Dan Burkhart, Founder of NBAA's Regional Program, Retires

Business aviation veteran Dan Burkhart, who joined the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) in 1998 to create NBAA’s Regional Program, retird from his post as the director of regional representatives for the organization, effective July 6.

“Dan Burkhart has been a dedicated leader in developing and growing NBAA’s Regional Programs to create a recognized national network that works with NBAA to serve the interests of business aviation across the country,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen.

Burkhart, who has served as director of regional programs for 14 years, noted that “when we started, it was just me in California for the first year. We’ve grown to six NBAA representatives, with dozens of regional, state and local groups that NBAA supports, and that are dedicated to advancing the interests of the industry through the power of local leadership.”

In addition to building the national program, Burkhart has represented the NBAA Western Region that includes Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada and New Mexico.

Burkhart is a retired Naval Reserve Officer who served as a fighter pilot with F4 and F14 shipboard experience, and a former airline transport pilot with nearly 7,000 flight hours.

Bolen praised the successful 50-state network Burkhart and his NBAA colleagues have developed as “a model for the entire industry on how to build relationships, provide services and information, and help the business aviation community coordinate with local airports and community leaders to advocate successfully for the industry's interests.”

Burkhart’s role as program director will be assumed by Stephen Hadley, who will also retain his role as NBAA Regional Representative for the Southwest U.S. region, a job he has held since 2006. The Southwest region includes Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi.

Hadley came to NBAA’s regional operation with an extensive aviation career that progressed from serving as manager of an FBO to becoming chief pilot and flight director at a number of Texas-based business organizations. He has an airline transport pilot rating and flight instructor certificate, and has flight experience with a range of aircraft from single-engine pistons to turboprops and jet aircraft.

Hadley said, “My intent is to continue in the spirit of what Dan [Burkhart] has accomplished. Under his leadership, we’ve been able to be responsive to our Members’ needs, and prove that these local and state groups are tremendous advocates for the industry.”

Joining NBAA to succeed Burkhart as NBAA’s Western Regional Representative is Stacy Howard, who has spent a career in general aviation advocacy, most recently as Western regional representative for the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.

“NBAA is pleased to welcome Stacy to the Regional Program team,” Bolen said. “And we congratulate Steve as he takes his outstanding track record in the Southwest to the challenge of continuing Dan Burkhart’s work in building strong, effective relationships with business aviation organizations at the state and local levels.”

Howard joined NBAA’s regional operation effective June 25. She also has served as director at Rice Aviation in Phoenix, AZ, and as an aviation insurance agent at Costello Insurance Associates in Tempe, AZ. Howard holds commercial and multi-engine pilot ratings, and is an aircraft owner.