[JYO] Phil Boyer announces Retirement
- From: FlyboyEd@xxxxxxx
- To: jyo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 30 Jun 2008 10:12:53 EDT
AOPA's Boyer Retiring, New President Craig Fuller
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%20President%20Phil%20Boyer,%20who's%20been%20hinting%20at%20retirement%20for%
20several%20years,%20announced%20today%20that%20he'll%20"get%20my%20life%20bac
k"%20at%20the%20end%20of%20this%20year%20after%2018%20years%20as%20president%2
0of%20AOPA.%20Replacing%20him%20will%20be%20Craig%20Fuller,%20a%20former%20Was
hington%20heavyweight%20who%20is%20currently%20executive%20vice%20president%20
at%20the%20Washington%20PR%20firm%20of%20APCO%20Worldwide.%20He%20came%20to%20
Washington%20as%20President%20Ronald%20Reagan's%20assistant%20for%20cabinet%20
affairs%20and%20served%20as%20Vice%20President%20George%20H.W.%20Bush's%20chie
f%20of%20staff.%20Fuller%20has%20been%20a%20pilot%20for%2040%20years%20and%20"
is%20as%20comfortable%20with%20fellow%20pilots%20and%20'hangar%20talk'%20as%20
he%20is%20facing%20a%20Congressional%20committee,"%20said%20AOPA%20Chairman%20
William%20C.%20Trimble%20III.) , Editor-in-Chief
Phil Boyer Craig Fuller
AOPA President Phil Boyer, who's been hinting at retirement for several
years, announced today that he'll "get my life back" at the end of this year
after 18 years as president of AOPA. Replacing him will be Craig Fuller, a
former
Washington heavyweight who is currently executive vice president at the
Washington PR firm of APCO Worldwide. He came to Washington as President Ronald
Reagan's assistant for cabinet affairs and served as Vice President George H.W.
Bush's chief of staff. Fuller has been a pilot for 40 years and "is as
comfortable with fellow pilots and 'hangar talk' as he is facing a
Congressional
committee," said AOPA Chairman William C. Trimble III.
Trimble said they hired Heidrick and Struggles a year ago to find Boyer's
successor and there was one primary prerequisite: The successful candidate
would
be among the 597,000 certificated pilots in the U.S. The search boiled down
to 100 contenders and Trimble said Fuller quickly rose to the top. It was
clear that Craig Fuller, a recognized leader in business, public affairs and
association management, would be ideally suited to carry-on Phil's tremendous
legacy.
Phil Boyer's E-Mail to the Press:
My apologies in advance for this somewhat impersonal email, but since news
travels so fast today - I wanted to share some with you prior to the rumor
mill.
I have made no secret in the aviation community that I have had a retirement
plan for several years - and wanted to make sure prior to stepping down I was
leaving a world class set of AOPA organizations and the best management team
to continue our leadership position in general aviation ADVOCACY,
INFORMATION and EDUCATION.
At the end of this year, I will be able to "get my life back" and enjoy the
GA that AOPA fights so hard to preserve for member pilots like many of us.
Every great team needs a coach, every great business needs a CEO and every
great
association needs a President. To that end I share with you in advance of
Monday's official announcement the following:
June 30, 2008
AOPA CHAIRMAN ANNOUNCES THAT PHIL BOYER WILL RETIRE,
CRAIG L. FULLER SELECTED TO BE NEXT AOPA PRESIDENT
FREDERICK, MD - William C. Trimble III, chairman of the Aircraft Owners and
Pilots Association Board of Trustees, today announced that AOPA President
Phil Boyer will retire at the end of 2008.
Experienced Washington public affairs executive Craig L. Fuller has been
selected by the AOPA Board of Trustees as the next president of the
influential
414,000-member pilots association, the world's largest aviation organization
which represents almost 70% of U.S. pilots.
"Phil informed the Board some four years ago he would retire in three years.
We convinced him to continue his extraordinary leadership of AOPA for
another year," said Trimble. "Now, we must move on, but AOPA and the entire
General
Aviation community are in a better place for his inspired 18 years at the
controls.
"Starting last year to find AOPA's next leader, a Board of Trustees search
committee hired national search firm Heidrick & Struggles to help identify
final candidates from among 597,000 U.S. pilots. After hundreds of interviews
and painstaking review of 100 potential candidates, it was clear that Craig
Fuller, a recognized leader in business, public affairs and association
management, would be ideally suited to carry-on Phil's tremendous legacy.
"Craig is a committed 40-year pilot, aircraft owner and AOPA member," added
Trimble. "He is as comfortable with fellow pilots and 'hangar talk' as he is
facing a Congressional committee."
Fuller left his native California in 1981 to be Assistant to the President
for Cabinet Affairs in the Reagan White House. In 1985, he became chief of
staff for Vice President George H.W. Bush at his request, traveling with the
Vice-President to every state and 60 nations overseas.
Later, after working with international public affairs organizations in
Washington and Philip Morris Companies Inc. in New York, he became president
and
CEO of the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) linking
retailers, manufacturers and suppliers in that industry. He will be leaving
his
current post as executive vice-president at global public affairs and
strategic
communications company APCO Worldwide in Washington to become AOPA president.
Fuller learned to fly at Buchanan Field in Concord, California, while still
in high school and flew with the UCLA flying club at Van Nuys while earning a
B.A. in political science. He has a Master's degree in urban studies from
Occidental College in Los Angeles, where business travel in his early public
affairs career fostered purchase of a Cessna 172RG Cutlass based at Santa
Monica. He now logs 200+ hours a year in his Beech Bonanza A36.
He is a director of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, active in The Aspen
Institute and a former trustee of The John F. Kennedy Center for the
Performing
Arts and the George (H.W.) Bush Presidential Library Foundation. He and wife
Karen reside in Northern Virginia just outside Washington, D.C.
"Being selected by the Trustees as only the fourth president of AOPA in 70
years is a tremendous honor and a serious responsibility," said Fuller. "I am
fully dedicated to ensuring that the best days of General Aviation remain
ahead of us. And AOPA is ready with a strong organization bolstered over two
challenging decades by an individual we all admire."
AOPA chairman Bill Trimble added, "Phil Boyer transformed the Aircraft
Owners and Pilots Association into a forward-thinking and tech-savvy leader
for
vastly changed times in General Aviation. The GA community will remember
Phil's
remarkable contributions that prepared us for the 21st Century."
Enhancing AOPA management skills and member service, Boyer engineered a 40%
growth in membership despite the declining U.S. pilot population. His many new
ventures funded novel GA advocacy and member benefits, all while holding
AOPA annual dues at $39.
"Phil orchestrated regulatory and legislative backing for civil aviation use
of GPS satellite navigation, led consumer support for aviation product
liability reform that was decisive in Congress, and averted onerous user fees
during three FAA re-authorizations," said Trimble.
"Moreover, he facilitated General Aviation's return to the skies following a
long post-9/11 grounding by talking sense -- and common-sense cooperative
programs -- with lawmakers and security officials."
"I have often mentioned that this day would come, on schedule, as planned
with my family and the AOPA Board of Trustees," said Boyer. "Now, it's
official. I am delighted Craig will captain AOPA on the 'next leg' of this
remarkable
journey to preserve and advance General Aviation."
Fuller is to take office on January 1, 2009, following formal election at
the Trustees' September Annual Meeting of Members. He and Boyer will be
working
together on the transition for the remainder of this year.
-AOPA-
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