CEO Departures

National Business Aviation Association CEO Ed Bolen dies

Ed Bolen, whose retirement from the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) was just announced Nov. 6, died Nov. 11. He was 66 and had been on leave for cancer treatment. Bolen led the $43 million-revenue, Washington, D.C.-based NBAA for 22 years.

Previously, Bolen was CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association from 1996 to 2004. Before that, he had been majority general counsel to what is now the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions and a legislative aide to Sen. Nancy Landon Kassebaum (R-Kan.). Bolen was credited with playing a central role in passing the historic General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994. The legislation revived American aircraft manufacturing and preserved thousands of jobs, the NBAA board said in a statement.

NBAA said that Dan Hubbard will continue to oversee day-to-day operations as acting CEO and senior vice president of communications.

“We are filled with incredible sadness about Ed,” Hubbard said in a statement. “Ed was not just our colleague — he was a friend and a mentor to many of us. He accomplished so much, and did so with grace and humility.”

Bolen is survived by his wife of 34 years, Beth Bolen; his sons, Jack and Robert Bolen; his future daughter-in-law, Layla Rao; his parents, Pat and Linda; his brother, Dan; his sister, Anne; and many nephews and nieces. 

A private funeral service will be held for the family at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Washington, D.C.

CEO Arrivals 

Marco Pardi to helm AVIXA

The $47 million-revenue, Fairfax, Virginia-based Audiovisual and Integrated Experience Association (AVIXA) has named Marco Pardi its new CEO. Pardi will begin leading the association on Jan. 1, 2027, succeeding David Labuskes, who will retire Dec. 31.

Pardi joins AVIXA from events, media, and information services provider Informa, where he was president of the tech events portfolio. 

Pardi’s appointment concludes a 12-month search process during which some of AVIXA’s most senior volunteers evaluated applications from over 100 candidates from all over the world. The process was led by a CEO search committee chaired by the current vice chair of the AVIXA board of directors, Mradul Sharma. Renowned global consulting firm Korn Ferry assisted with the search.

“The search committee was impressed by Marco’s experience of leading large and diverse talent pools, his consistent track record of revenue growth based on value, his background serving technology-driven industries, his ability to operate internationally, and above all by his sheer enthusiasm for the role and for the association,” said AVIXA board chair Tobias Lang. 

Feddersen to pilot drone industry group

The $6 million-revenue, Arlington, Virginia-based Association for Uncrewed Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) has appointed Brett Feddersen president and CEO, effective Dec. 1, the group announced Nov. 9. He comes to AUVSI from D-Fend Solutions, a Motorola Solutions company, where he was vice president of strategy and governmental affairs. In that role he led public policy and regulatory engagement for the company’s cyber-takeover counter-drone technology. 

Feddersen succeeds Michael Robbins, who left in October to lead the Semiconductor Industry Association. 

“Brett has seen our industry from every conceivable angle,” AUVSI Board Chair John Coffey said in a statement. “As an operator in harm’s way, as a federal official writing national policy, as an industry executive driving commercial breakthroughs and as an active member and (board) director within AUVSI, he checks every critical box our search committee set out to find. He understands the tactical realities of the end user, the complexities of federal airspace regulation and the economic imperatives required to scale commercial production.” 

Feddersen began his career as a Pennsylvania State Trooper, serving as an undercover and homicide detective and as a helicopter pilot. He then served as a U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, combat advisor and intelligence officer, leading aviation and intelligence units in combat, and was later assigned as a senior advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He went on to hold senior executive roles in the federal government, including at the White House and the Federal Aviation Administration, where he led crisis response, intelligence programs and aviation security efforts. 

Staff Departures

American Diabetes Association (ADA)  — Christian Kohler has resigned from his role of vice president at the $152 million-revenue, Arlington, Virginia-based ADA. He had been with ADA for more than 20 years.

Kohler submitted his resignation on Oct. 6, after citing disappointment about how the organization handled an editorial boycott at one of its journals following a protest at its most recent annual meeting. According to Kohler’s resignation letter, his “immediate decision to resign” stemmed from “ADA leadership’s determination to appoint an interim editorial team for Diabetes Care, despite my repeated and strongly expressed objections.”

Staff Arrivals

Consumer Technology Association (CTA) — Liz Irving will serve the $154 million-revenue, Arlington, Virginia-based CTA as chief growth, strategy and innovation officer, effective Jan. 4. Irving brings more than 25 years of experience growing businesses in the events industry, most recently as CEO of Clarion Events North America. 

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) — Former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor is making staff changes now that he’s become PhRMA CEO. His former chief of staff Kristi Way is now senior executive vice president and head of strategy and operations at PhRMA. Way worked with Cantor for more than eight years on Capitol Hill and followed him to investment bank Moelis & Company in 2014. The organization also has promoted Michael Woody to executive vice president of federal advocacy, putting a Democrat in charge of PhRMA’s federal lobbying efforts. Woody was a health policy adviser to former Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa).

Medicaid Health Plans of America — Nicole Dascenzo Terry has joined the $5 million-revenue, Washington, D.C.-based association as director of communications. She most recently served as senior manager of communications for the Alliance of Community Health Plans.

FMI-The Food Industry Association — Doug Baker has been promoted to senior vice president of industry relations and chief collaboration officer at FMI. He’s been with the food industry trade group for 13 years and previously worked for Federated Foods.

Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) — Kathleen Huzarsky McNamara is joining RILA as vice president of technology policy and Kurt Lynch is joining as vice president of trade. McNamara spent more than 15 years at Comcast and formerly worked at NCTA– The Internet & Television Association and CTIA. Lynch worked for Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) for nearly 10 years, most recently as senior policy adviser and appropriations manager.

Animal Health Institute (AHI) — Andrew Bailey is joining the AHI as vice president of government affairs and public policy. He was most recently senior director of policy and regulatory affairs at Conagra Brands and previously worked at the National Pork Producers Council and the National Turkey Federation.