Photo – Ed Bolen with aviation association leaders during EAA AirVenture Oshkosh in 2013. SAJ photo by Kim Stevens. –
The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), along with a number of national aviation associations including NASAO, GAMA, NATA, AOPA and EAA, hailed the pioneering legacy of Ed Bolen, an industry trailblazer who is retiring after nearly a quarter century as NBAA’s president and CEO.
A tireless and singularly effective advocate for business aviation since joining NBAA in 2004, Bolen has been one of the industry’s most inspiring champions for more than 40 years, leading on key priorities including safety, airport and airspace access, workforce development and air traffic control modernization.
“It is the privilege of a lifetime to have served NBAA and the aviation community. I am incredibly proud of everything NBAA is, and of what we have accomplished together over the years,” Bolen said. “I regret having to step down because of my health, and I have been touched by the outpouring of your support. Business aviation is at its best when we come together, and I have never been more confident in NBAA’s brilliant future.”
Today’s announcement follows the recent news that Bolen was taking medical leave for cancer treatment.
“The nation’s state aviation leaders salute Ed Bolen as he announces his retirement from the NBAA,” said Greg Pecoraro, President and CEO of the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO). “Ed’s career as a leader in the aviation industry is unsurpassed. Throughout his time on Capitol Hill, at the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), and now at NBAA, he has provided thoughtful, dedicated, and passionate leadership to the industry. In recent years, Ed has been aviation’s preeminent spokesman and exemplified the best of our industry. We thank him for his service, his friendship to NASAO and state aviation agencies, and wish him the best.”
Jack J. Pelton, CEO and Chairman of the Board of the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA), said, “Ed Bolen’s impact and influence on the aviation community can be measured in so many ways, yet is immeasurable in so many others. Ed has championed important causes that have advanced aviation, from safety, airport and airspace access to air traffic control modernization. He has also been a leader in seeking consensus within the aviation community on key issues. I am proud to call Ed an esteemed colleague as well as a friend and we are keeping him in our thoughts as he steps into retirement.”
The NBAA Board of Directors affirmed Dan Hubbard will continue overseeing day-to-day operations and named Hubbard Acting CEO and SVP, Communications.
The Board also announced that a special executive search committee will begin a search for a new CEO. The committee will be chaired by Matt Byrd, vice chair of NBAA’s Board and president and CEO of Hillwood Aviation.
“Business aviation is an immeasurably stronger, safer, more dynamic industry because of Ed’s unwavering commitment,” said John Witzig, chair of NBAA’s Board of Directors. “We have all soared higher and gone farther, driven by the power of his vision.”
General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) president and CEO, James Viola, noted that, “for decades, Ed Bolen has been a champion and stalwart for the general and business aviation industry. His dedication for the welfare and growth of the industry is truly remarkable. GAMA is forever grateful for Ed’s leadership at both NBAA and GAMA; he always stressed the importance of working together for the betterment of the industry. On behalf of GAMA and its membership, we thank Ed for his service, passion and devotion to our industry and wish him nothing but the best during this difficult time.”
A private pilot and native Kansan, Bolen was introduced to flying by his father, who served on the board of the Salina Regional Airport in Kansas.
Bolen’s groundbreaking work as a general aviation champion traces to his days as a Senate legislative aide for Kansas Sen. Nancy Kassebaum, in the 1990s. He played a central role in passing the historic General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994. The legislation revived American aircraft manufacturing and preserved thousands of jobs.
Bolen later advised presidents of both parties, working across party lines to bring people together to get things done. He was nominated by President Clinton and confirmed by the Senate to serve as a member of the Management Advisory Council to the Federal Aviation Administration, which he chaired from 2000 to 2004. In 2001, Bolen was appointed by President Bush to serve as a member of the Commission on the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry. Bolen is also a former chair of the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics.
In 2021, he was inducted as a Living Legend into the San Diego Air & Space Museum’s International Air & Space Hall of Fame, in recognition of his decades of contributions to the aviation and aerospace industry. This year, he will be honored by his home state and inducted into the Kansas Aviation Hall of Fame.
“The aviation community cannot thank Ed Bolen enough for his service and leadership,” said Elizabeth Dornak, NBAA’s Board of Directors chair emeritus. “His service to aviation is unmatched over a sterling career, and so many of us are fortunate to count him as a partner and a friend.”
The search for Bolen’s replacement will move forward as NBAA continues its advocacy work and rolls out a strong lineup of early 2027 events.
