WASHINGTON, DC – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) today announced that Rick Hale, president and CEO of NBAA Member Company Winner Aviation, and Richard Shine, CEO of NBAA Member Company Manitoba Recycling, will be recognized with the Association’s American Spirit Award for representing business aviation before Congress.
Federal policymakers are considering “reauthorization” (or funding) of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and aviation system modernization. Funding proposals being promoted by the big airlines would shift billions of dollars onto general aviation and implement new, foreign-style user fees upon small and mid-sized businesses across the country.
“NBAA is honored to recognize Rick Hale and Richard Shine for illustrating for members of Congress what business aviation is all about and for explaining to Congress the real impact of user fees on small and mid-sized businesses across the country,” NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen said.
Since its creation in 1994, NBAA’s American Spirit Award has recognized individuals within business aviation who exemplify excellence and service to others.
In testimony on July 19 before the Senate Aviation Subcommittee on Energy, Natural Resources and Infrastructure, Shine explained that aviation is key to the success of his recycling business, and that for every Fortune 500 company that relies on turbine-powered business aviation, there are eight or nine smaller companies like his that depend on the aircraft for everyday business. “I represent a small business that operates a turboprop to help my company survive, and my story is not unique,” Shine testified before the subcommittee.
Weeks later, on August 1, Hale testified before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures. Hale told subcommittee members that his local area has very little commercial airline service, and his Youngstown, OH-based firm enables others to do business outside of Youngstown, while remaining located in Northeastern Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. “That’s important at a time when our part of the country is losing businesses at an alarming rate,” Hale said. He advocated general aviation’s support for air traffic control modernization, but called for “pay at the pump” fuel taxes rather than user fees or new taxes.
“NBAA applauds these Members for going above and beyond the call to represent business aviation before Congress,” Bolen said. “We look forward to presenting them with the American Spirit Awards at this year’s NBAA 60th Annual Meeting & Convention in Atlanta.”
Learn more about NBAA’s awards at www.nbaa.org/awards. Learn more about the NBAA 60th Annual Meeting & Convention at www.nbaa.org/2007.
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Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association, Inc. (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 8,000 companies and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Annual Meeting & Convention, the world’s largest civil aviation trade show. Learn more about NBAA at www.nbaa.org.
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International Business Aviation Council Ltd.