Originally published at: AOPA President Steps Down
AOPA CEO Darren Pleasance is stepping back from day-to-day leadership and moving into an advisory role.
I attended his forum speech during Oshkosh and was very impressed with his background as well as his varied credentials. The thing that stands out is why he as CEO would not have relocated to Frederick Maryland months ago…didn’t the Board advise him during the interviewing process that a relocation would be required. I’ve been a member of AOPA for almost fifty years and have become disillusioned with the organization for a variety of reasons. It seems their main focus is on congressional lobbying and printing a monthly magazine. Meanwhile, EAA puts on a World-class Airventure event, supports and organizes hundreds of EAA chapters, fly-ins, aviation events, informative Webinars, technical hands-on skills training, etc.
I’m sorry to hear this. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Pleasance last spring while attending a meeting at AOPA headquarters. From this and watching his work with the organization since then, he seems to be exactly the right person to lead the AOPA. His departure from this position will be a loss, but I understand his reluctance to move his family across the country.
Dan Gryder will be less grumpy…
Not sure thats possible, but I know where you’re coming from!
Can’t say that I blame him. Commuting from Bend OR to Frederick MD frequently is no joke. Sounds like the Board changed its mind and wanted him to permanently relocate to Frederick. I’ve been an AOPA member for over 30 years. They’ve been very helpful to me in buying an aircraft, straightening out FAA paperwork, answering questions and getting insurance. I hope that doesn’t change with the new leadership.
Doesn’t anyone at AOPA own a globe or map? How did anyone ever believe this would work? Now the process starts all over again and more money spent that should not have to be spent.
Most certainly the requirement to be present at AOPA in Fredericksburg would have been quantified and agreed upon by both parties prior to the hiring and acceptance.
For a pilot with Mr. Pleasance experience, personal and airplane capability the “commute” would have been any pilots dream job! All the PAVE issues lined up to make this job - a rewarding commute!
So IMHO there’s another factor going on in the background that is not for publication. I too feel it is a shame to lose such a capable leader after only a year at the helm. But business is business.
You may bemoan the fact that AOPA doesn’t sponsor something like OSH but for my money if AOPA did nothing more than sponsor and nurture the ASI, it would still be a huge value!
There must be details of this change that we just don’t know and that AOPA doesn’t want to reveal, perhaps to protect people’s privacy. When things just make no sense, then it means we don’t have all the information.
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