Introducing NATA’s 2017 Board Members Continued from page 57 Chairperson: Greg Schmidt, President & CEO, Pentastar Aviation, Waterford, Michigan “I’m really quite hum- bled and honored by the opportunity to lead the NATA Board,” said Gregory Schmidt, who has previ- ously served as Treasurer and Vice Chairperson. “The diversity of this board now represents everything from a single fixed-base operator to the world’s largest FBO chain and every aviation business in between—from aircraft sales to airport management to airport authorities to charter operators—the entire gamut. As our tagline says, NATA really is the voice of aviation busi- ness, and I believe our current board and NATA leadership have us strongly positioned for the tremendous opportuni- ties and enormous challenges ahead for our industry.” Schmidt is President & CEO of Pentastar Aviation in Waterford, Michigan, where he works closely with owner Edsel B. Ford II, the great-grandson of Henry Ford, con- tinuing the Ford family and Ford Motor Company’s legacy in aviation. The aviation services company, founded more than 50 years ago, now employs nearly 250 people and offers a full complement of private jet charter services, aircraft management and maintenance, advisory services, avionics services, and such high-end accommodations that Schmidt says he now uses the acronym ETO—Executive Terminal Operation—in addition to FBO. Bringing the Ford family connection full circle, Schmidt says he’s proud that Pentastar now provides management services and direct air carrier operations for the Superior Air-Ground Ambulance’s EC-135 helicopter, serving the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and the larger Henry Ford Health System of health care and medical service providers in Michigan. “I’m happy to represent Pentastar’s perspective on the NATA Board and even happier to be a voice of advo- cacy for every NATA member,” Schmidt said. “From an advocacy standpoint, we are making our voice heard in Washington on a number of important issues. We’re also continuing to develop useful products for businesses, including workers compensation insurance programs and NATA Safety 1st . By providing a good mix of advocacy Aviation Business Journal | 3rd Quarter 2017 on Capitol Hill, expanding business products for our members, and scheduling a healthy slate of network- ing opportunities for our members through our various meetings during the year, we continue to add value for our members. That, frankly, is priority number one.” Schmidt was new to the aviation industry when he began working at Pentastar a decade ago, first as Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer and then, for the last four years, as President & CEO. He credits NATA and his time on its board with accelerating his learning curve. “It’s an understatement to say a tremendous amount of learning growth has occurred for me personally over these last 10 years and particularly, during my service with the NATA Board, where I have had the pleasure of working with and learning from some truly incred- ible people who have been in this industry for decades,” Schmidt said. “I hope that I’m passing along something equally valuable when it comes to protecting, advancing and helping our industry prepare for an exciting future.” Schmidt is proud of recent NATA successes, includ- ing the federal excise tax issues related to aircraft man- agement fees. “Dozens of NATA members were being subject to very significant potential assessments,” he explained. “And, the Board and past Treasurer Marian Epps were very active in explaining to members of Congress, the IRS, and the Treasury Department the error of interpretation that caused this uproar.” He’s already looking forward to some important issues on the immediate horizon. Schmidt commented, “When I think of our priorities for the coming year, I think there is a significant amount of work to be done to make sure that our interests are protected, and from a Board perspective the most immediate way to do that is through direct advocacy, which is something our Board has excelled at. NATA, and just about every other avia- tion group, stands opposed to air traffic control privatiza- tion, and the Board has taken it upon themselves to meet with Representatives and Senators to ensure our voice is heard. We really feel like access to rural areas and to the skies in general is threatened by the current proposal.” As for his other priorities, Schmidt’s main goal is to make sure the Board remains forward-thinking. “The 21st century is certainly proving to be a fascinating time for general aviation, with new technologies shaping Continued on page 61 59
