Michael Quiello to Receive Engen Award for Aviation Excellence

The Aero Club of Washington has announced it will present its prestigious Donald D. Engen Aero Club Trophy for Aviation Excellence 2020 to Michael Quiello. 

Michael Quiello

Mr. Quiello is known throughout the aviation community for his vast knowledge and expertise in industry as well as extraordinary leadership and longstanding commitment to working along‐side industry colleagues and government regulators to seek solutions for aviation safety.  He is known for his keen ability to inspire others to work toward the shared goal of developing measures to continuously strengthen the commercial aviation system. Mr. Quiello started his career with Delta Air Lines in 1981 where he continued his service for 28 years in several leadership positions including the role of vice president of safety, security and environment. He then joined United Airlines in 2009 as Vice President of Corporate Safety where he was responsible for managing all aspects of safety including training for the airline. 

In addition to his safety roles, both at Delta and United, from 2014 to 2016 Mr. Quiello was the industry co-­‐chair for the Aviation Safety Information Analysis and Sharing (ASIAS) program and from 2016 to 2020 the industry co-­‐chair of the Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST).  Most recently, Mr. Quiello was instrumental in leading CAST to develop and publish a consolidated list of key safety elements for aviation organizations to monitor during this period of dynamic change as a result of the COVID-­‐19 pandemic. 

In a joint statement from Airlines for America (A4A), Cargo Airline Association (CAA), and Flight Safety Foundation, they noted, “Throughout Michael’s professional career in aviation, both in the public and private sectors, he has established himself  as  the  consummate  leader  in  promoting  safety  for  the  traveling  public  and  airline  employees.  Aviation safety worldwide has been elevated through his tireless efforts to develop safety enhancements that are critical to aviation being the safest mode of transportation on earth.”

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.