Following the 87th National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) Annual Convention and Tradeshow, held September 23-25, 2018 in Oklahoma City, the NASAO Executive Committee and Board received the resignation of Mark Kimberling, who has served as President and CEO for the past two years. The Board has appointed John Shea to serve as Interim President and CEO.
Newly elected NASAO Chair, Cassandra Isackson, Director, Aeronautics Office of the Minnesota Department of Transportation stated, “NASAO thanks Mark for his service and we wish him the very best. John Shea’s work on our behalf and his willingness to step into the role of Interim President and CEO, as we conduct a nationwide search, is much appreciated.”
Founded in 1931, NASAO is one of the most senior aviation organizations in the United States, predating even the Federal Aviation Administration’s predecessor, the Civil Aeronautics Authority. NASAO was established 87 years ago to ensure uniformity of safety measures, to standardize airport regulations and develop a truly national air transportation system responsive to local, state, and regional needs.
NASAO is served by a management partnership with Interel US, a government relations and association management company. Bruce Wardle, CAE, Interel US Chairman, will be working closely with NASAO’s Chair, Cassandra Isackson and her President Selection Task Group, to ensure a smooth transition to a new President & CEO. Isackson will head the NASAO Search Group, which intends to have NASAO’s next President selected by the end of this year.
During the search process, John Shea, who originally joined NASAO as Manager of Government Relations, will continue to ensure NASAO is well represented in the Federal arena. Prior to NASAO, John worked on Capitol Hill as a congressional staffer for Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX), Rep. Chuck Fleischmann (TN-03), and Rep. Stephen Fincher (TN-08).
“I’m honored to be appointed by the board as Interim President and CEO, and I’m excited to work with our members on advancing the association’s agenda”, said Shea. “NASAO has accomplished much. My goal is to keep that momentum going and to build off it.”
