The Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA) has announced Dale Forton will be the organization’s new president. He replaces retiring John Casker who, with PAMA chairman Clark Gordon and the board of directors, spent several years refocusing the organization’s strategic plan and re-establishing critical industry relationships.

“The selection of Dale Forton as president completes the last remaining piece of PAMA’s new leadership structure. At the pinnacle of the pyramid, he will ensure PAMA continues to grow exponentially,” Gordon said. “Dale’s knowledge and involvement in the industry and previous leadership experience as a PAMA board director make him a natural fit to meet PAMA’s strategic plan.”

Addressing (click for video) the issue of what he perceives PAMA’s role in the industry to be, Forton told AIN, “Depending on the economy, which for now seems to be growing slowly, there will be a shortage of A&Ps in the near future. A shortage should provide for an increase in wages for the existing and new members of our industry. Our role as an organization must be to prepare new and existing members of our industry for this shortage by increasing both industry and general public awareness of the increasing technical expertise needed to maintain aircraft. Understanding the complexities of modern aircraft maintenance will help [people to understand] the need for a maintenance cost increase to keep existing technicians, and to entice new ones, in aircraft maintenance.” 

Forton has been active in the aviation maintenance industry for 32 years and has been involved with PAMA for more than 26 years, holding key leadership roles for much of that time. He brings significant credibility to his position as a long-time A&P, former director of maintenance and an active PAMA board member.

As a PAMA member, Forton launched a chapter, served as Great Lakes Regional director, was vice chairman of the PAMA Board of Directors and chaired several key committees including the governance and strategic planning committee.

Forton further highlighted some of his goals for the organization. “As president, I plan to first engage members, chapters and the industry in what PAMA can do for them now and what they would like PAMA to do for them in the future. I am excited about the direction of career enhancement training that  PAMA is offering in webinars as well as the upcoming Great Lakes Airworthiness Symposium.”