Meet Chuck Murray! Chuck has served as Chair of the WMRAA board since January 2026.
Despite being a Grand Rapids native, Chuck spent just over 12 years in the north suburbs of Atlanta before returning to West Michigan in 2005 to study law at Cooley Law School. He holds degrees in business administration and systems management, rounding out a well-developed academic foundation that complements his professional experience.
Chuck’s path to becoming part of the WMRAA board began with his participation in Leadership Connect’s 2019 cohort. When the program concluded, he received an email from the chamber about volunteer opportunities and chose the airport.
In addition to his extensive education, he brings a remarkable breadth of experience to his position on the board through his robust professional experience. Chuck spent 23 years serving in the military, and another 17 years working in information technology designing wide-scale networks and managing global operations. Today he is an attorney focused on estate planning, assisting people as they navigate illness, loss and planning for the unexpected. He describes it as his passion and the thing that gets him out of bed in the morning.
Throughout his diverse career, one quality has defined his approach: strategic thinking. For Chuck, strategy is about knowing where you’re going before deciding how to get there. He is pragmatic about constraints and focused on finding the best viable path forward. At the board level, that means keeping the airport’s long-term vision in clear view, even when navigating the day-to-day.
“Sometimes we have to ask: do we have a viable path to achieve our goal? How do we best work within the constraints we are under and opportunities we have?” said Chuck.
What has been most rewarding to him is facilitating the growth of the airport and seeing it benefit the community in new ways. The tangible impact is something he is proud to have helped build.
“The positive impact of the airport radiates outward to the greater Allegan and Ottawa County area,” he says. “That growth, that momentum, is what makes this work worth doing.”
Looking ahead, Chuck is focused on continuing to position the airport as a competitive, self-sustaining asset for the region. One that stands on its own and delivers real, lasting value to the West Michigan community it serves.
