Is it just me or is there an abnormal amount of change at multiple aviation organizations?
Darren Pleasance replaced Mark Baker as president and chief executive officer at the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) on Jan. 1. Also on Jan. 1 Jim Hauslein succeeded Bill Trimble as AOPA board chair.
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) named James Viola to succeed Pete Bunce as president and CEO. Viola is moving from Vertical Aviation International (VAI), formerly Helicopter Association International. Bunce is retiring after 20 years as president of GAMA.
This means VAI is now searching for a replacement.
And if you’d like to live in Alaska, the Alaska Airmen’s Association has launched a search for its next executive director.
Changes and challenges aplenty for a wide variety of organizations and companies.
Regardless…Onward.
Here’s to 2025!
Don’t for get the current/outgoing FAA Director, Michael G. Whitaker, who’s tenure appears to be (at most)1 year and 2n1/2 months. Very bad as his successor will most likely be either a current or former Boeing executive.
As far as Mark Baker’s departure from AOPA goes:
The organization did have some significant accomplishments during his tenure.
However…
I was an independent contractor for AOPA’s Air Safety Institute (ASI) for 10 years, beginning during the Craig Fuller/Bruce Landsberg era, and including six years under Baker.
In addition to providing a large percentage of ASI’s workforce, the contractors (usually about 10 of us) truly represented the “face of AOPA” to their ‘grass roots membership’.
Contractors…not AOPA’s Frederick HQ staff…were the ones that traveled across the country, presenting the ASI’s in-person safety seminars, and teaching their Flight Instructor Refresher Clinics.
In all that time, Baker never once communicated with us.
In fact, he never even acknowledged our existence.
Given the role we played in the continued success of his organization, that seemed pretty odd.
I’m betting, with his then-$1.6M+plus salary, he could’ve afforded to at least send us an e-mail.
It is a good amount of changeover, but it is due to leadership retiring. Viola likely would have remained at VAI had it not been for the GAMA opportunity. Mark Baker was ready for retirement. I’d hazard a guess that EAA is starting to consider next steps as Jack Pelton could be getting closer to considering retirement. The good news is that all of these organizations have had long-term, consistent leadership and they are looking to continue that.
Its just you.
The draining of the Swamp begins soon. Lobbyists are jumping the ship.