Winner Is A Junior At Daniel Webster College

Conklin & de Decker -- in association with the National Business Aviation Association -- announced the first annual Alan H. Conklin Business Aviation Management scholarship will go to Carly Butwell of Newburgh, NY. The award was presented at the 2008 NBAA Annual Meeting and Convention in Orlando, FL, which wrapped up Wednesday.

Carly Butwell is a junior at Daniel Webster College in Nashua, NH, majoring in Aviation Management. She obtained her private pilot license in May of this year, is now working towards her instrument rating and has a 3.67 GPA. Butwell is also active in the local chapter of Women in Aviation and has been active in Junior Air Force ROTC. Her long term goal is to start and run a flight school.

This annual scholarship honors Alan H. Conklin, founder of Conklin & de Decker... a US Air Force veteran, author, father, husband and business aviation leader for more than 60 years who died November 2006.

"On behalf of the family of Alan Conklin and the entire staff at Conklin & de Decker, we congratulate Carly as the first recipient of this scholarship," commented Bill de Decker, President and co-founder of Conklin & de Decker and long time friend of Al Conklin. "I was very impressed with the young aspiring business aviation professionals that applied for this award and it was a very difficult decision," added de Decker. "In the end, Carly Butwell impressed us the most and we wish her all the best that our industry has to offer." 

The $6,375 scholarship is awarded to a student attending a University Aviation Association (UAA) affiliated college and who is specializing in aviation management.

Conklin was an active member and supporter of NBAA for many years and served on the Operations Committee until his retirement in 2003. His aviation career spanned more than six decades. After flying as an instructor pilot in the US Army Air Corps and as a USAF transport pilot in Korea, Conklin’s career took him to business aviation where he sold aircraft for several companies before meeting Bill de Decker and creating the first Aircraft Cost Evaluator program. Then in 1984 he founded what became Conklin & de Decker.

FMI: www.conklindd.com, www.nbaa.org