Proven Leader And Pioneer Elevated Aviation’s Workforce

The National Business Aviation Association announced that Sheryl A. Barden, CAM and CEO of Aviation Personnel International (API), will be awarded the 2025 John P. “Jack” Doswell Award at the NBAA Business Aviation Convention and Exposition, or NBAA-BACE, to be held October 14-16 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Doswell Award honors lifetime service and achievement to business aviation, and Ms. Barden is an ideal example of the spirit as an innovative champion of workforce initiatives, effective advocate for the industry, a visionary leader, and an extraordinary mentor to many aviation professionals.

Ed Bolen, President and CEO of NBAA said, “Sheryl is the rare leader who doesn’t just contribute—she transforms. She brings bold ideas, inspires action and elevates everyone around her. Her impact reaches every corner of our industry.”

Sheryl’s journey in aviation started in childhood as her mother, Janice K. Barden, founder of API, shared her stories about aviation’s purpose in society and its inspiring culture. Sheryl attended her first NBAA convention when she was 16 and has missed only two since then.

After a successful career of 17 years, Sheryl joined API in 2001 and has transformed it into a top-notch talent identification and workforce consulting firm with more than fifty years of experience working with more than a thousand Part 91 flight departments.

Likely the most notable feature of Barden’s approach is helping people recognize their potential, enabling her team to develop solid and culturally-aligned teams.

Long before the industry recognized the importance of ‘retention’ and ‘culture’ to their teams, Barden spearheaded efforts to address the impending shortages of talent, compensation, and leadership development. Her  have all formed the foundation for the best practices utilized today.

Both Sheryl’s mother Janice and her stepfather Chuck McKinnon are past recipients of the Doswell Award, making her the third in the family to receive the peer-nominated award.

FMI:  nbaa.org/ , www.apiaviation.com/