FREDERICK, MD – The Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (AOPA) created seven (7) new, full-time regional manager positions to better build strong local GA communities and strengthen the organization’s relationships with state and local governments across the country.
AOPA has had a successful regional representative program for many years, primarily focused on state and local advocacy. In 2012, AOPA is re-organizing the country into seven regions, headed by regional managers who will work on state and local issues and handle pilot outreach. Many of the previous regional representatives will continue in a new AOPA program, attending aviation events as part of the association’s local engagement initiative.
The hiring of the regional managers marks the first overhaul of AOPA’s regional advocacy and representation in decades. AOPA President Craig Fuller said. “As cash-strapped states eye GA taxes, cut spending on airport maintenance, and community airports face an ongoing threat, the need to make sure pilots have a voice in community decisions is greater than ever.”
The new regional manager in the Great Lakes Region (Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio & Michigan) is Bryan Budds of Flat Rock, Michigan (bryan.budds@aopa.org). Yasmina Platt is the Central Southwest Regional Manager (Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Missisippi, Oklahoma, Texas & New Mexico) (yasmina.platt@aopa.org).
Great Lakes Regional Manager Bryan Budds got bit by the flying bug at age 15, and earned a private pilot certificate two years later. He decided to make a career in aviation.
“As I entered college, I knew I wanted to meld my interest in aviation with my emerging interest in public policy and was given that opportunity through an AOPA Government Affairs internship,” Budds said. Later, as a student in the George Mason University master’s degree program in transportation policy, Budds returned to AOPA government relations, also working on aviation issues for Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and the U.S. Department of Defense. “Each of these opportunities allowed me to further develop my general aviation policy skills which I am extremely excited to use in developing the Great Lakes aviation community.”
