At the recent Aircraft Electronics Association's 52nd annual
International Convention & Trade Show, from April 1-4, in
Dallas, Texas, seven new board members were seated during the
annual AEA board of directors election. In addition, new
international officers were elected.
The new AEA chairman of the board is Barry Aylward, president
and owner of Kitchener Aero in Breslau, Ontario, Canada. Only the
second Canadian to lead the AEA in its 52-year history, Aylward
succeeds Michael O'Leary of Midcoast Aviation, Cahokia, Ill., who
served as chairman from 2002 to 2009.
Aylward, who served as AEA's vice chairman of the board from
2007 to 2009, earned his college diploma in avionics technology in
1976, from Confederation College in Thunder Bay. Working with
partners, Aylward opened Kitchener Aero in 1978, as a two-man shop.
He became sole owner of Kitchener Aero in the late 1980s. With
steady growth in ensuing years, Aylward acquired Skytronics Ltd.,
then opened Mid-Canada Mod Center. Today, the company is
established nationally as one of Canada's top avionics specialist
organizations. Kitchener Aero has been a member of the AEA since
1978.
Aylward has attended AEA conventions since the Kansas City
convention in 1980. He has served on the AEA board of directors for
most of the past 20 years. Aylward's dedicated focus on regulatory
affairs with Transport Canada Civil Aviation has success-fully
re-positioned the AEA as a prominent and respected industry trade
association in the eyes of TCCA. Aylward has served on the AEA
Strategic Planning Committee, is a member of the AEA Government
& Industry Affairs Committee, and was honored as the AEA Member
of the Year in 2003.
Greg Vail was elected as the new AEA
vice chairman of the board. Vail is the general manager of
Bloomington Avionics Inc. in Bloomington, Ill., and he has more
than 26 years experience in the aviation business. He also is a
licensed single-engine pilot with instrument endorsement.
Vail was a member of the AEA's Strategic Planning Committee
before being elected to the board of directors in 2005. He chairs
the Government & Industry Affairs Committee. Vail also is
spearheading the new AEA Ambassador Program to promote better
communications between AEA member companies and FAA Flight
Standards District Offices.
Also elected as new international officers were Jeanne
Rau-Flattery, president of Millennium International and Aero
Express in Lee's Summit, Mo., as the new treasurer of the AEA board
of directors; and Chuck Freeland, western regional sales manager
for Sandel Avionics in Vista, Calif., serving as the new secretary
of the board.
The seven open seats on the AEA board of directors were filled
during this year's election by the following individuals:
Tim Kelly, Honeywell Aerospace, Olathe, Kan.; David Loso,
Midcoast Aviation, Cahokia, Ill.; Cory Relling, Aero Dynamix,
Euless, Texas; Vince Scott, Midland Instruments, Perkinsfield,
Ontario, Canada; and Kim Stephenson, L-3 Avionics, Grand Rapids,
Mich. Re-elected for three-year terms were Matthew Harrah, Garmin,
Olathe, Kan., and Jim Joubert, Pacific Southwest Instruments,
Corona, Calif.