Photo above – From left are, Bobby Walston, Eddie Madden, Michael Landguth (President & CEO of Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority and the recipient of the Willard G. Plentl Award) and John Coon. Photo by Daniel Carr / RDU .
By Scotty Malta
Beautiful inside and out is an apt description of the conference venue and accommodations at the Omni Grove Park Inn & Spa in Ashville, North Carolina for the 2024 Annual NCAA Conference. The conference, themed “Challenge Accepted” broke all previous attendance records with 535 attendees, 52 exhibitors and 57 sponsors. The conference committee, led by John Coon, Vice President Operations and Maintenance at the Ashville Regional Airport, NCAA Vice President and incoming President put on another high qualify annual conference with timely, appropriate and interesting topics and speakers.
The opening ceremony included a presentation of colors by the Ashville Fire Department Honor Guard and a beautifully sung National Anthem by Madelyn “Maddie” Knowles (shown at left), a student at Elizabeth City State University and the 2023 NCAA Scholarship recipient.
The new NCAA Business Manager, Emily Winberg, and her personal, yet professional conference staff did an awesome job in seeing to everyone’s needs and keeping the agenda activities on track. Kudos to Emily as this was her first conference as the Business Manager.
The opening motivational session entitled “Afterburner: Flawless Execution” was led by a very dynamic speaker, Christian “Boo” Boucousis, a former Australian fighter pilot and CEO, Afterburner, Inc. He and his team of former pilots “use the proven methodologies of the Fighter Pilot mindset to help organizations achieve their goals in a rapidly changing business environment.” Among the several thoughts he conveyed were: “Plan for perfection, Prepare for the worst” and the “Flawless Execution Cycle: Plan—Brief—Execute—Debrief—Plan, etc.” Boo’s enthusiasm during his presentation was contagious.
The 2024-2025 NCAA Board of Directors was announced during the conference, and they are:
President: John Coon, A.A.E., Asheville Regional Airport
Vice president: Phil Lanier, Johnston Regional Airport
Secretary: Gage King, A.A.E., ACE, NC Global TransPark
Treasurer: Robert (Bob) Heuts, Raleigh Executive Jetport
Immediate Past President: Eddie Madden, MPA, Columbus County Airport
Region One members: Howie Franklin, Cape Fear Regional Airport
Granseur Dick, P.E., A.A.E., Wilmington International Airport
Bill Hopper, Pitt-Greenville Airport
Region Two members: Lorin E. Akins, Piedmont Triad International Airport
Dan Danieley, Burlington-Alamance Regional Airport
Deontae Watson, MBA, A.A.E., ACE, Fayetteville Regional Airport
Region Three members: Stuart Hair, C.M., Charlotte-Douglas International Airport
Shoaib Quader, Smith Reynolds Airport
Dirk Vanderleest, A.A.E., Concord-Padgett Regional Airport
At-Large members: Karel Vanderlinden, Fly High Lexington/Davidson County Airport
Scott Hinton, Elizabeth City Regional Airport
NCDOT DOA Director: Becca Gallas, PE, NCDOT, Director, Division of Aviation
What’s an airport conference without a golf tournament? The 2024 tournament was sponsored by AVCON. The first-place team consisted of Mark McQuire, Kraig Kern, Toney Coleman and Deontae Watson. Sierra Heaton and Randy Fender crushed their drives to win the Woman’s and Men’s respectively, Longest Drives. On the other hand, Women’s Closest to the Pin was clinched by Lisa Edwards and Jack Jamison got the Men’s Closest to the Pin.
During the Awards Banquet, the following were recognized:
Two well-deserving individuals were awarded Honorary Memberships: Toney Coleman and Bobby Walston. Their citations read in part:
“Throughout his illustrious career, Toney has exemplified the highest standards of leadership, professionalism, and service within our community. His commitment to the mission and vision of the North Carolina Airports Association has been nothing short of exemplary, leaving a great impact on all who have had the pleasure of working alongside him on the board of directors.” (Photo at right – John Coon (Asheville Regional Airport, NCAA Vice President and Incoming President), Toney Coleman (Retired), Edwin “Eddie” Madden (Columbus County Airport, NCAA President). Photo by Denise Merritt.)
