Barry Aylward, co-owner of Kitchener Aero in Breslau, Ontario and Mid-Canada Mod Center in Toronto., was honored during the Annual Awards Luncheon at the 46th Annual AEA Convention and Trade Show in Orlando, FL, as AEA's Member of the Year. Aylward joins a prestigious list of winners, as the association has given away the award to one (or sometimes two) of its members every year for over 30 years. Honorees are nominated and voted on by fellow members.

Both Aylward's company's are large mod centers working on single-engines, turboprops, light jets and right on up to Boeings. They also offer Special Missions work for both fixed wing and helicopters. The companies have enjoyed growth rates of 10 to 20 percent per year since their inception. His companies are consistently at the top of avionics manufacturers' list of dealers. Aylward gives credit to his involvement with AEA as being instrumental in his company's growth, saying "AEA has been essential from the standpoint of networking, knowing who to call and acquiring dealerships."

Aylward serves on AEA's board of directors as Region VI vice president, and was a valuable member of the Strategic Planning committee, always keeping everyone on the committee thinking "internationally, and not just domestically." Not taking all the credit of his companies' successes, he's always quick to include his partners, Kevin Birch and Bill Arsenault in all of their successful endeavors.

SANDIA aerospace was honored as AEA's Associate Member of the Year. Winners of this prestigious award are chosen by AEA's regular members, the dealers and shops that promote and use their products. Although a fairly new company, created in 1997, owner Dennis Schmidt is an industry icon [and a real character... --E-I-C].  He began his aviation career 33 years ago and decided that after 27 years of experience in avionics, he would begin his own company. SANDIA aerospace designs, develops and contracts avionics products and assemblies, including the SAE5-35 Altitude Data System and the CFS Fuel Flow System, now designed to provide greater integration with today's avionics.

In a message to his customers, Schmidt wrote: "When we created SANDIA aerospace, we wanted to create a different kind of avionics company. Like a new bride, we decided we needed something old and something new. For the old, we took a step back to the days when personal service and attention to customer needs was normal business. So when you call us, you're going to get a real person on the phone ... one who can help solve your problem. For the new, we take a fresh look at every product we design and offer to the flying public. As pilots ourselves we put in the features that we would like to have, as well as incorporating our fellow pilot's ideas." Schmidt has been an active member of AEA, currently serving as chairman of the Educational Foundation.

FMI: www.aea.net