Universal Weather & Aviation Manager To Be Honored at Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference

The NBAA announced Monday that the annual Outstanding Achievement & Leadership Award will be presented to Fred Towers, services review program manager for Universal Weather and Aviation, Inc., during NBAA's Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference, to be held January 27-29, of next year.

The award, which was created by NBAA's Schedulers & Dispatchers Committee in 2008, recognizes individuals who have shared their outstanding business aviation industry expertise, provided extraordinary service, exhibited leadership and made significant contributions to the scheduling and dispatching function.

"Fred's dedication to quality and professionalism is equaled by his enthusiasm for reaching new career heights," said Ed Bolen, NBAA president and CEO. "Clearly, he personifies all of the qualities this award seeks to recognize, and we congratulate him for this well-deserved honor."

Towers began his aviation career in the United States Air Force, Air Weather Service, in 1969 and transitioned to business aviation in 1981. He has been a driving force for increased recognition of the importance of schedulers and dispatchers within the business aviation community, and has a special talent for conveying those concepts to others.

Towers's many contributions to the industry include his work on NBAA's Schedulers & Dispatchers Committee as well as the Association's International Operations Committee. A veteran of aircraft scheduling and dispatch under both Part 91 and 135 operations, Towers is well-known for both international trip planning and customer-service training programs he developed that emphasizes on-the-job situations faced by schedulers and dispatchers on a daily basis. The latter course was the first to meet all objectives of the NBAA Schedulers' Professional Development Program and obtain certification under the program. Towers has taught training courses around the world - including in London, Dubai and Manila - to raise the level of professionalism in the scheduling and dispatch functions.

"Although few can match Fred's knowledge of the scheduling and dispatching profession, what makes Fred so respected within the Universal family and in the industry is his desire and enthusiasm to share that wisdom with others," said Universal CEO Ralph Vasami. "Having known and worked with Fred for many years, I cannot think of someone more deserving of this honor. Fred is a vocal advocate for the scheduler and dispatcher community as well as utilizing company aircraft as a business asset."

The Outstanding Achievement & Leadership Award advances the reputation of the scheduler and dispatcher profession and recognizes outstanding individuals who serve as schedulers and dispatchers.

FMI: www.nbaa.org/about/awards/sdola