NEWS RELEASE
March 31, 1999

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jennifer Saddler Thomas
Phone: (740) 452-6462
Fax: (740) 453-3758
E-mail jthomas@y-city.net

Women in Aviation, International Elects New Board Members

West Alexandria, OH - Women in Aviation, International (WAI) elected six individuals to serve on the Board of Directors during the annual International Women in Aviation Conference held recently in Orlando. The WAI Board is comprised of fifteen individuals with a variety of experience in the aviation industry. Each Board member will serve a three-year term beginning April 1. WAI Board members are leaders in the aviation industry with a passion to encourage women to consider aviation.

New members of the Board include Robert Talcott Francis II, vice chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board. Since joining the NTSB, Francis has been involved in a number of transportation accident investigations. Prior to his appointment to the NTSB in 1995, Francis worked as Senior Representative for the Federal Aviation Administration in Western Europe and North Africa. Renee Martin-Nagle serves as the first in-house counsel for Airbus Industrie of North America. Prior to her current position, Martin-Nagle served concurrently as the general counsel of both Aerospatiale (now American Eurocopter) and Aerospatiale General Aviation. Debra McFarland is vice president, administration and meeting management, for the Aircraft Electronics Association. McFarland has worked for AEA since 1977. Since that time, the organization’s membership has grown from 257 to 1,000 companies.
The following individuals were re-elected to the Board: Cassandra Bosco, senior manager, media relations, National Business Aviation Association; Mary Ann Eiff, assistant professor, Purdue University and Bobbi Roe, publisher of Woman Pilot Magazine.

Current WAI Board members include: Sandy Anderson, B-747 captain for Northwest Airlines and WAI vice president; Shelly Snyder Simi, director of communications, General Aviation Manufacturers

Association and WAI secretary; Janice Elrod, aviation safety program manager, Federal Aviation Administration and WAI treasurer; Trish Beckman, commander (ret.) U.S. Navy; Jerry Chabrian, private business owner; Janet Connor, aviation consultant/public relations professional; Dick Koenig, vice-president/publisher, FLYING magazine; Nelda Lee, manager, test & evaluation, The Boeing Company;

Karen McArdle, assistant director, Chicago Youth in Aviation, Project, Inc. and Bonnie Poberezny, flight attendant, Midwest Express Airlines.

According to WAI President Dr. Peggy Baty, "We are pleased to add three new members to the Board and are pleased that three existing members will continue to serve. The talent and leadership skills these individuals possess will effectively lead WAI into the new millenium."

Women in Aviation, International is a non-profit organization with more than 3,500 members, based near Dayton, Ohio. WAI is dedicated to the encouragement and advancement of women in all aviation careers and interests. The organization provides numerous benefits including Aviation for Women, a bi-monthly magazine and discounts to the annual conference. For more information contact Women in Aviation, International at 3647 S.R. 503 S, West Alexandria, OH USA 45381; Phone (937) 839-4647; Fax (937) 839-4645; E-mail wai@infinet.com; Web www.wiai.org.

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