Last week Greg Principato officially retired as President and CEO of the National Aeronautic Association. His parting words to members and supporters of the organization follow:
Dear Members and Supporters,
For the past seven years it has been my honor to serve as President & CEO of the National Aeronautic Association. We are the oldest national aviation organization in the United States. Our founders include many of the same innovators who solved the challenges of heavier than air flight in the first place. When I tell people that Orville Wright once chaired our Contest and Records Board their eyes light up in amazement and wonder.
I believe the NAA is a national treasure. There is a reason that leaders at the top of our government have recognized the achievements and people we celebrate. When we were founded, aviation had a limited past and a limited present. All it really had was a future. We were founded to provide a means to launch into the future, whatever it might hold. One hundred and eighteen years later, we can say that the future our founders imagined has come true. And then some!
The leadership of the NAA comes with responsibility to uphold that tradition; to recognize greatness AND to build toward the future. It has been my privilege, a privilege you as NAA members have given me, to uphold and build on that tradition. I will always be grateful, and I hope we have made you proud.
The future is even brighter as it always is for our nation. NAA will have a dynamic new leader with an amazing record of accomplishment and wide respect through out the industry. She is held in high regard by our nation’s best and brightest aviation leaders, and by so many of the leaders of tomorrow. I can’t wait to see what Amy Spowart’s leadership will do to propel NAA into the future.
I won’t be far away and will always be available to help NAA in any way I can. For now, thank you so much for the honor of leading this amazing and indispensable organization.
My parting request is that you consider a donation to the very worthy cause of the NAA. As I said, it is a national treasure with a mission endures only through the support of our members and individual donations. You can donate here.
With gratitude, Greg Principato
