April 4, 2023
NBAA Managing Editor Thom Patterson has joined the Dreams Soar Advisory Council as it expands its mission to build an aviation industry career resource called The Hub.
Dreams Soar was founded in 2016 by record-setting pilot Shaesta Waiz, who embarked on a solo flight around the world to inspire young people.
The Hub, which will feature a series of comprehensive workforce solutions and tools to streamline the “inspire-to-hire” career pathways, will launch in the fall of 2023 with support from strategic partners and communities across the United States.
Recognizing the need for a multifaceted approach to solving the aviation industry’s workforce challenges, Dreams Soar plans to roll out various brand segments that will support different stages of the career journey as the organization continues to scale.
Additionally, Waiz also announced the launch of the Talent Pledge – Dreams Soar’s formal commitment to building and sustaining the aviation industry career hub. Learn more about the Talent Pledge.
“When I first learned about Dreams Soar’s mission to build and sustain an all-inclusive online career hub for aviation students and young professionals, I knew it was a great idea and I had to get involved,” said Patterson.
“The idea seems so simple, yet it fills a gap that could go a long way toward providing critical education resources to a huge potential aviation workforce,” he added.
In addition to Patterson, the council includes Dr. Sharon DeVivo, president of Vaughn College; Christine Sharp and James Brough from the FAA; Shelley Svoren, CEO of Infinite Branches; J.J. Frigge, president of Hartzell, Andre Castro from the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, Peter Truszkowski, CEO of AirPlx. Louis C. Seno, JSSI chairman emeritus, serves as chairman of the organization’s board of directors.
Patterson joined NBAA in September 2022, and serves as managing editor of Business Aviation Insider magazine. He came to NBAA from Flying Magazine, where he was a senior writer and interim managing editor. Prior, he served as a digital communications supervisor at UPS Corporate Headquarters.
For more than three decades, Patterson worked at CNN, where he produced, wrote, edited, reported and conducted interviews for CNN TV and CNN Digital.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Indiana University.
International Business Aviation Council Ltd.