Kenneth Emerick elected chairman, Jeffrey Lee voted vice chairman, treasurer

The Board of Directors of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) has announced the election of Kenneth E. Emerick of GM Worldwide Travel Services as chairman. The Board also announced the election of current Treasurer Jeffrey W. Lee of IBM Corporation to additionally fill the post of vice chairman.

Both elections took place Friday, September 17 during a regular quarterly meeting of the Board and are effective immediately. Emerick and Lee will serve in their roles through the Board's November 2005 meeting.

The elections were held to fill vacancies created by the departure of Board Chairman Donald E. Baldwin (photo, right), who has resigned to pursue career interests. Board Members Durwood J. Heinrich and John E. "Jeff" Frank also have resigned from the Board concurrent with their retirements, respectively, from Texas Instruments and AT&T Wireless.

"Ken Emerick and Jeff Lee are proven leaders who have brought their time, talents and energy to furthering the goals of our organization," said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. "I'm looking forward to working with them to build on our efforts to serve our Members and help NBAA become an even more powerful advocate for the business aviation community."

Emerick is director of aviation for GM Worldwide Travel Services, a company he joined early in his career after graduating from Wayne State University. Before joining the Board, he served as chairman of the NBAA Corporate Aviation Management Committee. He was first appointed as vice president of the NBAA Board to fill a vacancy in January 2000. He was elected for his first three-year term in October 2000, and reelected for a second term in October 2003.

"It has been my privilege to contribute to NBAA's work for the past several years, and I'm honored that the Board has chosen me to serve as chairman," Emerick said. "Ed Bolen and the rest of the NBAA staff are off to a tremendous start, and I'm joined by my fellow Board members in pledging to them my continued support."

Lee is the director of flight operations for IBM Corporation, which he joined in 1980 as a copilot. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the USAF Academy and was an Air Force flight instructor from 1974 to 1980. Prior to joining the NBAA Board in 2001, he served first as vice chairman and then chairman of NBAA's Corporate Aviation Management Committee.

"NBAA's Board and staff bring combined talent, experience and knowledge of the industry to the leadership of the organization," Lee said. "I'm confident that this effective partnership will continue to strengthen as we address challenges that lie ahead, and strive to serve the interests of our Membership."

Outgoing Board Chairman Donald Baldwin thanked his fellow Board members for their support. "I am deeply grateful to NBAA's Board of Directors for the support they have given me, and for the incredible amount of time, energy and leadership they have invested in the interests of our Members," Baldwin said. "Ken Emerick and Jeff Lee have been critical to the Board's work, and -- with the support of the other Board members, and a talented staff led by Ed Bolen -- I know that the organization will be in good hands and will be capably led in the years to come."

Bolen thanked Baldwin for his service to NBAA: "I am profoundly grateful to Don Baldwin for his outstanding contributions as NBAA Board Chairman. His significant personal contributions during a time of transition went well beyond what was required.  Because of Don's steady leadership, NBAA has remained focused on the needs of our constituency. While Don will be missed, we wish him the best in all of his future endeavors."

FMI: http://www.nbaa.org/board