“For decades, Bobby has been a driving force within our aviation community, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation. His visionary leadership and steadfast determination have left an indelible mark on the landscape of North Carolina airports, shaping their trajectory for years to come.” (Photo above from left – John Coon, Bobby Walston (Retired) and Eddie Madden. Photo by Eugene Murray).
Additionally, two student scholarships we awarded.
NCAA Scholarship
The North Carolina Airports Association developed and incorporated The North Carolina Airports Association Educational Foundation, Inc. To be eligible for this scholarship, students must be from North Carolina and enrolled in a post high school curriculum in aviation, airport management or related field.
This year’s NCAA Scholarship Award goes to Carson Jewett. Carson is from Cary, North Carolina. He is a senior in the commercial and corporate aeronautics program at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. He finished his multi-engine rating this past fall. Carson’s goal is to work for Southwest due to their corporate culture and the fact that one of his favorite planes is the 737. In middle school, Carson learned to fly the 737 max on X-plane flight simulator using a one-to-one re-creation with all operations of the plane. Carson’s hobbies include Fishing with his family, golf, and solving Rubik’s cube puzzles which he can actually do within sixty seconds! Carson’s favorite quote is from the television show Last Man Standing, which says “you should worry less about who you might offend, and care more about who you might inspire.” (Shown above – Carson Jewett (center) with Gage King, NC Global TransPark, and NCAA Secretary and Scholarship Chairman, left, and Eddie Madden. Photo by Denise Merritt.)
Bruce Matthews Scholarship
This NCAA Funded Scholarship is dedicated to Mr. Bruce Matthews. Matthews was a tireless supporter of aviation in North Carolina and the first permanent employee of the NCDOT Division of Aviation. Mr. Matthews is credited with leading the development of the state’s public airport system. His vision for assisting smaller airports with facility upgrades in order to accommodate larger aircraft has lifted North Carolina to new heights in aviation success.
This year’s Bruce Matthews Scholarship Award goes to Kazuo Kuchiishi. Kazuo is originally from Brazil and moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, for his Ph.D studies in Civil Engineering at NC State University. He has researched asphalt materials performance including binders, mixtures, and pavements. In the future Kazuo hopes to provide innovative solutions to real-world problems faced by airports when it comes to pavement. His favorite aircraft is the Cessna 172 because it reminds him of when he was a child and would take flights with his family while visiting the mountains. When he is not busy with research, you might find him playing acoustic guitar, watching a movie, or spending time with his family- specifically running around the park after his daughter. Kazuo is also an amateur magician in the art of close-up card tricks. One of his favorite quotes comes from Sir Issac Newton, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.” Kazuo explained that it reminds him to continue to be humble and acknowledge contributions from those who came before him. (Kazuo Kuchiishi, NC State University, is shown above between Gage King, left and Eddie Madden. Photo by Denise Merritt.)
Also, the Willard G. Plentl Airport Professional of the Year Award recipient was announced.
This special award was established to commemorate Will Plentl who dedicated over 50 years of service to both the spirit and the business of Aviation in North Carolina. It’s important to the Association to preserve Will’s memory and to keep this award at its highest level. A special selection committee meets annually to review all nominations and then select one aviation professional who embodies the same characteristics as Will Plentl: Leadership, commitment to Aviation, and community involvement. The selected aviation professional receives a large traveling trophy, and a smaller trophy to keep.
The 2024 Willard G Plentl award recipient is Michael Landguth, President and CEO of Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority. (See photo at top of page). His citation reads in part, “Throughout his tenure, Michael has not only led with distinction but has become a mentor and example to countless airport leaders around the state. Prior to joining RDU, Mr. Landguth served as chief executive officer and president of the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority after also holding the position of director of airport operations within the organization. He holds both bachelor and master’s degrees in Aeronautical Sciences from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.
One of Mr. Landguth’s notable accomplishments has been his unwavering commitment to securing funding for airport development in North Carolina. Under his visionary leadership, state funding for airport development has skyrocketed from a mere $20 million in 2014 to an astounding $450 million in 2024. This exponential growth in funding underscores his dedication to enhancing the infrastructure and capabilities of our state’s airports, ensuring they remain at the forefront of aviation excellence.
