NATA has nominated three individuals to the NATA Board of Directors: Dean Harton, president and CEO of Piedmont Hawthorne Holdings; Jim Spinder, president and COO of Atlantic Aero; and Bill Koch, chief operating officer of SevenBar Enterprises.

Dean Harton joined Hawthorne Aviation in 1968 as a line pilot and military contract flight instructor. He has served in a variety of operational and financial positions with Hawthorne Corporation, including president, and was appointed president and CEO of Piedmont Hawthorne in 1999. Harton is a graduate of the Miller School of Aeronautics and holds an Associate Degree in Law from LaSalle University. He has served on numerous aviation advisory panels and holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate.

Jim Spinder began his career in the consumer products division of Kimberly-Clark and then joined KCAviation in the air charter and aircraft management operations. He became COO, CFO and later president of Alliance Engines, a joint venture of Kimberly Clark and Duncan Aviation based in Maryville, TN. Spinder joined Atlantic Aero in 1999 as executive vice president and general manager and was later made president and COO. He holds degrees in accounting and political science, law and finance.

Bill Koch is chief operating officer of SevenBar Enterprises, a privately held diversified aviation services company based in Dallas. He most recently served as president of Sutherland Companies, an aviation investment and advisory firm. Koch also served as president of AMR Combs, the business aviation affiliate of American Airlines. He is a graduate of Southern Methodist University.

"We look forward to welcoming all three of these gentleman to our Board," commented NATA president James K. Coyne. "They will join a distinguished group of individuals who are responsible for leading and guiding NATA as The Voice of Aviation Business."

The nominations of Harton, Spinder and Koch will be formally voted on at the upcoming NATA Annual Convention and Meeting in Las Vegas, May 18-20.

FMI: www.nata-online.org