GAMA Names 2007 Leadership, Welcomes New Member Companies

The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) last week announced that its board of directors had elected new officials to lead the association in 2007, while approving membership applications from Eclipse Aviation, SINO Swearingen and SMA (Societe de Motorisations Aeronautiques), which develops diesel engines for aircraft. At the board of directors meeting, John J. Grisik, executive vice president, Operational Excellence and Technology, Goodrich Corporation was named GAMAs chairman for 2007; he previously served as GAMAs vice chairman. Replacing him in his former position as vice chairman will be Alan Klapmeier, chairman and CEO, Cirrus Design Corporation. He served as chairman of the security issues committee in 2006.

In addition to filling the two top spots, GAMA’s board named Alain Bellemare, Pratt & Whitney Canada, as chairman of the association’s Product Liability & Legal Issues Committee; Jack Pelton, Cessna Aircraft Company, will chair the Flight Operations Policy Committee; John Rosanvallon, Dassault Falcon Jet Corporation, will lead GAMA’s Security Issues Committee; Adrienne Stevens, L-3 Communications, heads up the Communications Committee; and Mark Van Tine of Jeppesen will chair the International Affairs Committee. Also named were Larry Williams of Ballistic Recovery Systems to lead the Safety Affairs & Training Committee, with Robert Wilson, Honeywell, to chair GAMA’s Technical Policy Committee. Simultaneously adding two original equipment manufacturers to our ranks as they bring their first certified aircraft to market is a first for GAMA. We are proud to have Eclipse and SINO Swearingen on board, said Pete Bunce, GAMAs President and CEO. Likewise, SMA brings another exciting European innovator into the GAMA family, increasing our presence in the expanding European general aviation marketplace.