping stone to get to Little Rock or XNA or a bigger market, but I see Texarkana as a place I can dive in and make lasting change. Here, I can have an impact on the community I’m living in. I can make a difference and raise a family here, and hopefully make it a place that my children want to call home.” 

Paul’s plans for the airport have been widely publicized in recent weeks, namely with the groundbreaking on the airport’s new terminal project. With a price tag of $36.5 million, there are many moving parts to be tended, but his plans don’t stop with the five-year terminal project. In fact, Paul’s already thinking about upgrading the runway, and developing undeveloped land, and securing long-term lease tenants, and increasing the airport’s capacity to serve the community and potential new business projects. It’s safe to say his plans are big and broad, and just exactly the kind of vision that Texarkana needs to keep moving forward. 

“It’s no secret that the Texarkana Regional Airport has struggled,” Paul said. “There were financial hardships, and outside factors. 9/11 happened, and then 2008 came, and the airport grew stagnant. The good news is that this terminal project is the first step in changing the face of this airport. We have so many assets here, including undeveloped land, the potential to bring in new businesses, faithful industry customers, a longstanding partnership with American Airlines, and a history of success in the transportation industry in our community. Now it’s time to change the identity of what Texarkana Regional Airport can do, and to become the airport that everyone can call their own.” 

An American Airlines aircraft sits covered in snow at the Texarkana Regional Airport on February 15, 2021. Another surprise challenge, but crews worked around the clock to get the airport reopened with limited equipment and staffing. TXK reopened before many other airports in the region allowing medical flights to come in during this weather event.