Biography
Nick P. Ardillo, Jr. For many years, Colonel Ardillo, USAF Retired, has been working to enhance the economic and business climate in Mississippi’s Golden Triangle Region--Columbus, Starkville and West Point. Currently Ardillo is the principal of NPA, LLC, providing business development, government relations and marketing services for Neel-Schaffer Inc., a Southeastern-wide engineering firm, and for Johnson, Bailey, Henderson, McNeel Architects, who have several offices across Mississippi.		T: 601-853-4160   F: 601-853-4176     Email: Nick

Most recently, (1999-2006), as executive director of the Golden Triangle Regional Airport, Ardillo successfully led a regional effort to bring American Eurocopter’s multi-million dollar manufacturing plant to GTR. American Eurocopter’s phase two expansion brings the physical plant to over 300 thousand square feet and a total investment of over 40 million dollars.
At the same time, as chairman of the Columbus Air Force Base 2020 Committee, Colonel Ardillo led the community’s impressive efforts throughout the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process. Not only did Columbus retain the 14th Flying Training Wing, which Colonel Ardillo commanded 1991-1993, but also successfully secured an additional mission for the large CAFB workforce.

From 1993 to 1999, and again since 2004, he has served as the governor’s representative on the Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority. Appointed first by Governor Kirk Fordice, whom he served as deputy chief of staff, Ardillo currently represents Governor Haley Barbour on the Tenn-Tom board. This critical transportation artery was one of the two major factors that last year brought the billion dollar Severstal Columbus steel project to the Golden Triangle.

Ardillo is a past president of the Mississippi Airports Association, and his current board memberships include: the Mississippi Military Communities Council, Momentum Mississippi and the Mississippi Commission for Volunteer Service.

A graduate of Auburn University, with a Master’s degree from Troy State University, he is also a graduate of the United States Air Force, Air War College.