WAC's Dave Franson Among 2020 NAA Distinguished Statesmen
Business aviation veteran communications executive and Wichita Aero Club president Dave Franson joins a slate of six recipients for this year’s 2020 National Aeronautic Association (NAA) Wesley L. McDonald Distinguished Statesman and Stateswoman of Aviation Award. Other recipients include Brigadier General John Allen, U.S. Air Force (Ret.); Captain Julie Clark; Einar Enevoldson; Colonel and Doctor Kathryn Hughes, USAF (Ret.); and Michael Quiello.
Dave Franson, President of the Wichita Aero Club
Established in 1954, the Distinguished Statesman and Stateswoman of Aviation honors “outstanding Americans who, by their efforts over an extended period of years, have made contributions of significant value to aeronautics and have reflected credit upon America and themselves.” Past recipients have included Jimmy Dolittle, Katherine Stinson, Charles Bolden, Olive Ann Beech, and Chuck Yeager.
David Franson, the president and owner of Franson Consulting who has led the Wichita Aero Club for a dozen years, is being recognized for “his fervent dedication as an aviation communications executive and founder of the Wichita Aero Club, and for his 40 years of service in continuing to advance the future of aviation.”
His career has spanned business aviation manufacturers such as Bombardier, Cessna, and AlliedSignal to association work, including NBAA.
“Dave Franson is a longtime and outstanding aviation industry advocate and has been a mentor to myself as well as many others,” said Franson’s nominator, Cassandra Bosco, the education and industry relations director for Women in Aviation International.
In addition, Allen is recognized for “his 35 years of leadership as a regulator, operator, and civil and military pilot, with significant contributions to setting industry standards and improving aviation safety for all.”
Clark is honored for “her decades-long contributions to the art of aerobatic airshow flying, inspiring millions of fans who have witnessed her expertly choreographed routines, and for blazing a trail for women in aviation as one of the first female pilots to be hired by a major U.S. airline.”
Enevoldson is cited for “his visionary and persistent quest to advance the progress of aeronautics by researching and exploring the stratosphere in a glider utilizing high altitude waves.”
Hughes, meanwhile, is recognized for “her pioneering accomplishments in aviation and aerospace medicine, passion for advancing human systems integration, and unceasing drive to mentor future generations.”
Lastly, Quiello is honored for “his life-long devotion to aviation as a military aviator, commercial airline captain, industry executive, and non-profit leader.”