Introducing NATA’s 2017 Board Members Continued from page 61 for 41 years, and I just couldn’t have chosen a better way to make a living. I want to share that far and wide.” In addition to Berg’s career as an airport execu- tive, he continues serving in his 30+-year role as an Adjunct Professor in Aviation Administration at California State University Los Angeles and instructed at Westminster College in Salt Lake City for 13 years. Dennis Fox has worked at Executive Jet Management for 17 of his 30-year career in avia- tion, most of that time working in the Flight Ops department, where he’s been Senior VP for the last decade. He also serves as Chairman of the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF) as of July 2017, after serving one year as Vice Chair. Said Fox: “I’ve been a part of NATA for a few years and it’s nice to be asked to come to the Board and continue to make this industry stronger. Any time you’re asked to be in a room full of people who want to make posi- tive change, you know you’re doing something right!” He continued: “NATA and ACSF obviously comple- ment each other, and both are very strong organizations that are getting stronger at a time when our industry needs that kind of leadership and advocacy more than ever. It’s a true honor to be serving on both boards and represent- ing a Flight Ops, safety, and training perspective. It’s really a tremendous group NATA has put together.” Fox says he’s drawn to leadership roles in the industry in addition to his many responsi- bilities at EJM, because they provide opportuni- ties for competitors to become collaborators. “You can sit back and see what the industry is going to bring and how it’s going to affect you, or you can put yourself in a position to affect the positive change that you want to see, in partnership with the same people you might otherwise see as competitors,” Fox said. “Rather than being a passive observer, I’ve always wanted to be a catalyst for smart change, positive change. Sitting on these boards allows me to join a group of people committed to seeing this industry into a long and productive future. On the NATA Board, I don’t have any agenda of my own yet because I’m new and I’m still taking it all in, but I’m excited Aviation Business Journal | 3rd Quarter 2017 to have been asked to join and I’m looking forward to learn- ing more and assisting in the growth of our industry.” Larry Jorash, another new addi- tion to the NATA Board, first joined Signature Flight Support in 1998 as the General Manager of the Bradley International Airport FBO facility, working his way up as Area General Manager, Regional Vice President, Vice President of Operations Planning, and his current Senior Vice President of Operations role. Signature Flight Support is the world’s largest network of FBOs, with over 200 locations; the newest of those loca- tions, at Boeing Field King County International Airport (BFI) in Seattle, Washington, just opened in August. “I bring a lot of background and expertise, coming from a significant-sized FBO chain, on all of the myriad things FBOs are challenged with,” Jorash says. “We’re able to do some things that smaller independent FBOs don’t have the means to address on their own, so I like to think I’ll be able to bring some new ideas to the table as to how NATA might be able to offer our members some more of those benefits of scale. I’m also looking forward to helping Marty and the Board in all the critical areas they’re focusing on for the NATA membership, particularly on issues like ATC privati- zation and/or user fees, either one of which will have a sig- nificant, negative impact on the general aviation industry.” Prior to his tenure at Signature, Jorash served as a General Manager at an independent FBO, as well as a Turbine Aircraft Service Manager at Priester Aviation. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and holds an FAA commercial pilot license with instrument and flight instruc- tor certifications. He also has extensive Board experi- ence: Jorash was a long-time officer of the Massachusetts Business Aviation Association, serving as Treasurer from 2003-2008, Director from 2003-2012, and President from 2009-2011. He was also Director and Chairman of the Connecticut Business Aviation Group between 2002-2008. “I’ve enjoyed these opportunities to take the experi- ence I’ve gained in this business and give back to our industry in these kinds of roles, and the opportunity to make sure our government representatives understand the Continued on page 65 63
