FlightSafety International promoted Barbara Telek to president, succeeding Brad Thress.  A former Textron Aviation executive, Thress retired after serving at the helm of FlightSafety since February 2020. Telek had served with the company as CFO since 2023. Before that, she held roles as executive v-p of strategic initiatives for FlightSafety’s sibling NetJets and as CFO for NetJets' Executive Jet Management unit.

Kyle Bonda was appointed as Gulfstream Aerospace’s regional sales manager for the U.S. East Coast. Bonda’s previous experience includes aircraft sales and acquisitions and market intelligence, in addition to aircraft operations, charter, and management.

Wheels Up Experience named Meaghan Wells executive v-p of enterprise planning and strategy. Wells previously was the chief investment officer at Vista Global.

Air charter provider Tradewind Aviation appointed Elise Garofalo CFO. Garofalo was previously CFO of Outbrain for nearly 10 years.

NATA promoted Jenny Ann Urban to v-p of regulatory affairs, taking over as department head from Alan Stephens, who is now a senior advisor at NATA. Urban, an international aviation attorney, started at the association in January as managing director of air charter and maintenance, having previously served as director of aviation relations and compliance for a biometric identity platform.

Business aircraft brokerage Jetcraft promoted Chris Hollingsworth and Sean O’Leary from sales directors to regional vice presidents. Hollingsworth will oversee the Central U.S. region, including the Midwest and South Central territories. O’Leary will lead development in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Southeast U.S. territories.

Women in Corporate Aviation (WCA) is installing a new leadership team after the retirement of founding member and long-time executive director Elizabeth Clark. She will continue as director emeritus after leading the organization for more than 31 years. Tracie Carwile, a longtime Universal Weather and Aviation executive who is now v-p of global sales and inclusion for GlobalGround Transport, is stepping into the role of CEO and executive director for WCA. Carwile has nearly 20 years of business aviation experience and was a 2020 recipient of NBAA’s 40 Under 40 honor. She has previously been a board member of WCA. In addition, Cassandra Shelby was named CFO and director of the organization. An international captain on the Gulfstream G550 and G280 for The Coca-Cola Company, Shelby has held various roles with WCA, including president and director.

Smart Aviation appointed Matt Feldon as head of charter; he now oversees the operation of all commercial and private jet charter bookings at the company. He most recently held a senior position within Chapman Freeborn Airchartering’s UK passenger charter team and has also been employed at Air Charter Service and ACC Aviation Group.

Larry Pilkington was appointed as the new senior v-p of engineering at Enstrom Helicopter. His previous experience includes serving as chief engineer at Columbia Helicopters.

Robinson Helicopter appointed Will Fulton v-p of business development. Fulton’s 15-plus years of experience includes serving as the North America head of marketing for Airbus Helicopters and working at Bell as an engineer and then a sales manager.

Duncan Aviation hired Holly Bauman as the regional manager for its east-central territory. Bauman’s expertise is in business development, customer service, and regional sales. Duncan Aviation also transferred engine shop team leader Taron Wissing to the company’s Gulfstream airframe service sales team at its facility in Provo, Utah. Wissing has worked full-time at Duncan since 2019, starting as a lead technician in the engine line department and earning a promotion to engine line team leader in 2021.

Ralph Müller took on the role of CEO of hydrogen-electric powertrain system developer H2FLY. Founder Josef Kallo—the previous CEO—is now the company’s chief technology officer. Müller previously led international organizations BorgWarner and Mann+Hummel.

Curtis Grasle was promoted to technical sales manager at West Star Aviation’s East Alton, Illinois facility. Grasle started at West Star in 2013 as an apprentice aircraft maintenance technician and has held other positions, including lead aircraft maintenance technician and project manager.

Tecnam promoted Pasquale De Rosa to sales manager for Europe. De Rosa’s 15-plus years of experience include working as sales executive for an EASA-approved design organization before joining Tecnam in 2022 as marketing manager.

Awards and Honors

Lirio Liu was selected for the NATA Distinguished Public Service Award in recognition of her career at the FAA, which spanned 33 years. She most recently held the position of executive director of certification at the FAA and had also been executive director for the Office for International Affairs.

Andy Priester, chairman of George J. Priester Aviation, will be presented with the NATA Distinguished Service Award for his contributions to the future of general aviation. Priester led the company’s strategic acquisition of Mayo Aviation in 2022 and acquired Hill Private Aviation in 2023.

Nimbl v-p of strategic partnerships Clément Meersseman was recognized as one of NBAA’s Top 40 under 40. For the past six years, Meersseman—a member of NBAA’s International Operations Committee—has also held the position of senior operations advisor, specializing in international aviation procedures and safety for the business aviation sector.

