LaHood Addresses International Aviation Symposium in Phoenix

^{(Pictured above at the Arizona Biltmore) A Thursday afternoon panel addresses “Financing the new fleet, are we

looking at a bumpy financial ride ahead?"}

U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood, spoke to attendees of the 18th Annual Phoenix Sky Harbor International Aviation Symposium on March 26th saying, "We will do the best we can to represent the aviation industry!" LaHood, who became the 16th Secretary of Transportation on January 23rd of this year, told attendees, "We’re going to put people to work!" referring to the restoration of economic health, one of his goals in implementing President Obama’s priorities for transportation.

Secretary LaHood leads an agency with more than 55,000 employees. When questioned about the number of unfilled positions, he was quick to note that “there are a lot of people going through the process of vetting!”

Kim Stevens

Kim Stevens is the publisher of State Aviation Journal, which he founded in 2009. A longtime commercial-rated pilot, he was introduced to state aviation in 1992 as Director of the Nebraska Department of Aeronautics, later serving as Deputy Division Director for the Arizona Department of Transportation's Aeronautics Division. From 2013 to 2018, he was Director of Communications and Operations for the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) in Washington, D.C. Relocating to North Carolina, Kim worked for the Raleigh-Durham International Airport for two years and now concentrates solely on the Journal. Prior to his aviation career, Kim spent a decade in the newspaper and magazine business.