New EAA Prez is Long-Time Member, Stearman Pilot/Rebuilder

During remarks in advance of the Piper press conference at Oshkosh 2010, current president EAA Tom Poberezny let loose with the fact that EAA has selected new leadership to 'augment' his aims for the organization.

Hightower noted that he has been a flyer since the age of 16, and has had a lifelong involvement in aviation, and over the course of 5 years, rebuilt the Boeing Stearmen that he flies currently. Hightower was introduced along with his wife and five children after remarks in which Poberezny noted that he had great plans for his involvement in the future, but that Hightower was chosen so that he could undertake tasks best suited to his experience and interests.

Hightower is a native of Missouri and is a director of the National Stearman Foundation. A businessman of 25 years, he has led companies both domestic and interational with as many as 2,300 employees and annual budgets of up to $470 million.

The search for a new EAA President began back in 2005, and while the organization reportedly came close to naming Pete Bunce to the position last year, the process hit a snag, and the search continued.

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