Contact: Dan Hubbard, 202-783-9360, dhubbard@nbaa.org
Washington, DC, Nov. 20, 2018 – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) will present longtime business aviation volunteer Kellie Rittenhouse with the Schedulers & Dispatchers (S&D) Outstanding Achievement and Leadership Award at the 2019 Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference (SDC2019) Jan. 29-Feb. 1 in San Antonio, TX.
Rittenhouse, a certified aviation manager (CAM), was one of the first women to complete the CAM accreditation and holds an FAA dispatcher certification. She is now director of aviation for Hangar Aviation Management, LLC. Described by NBAA’s Senior Director of Educational Strategy Jo Damato as an “MVP of volunteers,” Rittenhouse is a former S&D Committee member and chaired the 2004 Conference in Savannah, GA. After achieving her CAM accreditation, she served on the CAM governing board, and continues to be a frequent presenter at NBAA and regional events.
“I met Kellie in 2004 when she chaired the Schedulers & Dispatchers Conference,” said Spring Adamo, flight logistics lead at FirstEnergy Flight Ops. “Her enthusiasm was contagious. Since then, she has continued to set the bar high not just for me but for other professionals – both women and men – walking in her footsteps. What Kellie has done for me and my professional development, she has done for many others.”
Rittenhouse’s contributions to business aviation reach outside NBAA to regional organizations and far beyond formal volunteering positions. Not only is she the director of the Michigan Business Aviation Association, but she is known by the scheduling and dispatching community for being just a phone call away, passionately and freely sharing her knowledge and experience with other professionals.
Adamo shared one example of Rittenhouse’s giving nature: one night before Adamo was to give a big speech, Rittenhouse prepared with her until the wee hours of the morning until Adamo felt confident for the day’s presentation.
Rittenhouse is the 11th winner of this award, which was created in 2008 and recognizes individuals who have shared their business aviation industry expertise, provided extraordinary service, exhibited leadership and made significant contributions to the scheduling and dispatching function.
“Kellie is the first flight department leader to be presented this award, which is notable as companies see the value in having non-flying professionals as aviation directors,” said Damato. “Her achievement as aviation director is the result of her taking big risks and being devoted to not just the craft of scheduling and dispatching but also to the craft of leadership. She is a humble and selfless leader.”
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Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. The association represents more than 11,000 companies and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition, the world’s largest civil aviation trade show. Learn more about NBAA at www.nbaa.org.
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