Furthermore, Mr. Landguth has been instrumental in shaping the future trajectory of Raleigh-Durham International Airport through the development of Vision 2040, a comprehensive 25-year master plan for growth. Mr. Landguth’s collaborative spirit and ability to mobilize support have been instrumental in driving these expansions at RDU. Through partnerships with local, state and federal officials, as well as other key stakeholders, Mr. Landguth has successfully garnered the necessary resources and backing to propel RDU’s growth and development initiatives forward. In a significant milestone for RDU, Mr. Landguth broke ground on the new primary runway in October 2023, marking a pivotal moment in the airport’s expansion efforts.
As we reflect on Michael Landguth’s remarkable achievements and leadership, it is evident that his impact extends beyond the confines of RDU.”
Unfortunately, Mr. Landguth was not able to be at the Awards Banquet but provided a recorded, heartfelt acceptance speech.
Lisa Edwards Honored
Lisa Edwards has recently retired, she had been the Business Manager for NCAA for 17 years. Speaking with directors and officers of the association you hear things about Lisa such as: “You can’t say enough about Lisa,” “She’s the glue that holds the board together year after year,” “Everything she touches gets bigger and better year after year,” “Lisa has the association running like a machine,” “She’s tenacious in bringing in sponsors and exhibitors,” “She will be truly missed.”
17 years ago when she started, the conference had @ 100 attendees and 8-10 exhibitors compared to this year’s 535 attendees, 52 exhibitors and 57 sponsors
Lisa has done a great job of helping the new Business Manager, Emily get fully up to speed and she assisted with this final conference for her which is very fitting as it was at the Asheville conference 15 years ago when she started with NCAA. (Photo above – John Coon, David Edwards (President and CEO of the Greenville-Spartanburg Airport District and Lisa’s Husband), Lisa Edwards, Eddie Madden, Bradley Whited (Retired from Fayetteville Regional Airport and Former NCAA Board Member) Photo by Denise Merritt.)
Lisa was also honored by Eddie Madden as he presented her with the NCAA 2024 President’s Award. The full citation, read by President Madden, is presented below:
“It is my pleasure to recognize tonight’s Presidential Award recipient. Having served as the executive director of the NCAA for over 17 years, Lisa Edwards is most deserving of this special recognition. Lisa has tirelessly led this organization, and I mean led, to what is now recognized as one of the country’s most successful and prestigious airport conferences. She has worked to build the association’s capacity, increased our membership to over 400, nearly doubled our net assets, helped us discover new ways to communicate with each other, developed our regions through comradery and training, and been the face of the NCAA for over a decade. Her board trusted her because she earned their respect and admiration.
Simply put, she has been the glue that has held the organization together for over a decade and made it into a highly respected organization. There hasn’t been a task too small or too large for Lisa to manage. For those of us who know her well, she has a certain knack for getting out of us what she needed, and she was highly organized, and it showed in every detail of the airport conference and throughout the organization.
To speak to her character and love of this organization, Lisa agreed to remain with the NCAA on a part time basis over the past year to assist our new Director, Ms. Emily Winberg, to help her learn the tricks of the trade and to prepare her for success. She did so because she took pride in her work, she took pride in the success of the conference, and she wanted to make sure her successor could carry on her legacy.
So, it is my distinct pleasure to award Lisa Edwards with this evening’s Presidential Award. An award that I am grateful to have selected her for and am able to personally present to her tonight.
Please stand and help me thank Lisa Edwards for her many years of service to the NCAA and to the aviation community.”
Several minutes of thunderous applause followed the reading of this citation!
Lisa was honored for her service to NCAA with the President’s Award and for her retirement by the presentation of a plaque displaying Lake Strom Thurmond where she and David are building their retirement home.
The 2024, 44th Annual NCAA Conference was a resounding success and made more poignant as a bookend to Lisa Edwards’ career with NCAA. We look forward to the 2025 NCAA Annual Conference which will take place in Wilmington, NC from April 8-10.
