Fuller Sends Message to AOPA Staff Announcing Imminent Departure

AOPA President and CEO Craig Fuller sent the following message out to AOPA staff this morning as the ANN story was breaking and AOPA, itself, was preparing to announce that he was leaving the organization at the end of his contract.

Fuller Statement

"I want to share with you a personal decision I've made that will be announced later this morning. The statement is provided below.

When I was selected in 2008 to serve as president and CEO of AOPA, I committed to staying in the position for at least five years. I am now in the fifth year of what has been a tremendous opportunity to serve a community I joined over forty years ago when I became a private pilot.

The decision I arrived at recently and shared with our Board of Trustees is that 2013 will be my last year as AOPA's president.

We are a very strong organization. We have a very strong leadership team that has worked together to restructure our organization in lasting and important ways. We are respected and we are a tremendous force working to preserve the freedom to fly for our members.

With so many factors in our favor, it seemed like a commitment has been fulfilled and it was the right time to give our Trustees the time to select a new president.

For now, I am not going anywhere. There is much work to do and it is important for us to stay focused on our mission. It is my plan to remain at AOPA to support the transition. When there are developments to report, I will share them with you. And, I am always available to answer any questions.

We are part of a fine organization that has accomplished much in the past and will do even greater things in the future.

What makes this decision difficult is the realization that at some point I will become separated from a group of colleagues I trust and respect and truly enjoy working with on a daily basis. Let's make the most of the weeks and months ahead."
 

Best regards,

Craig

FMI: www.aopa.org