Over the last couple of months, the Board of Directors for the National Aircraft Resale Association (NARA) has been planning and developing the agenda and opportunities for members who attend the association’s annual spring meeting to be held April 3-5 at the Ritz-Carlton on Amelia Island, Fla.
This year’s three-day spring meeting will feature industry-specific speakers and presentations, networking opportunities, an associate member forum and an auction to raise money for a planned NARA Business Aviation Scholarship to be awarded in 2014.
Speakers
Communicating information about the industry, the association and the economy is always a vital priority for NARA members. We will meet those needs this year with two featured guest speakers-- Ernie Edwards, President of Embraer Executive Jets, and Brian Beaulieu, an economist with the Institute for Trend Research. Edwards will discuss trends in the worldwide sales and support of Embraer’s fleet of business jets and will share his views of the industry, customer concerns and the future. Beaulieu will share ITR’s economic forecast to help members better plan for the effects business aviation will see from short- and long-term future economic trends and predictions. Members can use this information to help them develop proactive strategies for their businesses and their clients.
Networking
When NARA members are asked why they continue to be involved with NARA, they hands-down say that the networking opportunities and relationships they develop with other members is the best competitive advantage they have. These relationships provide them with information, contacts and answers to the questions they and their clients have. They have also developed friendships with the other members and enjoy meeting with them and discussing aviation and other topics.
This year’s spring meeting has several opportunities for networking and making those important business and personal connections, from the typical meals and breaks to an afternoon choice of playing in the NARA Annual Golf Tournament or enjoying an Amelia River Cruise and lunch at the Florida House Inn.
Associate Member Forum
New this year is an opportunity for broker and dealer members to connect and learn more from the organization’s associate members. An hour time slot has been set aside and associate members will be given the opportunity to display products and services and educate the rest of the membership about what they do and how they can help clients in the process of buying or selling a pre-owned business aircraft.
Auction for NARA Scholarship Funds
Also new this year is a silent and live auction to be held in conjunction with the NARA Dinner Banquet. Proceeds from the auction will be used to help fund the new NARA Business Aviation Scholarship, which was recently established to benefit university students planning to start a career within the corporate aircraft sales, marketing, finance, legal or insurance community. The scholarship will be offered by NARA for one student in 2014 with the amount dependent on the funds raised through NARA’s various outlets, including the auction and private donations.
“I am personally looking forward to the spring meeting,” says Brad Harris, NARA Chairman. “Getting together and learning more about how the association can help and be an even better value and resource for our 77 member companies is something I enjoy very much. I also enjoy spending time with the great people connected to NARA. I couldn’t ask to work with a better group of people who truly enjoy doing what they do and who represent themselves and the industry with the utmost integrity and professionalism.