Font Resize
LAS CRUCES - The newly selected chairman of Spaceport America's governing body is a 22-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force with a background in space technology.
Appointee Richard Holdridge, 56, retired in December 1997 from the Air Force with the rank of lieutenant colonel and moved back to his hometown of Deming. He said he decided to retire to spend more time with an ill child, who has since died.
Before returning to New Mexico, Holdridge spent most of his time in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., where he was "heavily involved in state-of-the art technology associated with space and rocketry."
"I was having a good career and didn't want to leave, but circumstances that dictated otherwise," he said in a 2008 interview with the Sun-News. Holdridge was not available for an interview this week.
That work, he said, entailed managing the development, launch and operations of military reconnaissance satellites. For the first five years of his military career, he said, he was involved in aircraft research and development, including flight testing.
A 1972 graduate of Deming High School, Holdridge also holds a doctorate in astronautical engineering from Stanford University.
Holdridge, a Republican, last week was named as one of Gov. Susana Martinez's seven appointments to the New Mexico Spaceport Authority governing board. It isn't the first time he's been a member.
Former Gov. Bill Richardson, Democrat, appointed Holdridge to the spaceport authority board from
The board sets spaceport policy and hires and fires the executive director, a position that has been vacant since Martinez took office in January and forced the resignation of former Director Rick Homans.
Holdridge visited the spaceport headquarters in Las Cruces on Tuesday and then traveled to the spaceport itself in southeastern Sierra County. State Economic Development Department spokeswoman Angela Heisel said he wasn't immediately available for an interview. Holdridge did issue a statement through the Economic Development Department.
"I am honored to have been named by Gov. Susana Martinez to chair the Spaceport Authority board and take the project to the next level by working with the local community, Virgin Galactic and other astronautical companies to make commercial space travel a reality in southern New Mexico," he said.
Holdridge said the board's first priority is hiring a new executive director.
Also reappointed to the board were Democrat Ben Woods, a New Mexico State University vice president, and Republican Jerry Stagner, president of Citizens Bank in Truth or Consequences.
Martinez spokesman Scott Darnell said Holdridge was chosen because he has an "impressive record" in science, manufacturing and engineering.
"As a businessman, he also understands economic development and the need to generate greater private investment in the New Mexico's Spaceport," he said.
Holdridge was a city councilor in Deming in 1999 and 2000 before resigning his post because he moved outside of the city limits. He was later elected to the county commission, where he served a four-year term before losing an election bid in 2008.
Holdridge said he backs the spaceport project because it will help establish a new industry base in the state and attract new companies.
"When you get the statistics, in all kinds of categories, New Mexico ends up No. 1 on the wrong end," he said in a 2008 interview. "Here we have a chance to become No. 1 in an emerging industry and emerging technology. In 20 years, I think we're going to look back and say: 'How could we have done anything but this?'"
Since the development of the U.S. space program, Holdridge said, space travel has been in the hands of the federal government. But he said the spaceport project is part of a shift in that paradigm.
"For the first time, the commercial, entrepreneurial side of things is entering into the space business," he said. "What's happened is the technology has caught the vision."
Holdridge lost the 2008 Luna County commission race to Democrat Javier Diaz, who's still a commissioner.
Diaz, who runs a well-drilling business, shared his thoughts about Holdridge: "He's a good Christian man. I didn't agree with some of his political doings."
Diaz said he was referring to "spending decisions," such as a county commission-financed theater complex that was built in 2008 in Deming, when Holdridge was on the commission. Diaz said he though the project was needed but didn't agree with its scale. Now, Diaz said, the county is managing to repay the bonds but is struggling.
"He had some really good ideas, but I don't know how they're going to get paid for," he said.
Holdridge three years ago spoke about the commission's decision to finance the six-screen theater and bowling alley.
"We looked for years and could not find anyone in the private sector to do it," he said.
While he might disagree with Holdridge, Diaz said his predecessor does have qualifications to lead the spaceport board.
Holdridge, in the statement Tuesday, said the spaceport board will "exercise due diligence needed ... by reviewing contracts, requests for proposal and other items, so that taxpayers see a return on their investment and the state sees a future with long-lasting, high-wage jobs created as a result of the project."
Las Cruces spaceport supporter Kent Evans, a former Republican spaceport board member who Martinez did not reappoint, said he was familiar with the new chairman from Holdridge's previous stint on the board. Evans wasn't yet on the spaceport board, but he said he frequently attended meetings. Plus, the two were county commissioners in their respective counties at the same time, Evans said.
"I can say nothing negative about his performance on the he board," said Evans, who indicated he plans to stay involved in some way with the spaceport. "He's got credentials and the degrees and was in the Air Force. It sounds like he's got everything it takes to do a good job."
Gerald Martin Construction, the company overseeing spaceport construction on behalf of the state, declined to comment for this article, saying its policy is to refer all media inquiries to the spaceport authority.
Martinez's office has said Holdridge and other spaceport board appointees must be confirmed by the Senate.
Diana M. Alba can be reached at (575) 541-5443.
On the Web
•Spaceport America: www.spaceportamerica.
com
