NBAA Welcomes Jon D. Ellis as Newest Board Member

Contact: Cassandra Bosco

Washington, DC, February 5, 2001 – The Board of Directors of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) welcomes Jon D. Ellis as its newest Member. He was appointed to fill a Board position vacated by Allan Lane upon his retirement from BP Amoco last year.

Jon Ellis has managed Sprint Corporation’s Flight Operations Department since 1990. He began his career with Sprint’s predecessor company United Telecommunications, Inc. in 1984 as a Learjet copilot. During his time with the company, he has flown Learjet 55, Lockheed JetStar II, Canadair Challenger 601, Cessna Citation VII, Gulfstream IV and Global Express aircraft.

Prior to joining Sprint, Ellis was public affairs officer for the Federal Aviation Administration Central Region. He also had served as an aviation safety inspector in FAA’s Kansas City General Aviation District Office. In addition, Ellis has experience as a writer, both in the Fort Worth, TX Public Affairs Office and as an aviation reporter for the Daily Oklahoman in Oklahoma City. He served three years in the U.S. Army as a combat air traffic controller with one tour of duty in Vietnam.

Ellis is a graduate of the University of Tulsa with a Bachelor’s degree in journalism. He also attended graduate school at Central Missouri State University, where he studied aviation safety management. He serves as a board member of the Kansas City Business Aircraft Association.

Ellis learned to fly in 1964 at age 17 in Tulsa, OK. His pilot credentials include airline transport pilot, gold seal certified flight instructor, instrument and multi-engine flight instructor and type ratings in the Learjet, Challenger, Citation, Gulfstream IV and Global Express.

NBAA represents the aviation interests of over 6,400 companies which own or operate general aviation aircraft as an aid to the conduct of their business, or are involved with business aviation. NBAA Member Companies earn annual revenues approaching $5 trillion — a number that is about half the gross domestic product — and employ more than 19 million people worldwide. The NBAA Annual Meeting & Convention is the world’s largest display of civil aviation products and services.