PONCE TO KEEP AIRPORT SECURE FOCUS WILL BE ON PASSENGER SAFETY.

Byline: Naush Boghossian Staff Writer

BURBANK- The Transportation Security Administration announced Thursday it had appointed Luz Ponce director of federal security for the Burbank Airport - a position she took over on an interim basis in January.

Ponce, who will be in charge of ensuring security within and around the airport, was selected in September as the assistant federal security director for inspection at Burbank and Long Beach airports. She became interim federal security director in January.

Her appointment to the director position became effective May 4.

``I'm excited. It's a challenge and it's something I look forward to doing,'' said Ponce, 48, who will earn $115,000 to $120,000 a year. ``Not only am I prepared, I'm experienced and I feel confident in performing my duties and responsibilities in relation to this position.''

Ponce will be coordinating with airport law enforcement to maintain focus on passenger and airport security.

``We have several layers of security in place at the airport and I ensure that those processes are in place to ensure passengers have utmost safety as they pass through Burbank and Long Beach airports,'' Ponce said.

``Aside from what we see at airports or what passengers experience at gates, I have to ensure those processes are followed.''

Ponce formerly worked for the Federal Aviation Administration as manager of the civil aviation security field offices in Dallas - overseeing 27 airports - and Los Angeles, where she was responsible for ensuring that security regulations were followed, maintained and enforced at 17 airports in Southern California including LAX, Burbank and Ontario.

She succeeds Madelyn Sawyer, who in January to work for the FAA.

Naush Boghossian, [phone]

naush.boghossian(at)dailynews.com