EDEN PRAIRIE, MINN. – The entire nine-member board of directors of the Minnesota Aviation Trades Association (MATA) met August 22, 2013 at Thunderbird Aviation at Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie to elect officers and set goals for the remainder of 2013 and 2014.
Directors present included Greg Reigel of Reigel Law Firm; Doug Evink of Tanis Aircraft Products; Nancy Grazzini-Olson of Thunderbird Aviation & Academy College; former FBO manager and aircraft loan specialist, Al Lange; Michael Lawrence of Key Air-Twin Cities; Alison Wynne of Hays Companies; Steven Bruss of Wings Insurance; Dave Weiman of Midwest Flyer Magazine; and Barb Wiley of Wiley Properties. Director terms were noted.
Officers elected include Greg Reigel, president; Alison Wynne, vice president; Dave Weiman, secretary; and Nancy Grazzini-Olson, treasurer.
President Reigel listed five (5) main objectives for the organization, which were confirmed by the board: 1) Communications, including but not limited to the MATA website and email correspondence. Work is being initiated to update the website and develop a Facebook page. 2) Charitable Giving (i.e. grants and scholarships). 3) Annual Conference. A one-day conference is in the works for Friday, March 21, 2014 in Bloomington, Minn. Details to follow. 4) Advocacy (Government Affairs, Lobbying). Greater emphasis will be placed on the “2014 Minnesota Aviation Day At The Capitol.” 5) Membership Benefits. A Workman’s Compensation Insurance Program and Legal Services Plan are being explored by the newly created “Membership Benefits Committee” chaired by Lawrence and Evink; Bruss will chair the Communications Committee; Reigel and Grazinni-Olson will co-chair the Advocacy Committee; Wiley will chair the Charitable Giving Committee; and Grazzini-Olson will chair the Annual Conference Committee.
In other business, the board will hold meetings every other month and utilize teleconferencing services for any board member who is unable to physically attend meetings. Upcoming board meetings are scheduled for the following dates: October 22, 2013, December 17, 2013, February 18, 2014, April 22, 2014, June 24, 2014, and August 19, 2014. All meetings will be held at Thunderbird Aviation at Flying Cloud Airport, Eden Prairie, until further notice from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.
The board is planning to hold separate meetings with the new Minnesota Director of Aeronautics, Cassandra Isackson, at the Minnesota Office of Aeronautics, and representatives of the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), Federal Aviation Administration Flight Standards District Office (FSDO), Minnesota Business Aviation Association (MBAA), and Minnesota Council of Airports (MCOA), as deemed appropriate.
President Reigel summed up the meeting by saying,“If we accomplish these goals, the benefits of membership will be obvious, but it will take the efforts of each and every board member to be successful.”
Membership in MATA is open to all reputable aviation businesses. Applications are available at www.mata-online.org.
For additional information contact Greg Reigel at (952) 238-1060 or via email at greigel@aerolegalservices.com.
