Shine Passes The Gavel To GCI's Ron Duncan

The voting Members of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) elected five directors during its 66th Annual Meeting held Wednesday at the Las Vegas Convention Center during NBAA’s Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA2013). Additionally, Ron Duncan of General Communications, Inc. succeeded Richard Shine of Manitoba Corp. as chairman, and Paul Anderson of UTFlight will serve as NBAA’s new vice chairman/treasurer.

Ron Duncan is one of the founders of General Communication, Inc. (GCI), Alaska’s largest telecommunications provider, and has been president and CEO since 1989. Prior to starting GCI, Duncan founded and was president of an Alaska-based cable television company. He received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He holds a commercial pilot’s license with SEL&S and MEL ratings and is type rated in CE-560, IA-1125, G-100 and CL604 aircraft. In 25 years of flying, Duncan has accumulated 7,000 hours, more than half of which are in turbojets. Duncan has served on the NBAA Board since 2005.

Paul Anderson is vice president of UTFlight, the corporate flight department for United Technologies Corporation (UTC). Previously, he held several positions in a customer service role with UTC company Sikorsky Aircraft. Anderson graduated from West Point in 1981, served for five years in the U.S. Army as a helicopter maintenance officer and pilot and received an MBA from the University of New Haven. He holds a private pilot’s license for fixed-wing aircraft and a helicopter ATP, and he is a Master Army Aviator, including ratings in several military and civilian helicopters. Anderson joined the NBAA Board in 2007 and was re-elected to a three-year term as director today.

In addition to Anderson's re-election, also elected to three-year terms expiring in 2016 were David Everitt, Leslie F. Kenne, Doug Schwartz and Richard Walsh.

David Everitt retired from Deere & Company after a 37-year career that spanned multiple international assignments, engineering and marketing responsibilities and culminated leading the largest division within the company. During his more than 10-year tenure as president, the Ag Division embarked on significant global growth. Operations were established in India, China and Brazil, and significant investments were made in United States, Mexico and Europe. Everitt spent nine years in Europe and was recognized within the company as one of its most international executives. He serves on the boards of Harsco Corporation, an industrial services company; Gates, a power transmission company; Brunswick, a consumer and recreational products company; and Agrium, an agricultural nutrients producer and distributor. A native of Concordia, KS, Everitt graduated from Kansas State University in 1975 with a BS in industrial engineering. Everitt joined the NBAA Board in 2012.

Leslie F. Kenne retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2003. Her 32-year military career began upon graduation from Auburn University and culminated with her service as deputy chief of staff for warfighting integration. She also served in various test and evaluation roles and directed three major programs – the Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared System for Night, the F-16 and the Joint Strike Fighter. Kenne currently is an independent defense consultant. In addition to the Oshkosh Corporation, she serves on the boards of Harris Corporation and Unisys Corporation. This will be Kenne’s first term on the NBAA Board.

Doug Schwartz is manager of global aviation services at ConocoPhillips, where he is responsible for the oversight of executive flight operations, corporate shuttle operations, global charter flight support and aviation facilitates management. Prior to joining ConocoPhillips, Schwartz worked as vice president of flight operations & standards at TAG Aviation and as aviation director at AT&T. Before that, he worked for 25 years for FlightSafety International, the world's largest commercial aviation training company. Schwartz holds a bachelor’s degree in economics from Vanderbilt University, and attended the University of Houston Graduate School of Business. He is a past chairman of the NBAA Safety Committee and the NBAA Security Council. He is a founder and past chairman of the board of the Morristown Aviation Association and currently serves on the board of governors of the Flight Safety Foundation. Schwartz joined the NBAA Board in 2004.

Richard Walsh is currently the vice president of global aviation and travel security services for the Hewlett-Packard Company, where he is responsible for the operational and strategic oversight of executive flight operations and travel security initiatives. Prior to joining Hewlett-Packard, Walsh worked as vice president of aviation and business continuity for Cardinal Health. Before that he worked for 20 years for United Airlines in multiple training and flight operations leadership roles. He is past chairman of the NBAA Safety Committee and currently serves on the Southern Illinois University Aviation Management Advisory Board. He has accumulated more than 16,000 hours of diverse flight experience and is type rated on seven different turbojet aircraft. This will be Walsh’s first term on the NBAA Board.

FMI: Review the full NBAA Board roster