AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2022 - 6

PRESIDENT 'S POSITION
Culture of service
Celebrating three extraordinary careers
BY MARK BAKER / President and CEO
I OFTEN TALK about the programs, initiatives, and services we
develop to maintain and protect your freedom to fly here at AOPA.
But, like other successful organizations, our work on your behalf is
only as strong as our team. We can only get the job done if we have
the right people doing the right things in the right places.
However, it seems that everywhere you look, there are those
who want to rob us of this freedom. Airports are under threat from
uninformed politicians; laws are being enacted across the nation
that are designed to be roadblocks in the sky; and airport neighbors
are not being, well, very neighborly.
From the day I joined AOPA, I have been blessed to have an
amazing team-with the talent, can-do attitude, and strategic
approach we bring to the office every day.
It's no wonder that among the more than 220 staff we have
here at AOPA, the average tenure is nearly 10 years on the job. Give
people a clear mission and vision, the tools to be successful, and
the support they need-that's a recipe for success, for employees
and our members.
I must take time this month to recognize three special colleagues
who will be moving on to their next chapters after long and
successful careers here at AOPA protecting your freedom to fly.
After 34 years at AOPA, Tom Haines has decided to retire
from his role as senior vice president for media, communications,
and outreach (see " Waypoints: And That's the Way It Is, "
p. 20, and " Milestones: Tom Haines to Retire, " p. 34). Tom has
been a prominent face of AOPA and general aviation. He has been
one of the industry's most widely recognized resources, helping
guide AOPA and GA through a period of tremendous change and
expansion. Under his leadership, Tom has guided and reshaped
the group that brings you the story of general aviation through
print, digital media, video, and events.
No doubt you have come to rely on Tom's reporting on AOPA
Live This Week, a program he helped develop. He certainly has
been one of my go-to people during my tenure, and I thank Tom
for his incredible and even-keeled leadership and expertise.
Also retiring from AOPA after 30 years of dedicated service is
another familiar face: Melissa Rudinger. Melissa has served AOPA
and the GA community in many important roles. She was a key
liaison to the FAA in her government affairs position, protecting
general aviation from overly restrictive policies in the aftermath
6
AOPA PILOT / April 2022
of September 11, 2001. Melissa helped to enable the safe integration
of drones into the national airspace system and advocated for
the NextGen modernization initiative. Melissa also assembled a
great team at the AOPA Foundation and put it in excellent shape
for the future. A reminder that the AOPA Foundation funds important
programs here: You Can Fly and the AOPA Air Safety Institute.
Many of you also know Melissa through her time as an AOPA
Live This Week co-host with Tom. AOPA and the general aviation
industry are better off today because of Melissa, and we wish her
the best in her next chapter (see " Milestones: Melissa Rudinger
Starts Own Company, " p. 35).
One more person I'd like to recognize has served our members
in a critical, but behind-the-scenes way. Ron Golden is
retiring after 42 dedicated years at AOPA, most recently as our
deputy general counsel. Over his decades of protecting your
freedom to fly, Ron's many accomplishments include helping to
form and launch the AOPA Legal Services Plan, now with 73,000
members. Ron has represented AOPA and our members in state
supreme courts, federal district courts, and the U.S. Court of
Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, and has defended
general aviation rights in landmark cases.
A heartfelt thank you to Ron for his years of tireless devotion
to AOPA, and for helping to protect our members' cherished freedom
to fly.
Tom, Melissa, and Ron are emblematic of the incredible team
here at AOPA, and I will miss their daily guidance. The good news
is that all three are active GA pilots, so I plan to still see them on
the ramp!
Now don't get me wrong. You don't have to be " seasoned " to
make an impact here at AOPA on members' behalf. In fact, many
great new people have joined the AOPA team over the past few
months, and I'm excited to see how their contributions benefit
the community.
Maybe that's why we've only had five presidents in AOPA's
83-year history. There's nothing
magical about the leaders,
but there is something very
special to the people who
support them-and you.
mark@aopa.org
AOPA President MARK
BAKER has been flying for
more than 40 years, using
airplanes for fun, commuting,
and business.
AOPA Pilot Magazine - April 2022

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