Departing Cessna VP Praised For Reviving Wichita Aero Club

Many in the industry are reflecting on Friday's resignation of Bob Stangerone from Cessna, where he served for six years as the company's VP of Communications, a role which brought him into frequent contact with ANN and other media.

He told friends by e-mail last week, "I am especially grateful to my mentor and friend, and a great leader, Jack Pelton, and his wonderful wife Rose, for giving me this fantastic opportunity with Cessna."

Stangerone's praise for Pelton comes amid speculation that he had been targeted by Textron management following Pelton's sudden displacement. The idea that Stangerone was about to be nudged out certainly wasn't damped by another comment in his e-mail: "If I learned one thing over the years, it’s the importance of staying ahead of change… to make things happen rather than wonder what happened."

Stangerone says he plans to return to the east coast to be closer to family. No other future plans have been mentioned.

The VP was respected beyond media circles. Stangerone won high praise for leading a revival of the Wichita Aero Club, which he served as a founding member of the board since 2008. A commenter on one blog noted, "Without Bob the Wichita Aero Club would still have had only one meeting...a balloon launch in 1915."

Back on August 2, The Wichita Aero Club announced that Stangarone would hand over the president's position to Patrick Tuttle in January, 2012. Tuttle previously served as club treasurer, and was elected by the WAC board to an interim position of vice chairman effective August 1.

At the time, Stangerone said only, "It’s been an honor to serve as chairman of this great organization for the past three years, and as we transition from an entrepreneurial organization to the next phase, it’s time to hand the baton over to someone else. Patrick, with his business acumen and proven commitment to the club, is exactly the right person for the job."

FMI: http://www.wichitaaeroclub.org/news/view/86/