Photo – Massachusetts Aviation Caucus co-chair Representative Shirley Arriaga (8th Hampden) chats with Mike Miller of MassDOT Aeronautics and Joe Donovan of Donovan Associates after her opening session remarks. –
Starting with golf at the Green Hills Country Club, followed by an evening reception at Worcester’s Polar Park, more than two hundred aviation professionals began two days of intensive dialog at the Massachusetts Airport Management Association’s (MAMA) Conference held at the AC Marriott Hotel in downtown Worcester from October 25-27.
The packed agenda included updates on the upcoming MassDOT sponsored Airport System Plan, bringing Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) to New England, noise abatement techniques, integration of AI in airport operations, a legal forum and an update from the FAA.
Outgoing MAMA president Andy Widor, Airport Manager at Westover Metropolitan Airport praised the all-volunteer team, “On behalf of MAMA, I would like to thank all of our sponsors, attendees, speakers, and members who joined us for this year’s annual conference. Our conference would not be possible without the continued support of our sponsors. A special thanks to the MAMA Conference Committee, led by Co-chairs Katie Servis and Nichole Davis of Hoyle Tanner for their dedication and hard work in making this year’s conference such a success. We look forward to building on that success next year!”
Luncheon speakers included Vanessa Bumpus, Director of Exhibits at the Museum of Worcester who spoke on the life of Worcester’s own Robert Goddard, the father of modern rocketry. Tuesday’s lunch included a briefing by Colonel Michael P. Glass the Wing Commander, Wing Commander of the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Massachusetts. In this role, Col. Glass provided an update on the conversion from the F-15C to the F-35A Lighting II as the 104th’s primary weapons system.
Inducted into the Massachusetts Aviation Hall of Fame were Russ Arena, retired Chief Pilot for the Raytheon Corporation and current Executive Director of the Massachusetts Business Aviation Association, Lisa Lesperance, New England’s FAA Lead Community Planner, and Mike Goulian who also gave a rousing keynote address on his adventures as a Red Bull racer and decorated airshow performer.
The 2026 Arthur G. Allen Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Brandon Webster of Ayer, MA. He currently is a sophomore at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida majoring in Aeronautical Science.
The meeting concluded with the nomination and subsequent election of MAMA’s officers; President Dan Shearer of Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport; Vice President Natalie Pavelock of Jacobs, Secretary Peter Kettle of Gardner Airport; and Treasurer Matt Cardillo of Hoyle Tanner. Serving on the Board of Directors for 2027 will be Geoff Freeman, Martha’s Vineyard Airport; Christopher Willenborg Hansom Field; Matthew Elia, Worcester Regional Airport; Don McPherson, Minute Man Air Field; Gabe Hanafin, Beverly Regional Airport; Andy Widor, Westover Metropolitan Airport and Dave Dinneen, Gale Associates.
Conference planners will soon announce the location of the next MAMA Annual Conference.
The Massachusetts Airport Management Association (MAMA) is a membership-based non-profit organization that promotes and protects the economic, public service and educational benefits of the aviation industry and provides scholarship support to aviation students. MAMA members include public use airports, engineering consultants, service providers, aviation organizations, MassDOT Aeronautics and FAA officials.
