Talk About Setting a Tone -- HBC Goes To War....

Rarely has anyone set a tone for an event as swiftly and as dramatically as Hawker Beechcraft's CEO, Bill Boisture. Having survived one of the toughest years in the history of aviation (much less business aviation), Boisture showed up in military livery, as did his entire staff and management team, using a strong military metaphor to describe the year past as well as the attitudes that may be necessary to weather the storm of the next few.

Boisture is no shrinking violet... he is a battle-worn veteran of a number of companies and industry segments. In addition to his current leadership role at HBC, W.W. (Bill) Boisture Jr. is the former president of industry-leading companies NetJets and Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, bringing more than 30 years of aviation experience to this particular battle. 

Mind you, the military metaphor comes easily to Boisture, a true veteran... he was the "real deal" -- a fighter pilot in the US Air Force (USAF) and a graduate of the USAF Fighter Weapons School and the US Navy Fighter Weapons School ("Topgun" school). He was honorably discharged as a major after 11 years of service. Boisture maintains a commercial instrument rating and continues to be an active pilot.

But make no mistake, while the military motif may have seemed a bit dramatic, it was certainly apt (and frightfully 'on target')... the industry has been in a heckuva fight this year and has to be prepared for much more, while the folks of HBC seem more than ready and willing to meet and defeat all foes...

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