Introducing NATA’s 2017 Board Members Continued from page 63 importance and full scope of our industry and our immense contributions to the American economy,” Jorash says. Larry Wade is the President and Partner of Golden Isles Aviation, a Phillips 66 and World Fuels Air Elite FBO at the McKinnon Airport on St. Simons Island, GA, which he purchased in 1986. He has previously served on the Board of Exxon AVITAT and the Councils of Phillips 66 Aviation and World Fuels Air Elite. “When we first bought the FBO and started manag- ing it, I couldn’t even spell ‘FBO’,” Wade quipped. “NATA was important in the formation of my understanding of the industry when I first bought the FBO 31 years ago and in all the time since. I’m thankful for the privilege and opportunity to serve on the Board of this fine organization and work with others to dream ahead for our industry.” Dreaming big, it turns out, is Wade’s specialty. “Running a business, or an association, is partly a process of drawing out a vision of what is possible,” Wade said. “What could we do if we paused enough to really think about it? Here at Golden Isles, we want to keep asking: ‘What’s the vision?’ And then the rest is a journey to make the vision happen.” Recent examples of such vision at Golden Isles Aviation include: a new FBO terminal building and parking lots, new hangars with renovation of the others, as well as a Hilton hotel. Wade explained: “That I know of, we are the only General Aviation airport FBO/Hotel that exists in the U.S. With a new lease, we were blessed to get to sit down and literally draw out our desires for our FBO. In January, the partners opened an 88-room Hilton Home2Suites hotel attached to our FBO via a porte-cochere. We offer our guests a practice putting green, a wing-shaped swimming pool with aviation sculptures, a fitness center—along with all the regular amenities of a new modern FBO and hotel. We have a nice air-conditioned hangar with decorative lighting and aeronautical aesthetics for aviation banquets or events for groups. The pool at the hotel overlooks the ramp of the FBO. We have families who go to the pool and watch general aviation all day. To our delight they have told us, ‘We came here to go to the beach, but the kids just Aviation Business Journal | 3rd Quarter 2017 want to stay here and watch the airplanes!’ So, the non- aviation public is being introduced to our industry.” After his initial meetings with the NATA Board, Wade says he is appreciative for the opportunity, with the other Board, committee and NATA staff mem- bers, to dream and consider ‘outside the box’ solutions and opportunities on behalf of all NATA members. “What could we do if we really put our heads together to think about our shared future? What’s coming in the avia- tion industry? For FBOs anyway, fuel sales have been a huge part of our industry, so how are we preparing for the switch to hybrid and electric engines, or whatever comes next? The revenue streams are going to be different in the future than they are now. The regulatory issues will be different in the future than now. Here we have a Board, Committee mem- bers and a staff full of great individuals who have a tremen- dous amount of experience and come from very different perspectives, and with it the opportunity to take control of that future for our industry amidst all these changes.” New leadership role for Guy Hill, Jr. Guy Hill, Jr., the CEO of Hill Aircraft in Atlanta, Georgia, will continue as a board mem- ber and serve as the association’s Treasurer. It’s no stretch to say Hill is an aviation lifer. Hill grew up in the family business, Atlanta’s longest- running FBO, and got his first formal job at Hill Aircraft when he was 12-years old, sweeping floors in the aircraft maintenance department. He had his pilot’s license by 16 and was working as an Airframe and Powerplant mechanic by 18. He has since worked his way up from Marketing Manager to Vice President to President/CEO, and has served as CEO and Chairman of the Board since 2007. The family business at FTY will celebrate their 62nd year in October. “NATA’s reach for our members is far beyond my expec- tations before becoming a Board member in 2014,” said Hill. “The Association is laser-focused on achieving value for our members and providing a consistent voice for busi- ness aviation both in the Washington environment and in your local community. The role for the aviation busi- ness, albeit an FBO, charter operator or MRO is chang- ing on a daily basis and needs a grassroots organization to assist in the heavy lifting that is necessary but does not always add to the bottom line. NATA provides training, Continued on page 67 65
