When hurricanes leveled swaths of the Texas Gulf Coast, the Florida Keys and the Caribbean this September, among the first responders were fleets of business aircraft mobilized by a network of charitable organizations and operated by companies and employees who donate airplanes and time for humanitarian missions throughout the year. “With Harvey, then Irma, and now Maria, it’s been 19 days in a row we’re flying in the most imminently needed supplies,” says Eileen Minogue, executive director of Patient Airlift Services (PALS), one of the nonprofits.
PALS primarily arranges private aircraft transporation for medical patients, but they mobilize whenever and wherever the business aviation community is needed. The NBAA maintains a Humanitarian Emergency Response Operator (HERO) database of companies and individuals ready to help. Throughout the year, business aviation
provides the service backbone for a wide range of needs. Cessna Aircraft, for example, coordinates lifts from some 200 of its aircraft owners to transport athletes for the quadrennial Special Olympics.
“It’s a great example of corporate social responsibility,” says Gina Russo, executive director of the Corporate Angel Network (CAN). CAN has arranged more than 50,000 flights for cancer patients of all ages, facilitated by its 500 corporate members—including more than half of Fortune 100 companies—who donate the aircraft usage and/or flight hours through fractional shares.
Many community members donate not only aircraft and time, but money as well. For example, the Veterans Airlift Command, which transports current and veteran
service members for medical and other compassionate purposes, receives nearly all of its financial support from “those who already volunteer”—in other words, 2,500 members of the business aviation community, says Jen Salvati, executive director of the organization. “We have some amazing Americans who know no boundaries when it comes to giving back to those who’ve defended our freedom.”
Helicopter operator AAG transports PALS patients for important, last-mile travel aboard its Sikorskys, and Scott Ashton, the company’s president, also devotes his
downtime to pitching in. On days off, Ashton carries PALS patients on longer haul flights aboard his Cessna 172. “These programs,” he says, “make a huge difference in people’s lives at a time when they desperately need it.”
Read more: Corporate Aircraft: Tools For Competitive Advantage, Not Toys
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1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns. They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning. Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process. This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented. If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form. The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.