The National Aeronautic Association (NAA) named six recipients for its 2024 Wesley L. McDonald Distinguished Statesmen and Stateswomen of Aviation Award: Ronald Fogleman, U.S. Air Force (retired), a decorated Vietnam combat pilot, has served as a military leader, 15th USAF chief of staff, and active aerospace advisor; Robert “Hoot” Gibson, U.S. Navy (retired), is an aeronautical engineer, Naval Top Gun, Shuttle Commander, Reno Air Race Champion, and active test pilot; Patricia “Trish” Gilbert has served as an air traffic controller, executive labor leader, active aviation advisor, and presidential and FAA appointee; Greg Principato, a gubernatorial and presidential appointee, has served as an aviation association executive, general aviation advocate, and global aviation leader; Bobbi Wells, U.S. Army (retired), has served as a military leader, aviation safety pioneer, commercial airline executive, FAA appointee, and employee relations leader; and James “Jim” Viola, U.S. Army (retired), has served as a military leader, combat aviator, and Army Special Operations leader, as well as FAA director, aviation safety specialist, and president and CEO of VAI.

 Lou Pepper, the former decades-long CEO of Atlantic Aviation, was awarded NATA's highest honor, the William “Bill” Ong Memorial Award, at the association's Aviation Business Conference in Nashville. Under his leadership, Atlantic grew from just five locations in 1999 to more than 100 today, making it one of the world’s largest aviation service provider chains and helping redefine the concept of a service-first FBO.

Pepper’s career spanned nearly a half-century, starting as a line manager at Teterboro Aircraft Services, where his duties included hiring and training line service technicians. He rose to the position of general manager before moving on to Texas as v-p for Jet East at Dallas Love Field.

He later bought the Million Air franchise location at Addison Airport before leading the acquisition of Atlantic Aviation in 2000. Pepper—who still serves as a member of Atlantic's board of directors—remained as CEO of the company until 2023, introducing a first-class customer service culture along with advanced safety standards, investments in mission-critical infrastructure, and support for pilots and airports through technology advancements.

Named in honor of NATA’s co-founder and first president, the Ong Award is presented for extraordinary achievement and meritorious service to the general aviation industry.

Richard “Rick” Crider, director of Arizona's Prescott Regional/Ernest A. Love Field Airport (KPRC), was awarded the National Air Transportation Association's Airport Executive Partnership Award. 

The accolade, first presented in 1994 to Loretta Scott at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport in Texas, recognizes airport managers who successfully foster relationships between airport operators and aviation businesses.

“This award is very humbling,” Crider remarked. “To be acknowledged alongside industry giants is a true honor.” Under his guidance, Prescott Regional has emerged as a key player in general aviation, supporting over 350 aircraft and housing six flight schools, a major U.S. Forest Service Fire Center, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Crider, chair of the American Association of Airport Executives board of directors, previously worked at Port San Antonio and was involved in strategic oversight of a joint-use airport.

In a nod to the recent passing of veteran aerospace communications stalwart Bill Reavis, NBAA dedicated the Media Headquarters at NBAA-BACE 2024 to his legacy. Reavis, who left his mark for his almost dogmatic representation of Honeywell Aerospace over his nearly 25-year career with the company, died March 14 from cancer.

In honoring him, NBAA called Reavis “an aviation communications leader revered as both a friend and foremost subject matter expert by those in his many personal and professional circles.”

While with Honeywell and its predecessor companies Bendix/King and AlliedSignal Aerospace, he was involved with press relations, crisis communications, and the promotion and launch of new technologies such as EGPWS. He is often credited with putting the auxiliary power unit “on the map” through his promotion of the technology that otherwise would have received little attention.

“Reavis displayed a natural ability to simplify the often-complicated technical concepts behind aviation technologies,” NBAA added in its announcement. The media headquarters incorporated special signage that highlighted his inspiring life story, NBAA said.

Final Flight

Aviation associations honored the legacy of Robert Olislagers, a prominent airport leader and general aviation (GA) advocate, in recognition of his contributions to the aviation industry. Olislagers, who served as executive director of Centennial Airport (KAPA) in Colorado for more than two decades, passed away on October 3. He left a lasting impact on both the airport and the broader community.

Appointed as KAPA's executive director in 2000, Olislagers helped to secure the airport's growth by authoring and advocating for a bill that restored federal funding. This effort solidified KAPA's status as a critical hub for business aviation, fostering its reputation as one of the world's top GA airports. “Centennial Airport is widely recognized as one of the world’s best general aviation airports, and Robert Olislagers is a primary reason why,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen.

APA's economic impact almost doubled during Olislagers’ tenure, contributing $2.1 billion to Colorado’s economy by 2018, according to the Colorado Division of Aeronautics Airport Economic Impact Report. Olislagers also chaired the AAAE GA committee, founded an annual GA conference, and actively represented business aviation before Congress.

“Olislagers was named to the NATA board of directors in 2012 and was an active association member for many years, providing an innate perspective on the intricate connection between airports, tenants, pilots, and communities,” said NATA president and CEO Curt Castagna.

Éric Gérard, a test pilot at Dassault Aviation from 1991 to 2017, passed away on September 17 in a touring plane accident in Italy. Gérard was the first pilot to land on the Charles-de-Gaulle aircraft carrier, and he contributed to the development of Dassault's nEUROn UAS and Falcon 8X.