NARA 2012 Annual Spring Meeting

The National Aircraft Resale Association (NARA) will hold its Spring Membership Meeting on Thursday, March 29, and Friday, March 30, at The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Arizona. In addition to association business and networking, attendees will have the opportunity to hear three speakers, including an economist and two aviation history-makers.

Economist Brian Beaulieu, CEO of the Institute for Trend Research, is the first guest speaker. He specializes in research and analysis of business cycle changes and provides economic forecasts to help businesses increase profits. He is co-author of “Make Your Move,” a book that talks about increasing profits through business cycle changes. He has been providing workshops for 28 years and his views have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Barron’s, USA Today, CNBC TV, FOX Business TV, Knight Ridder News Services, Reuters, CBS Radio, The Washington Times, Forbes, Atlanta Journal Constitution, KERA TV, Canadian TV, and numerous other outlets.

Dick Rutan will be the featured speaker at the Association’s dinner banquet. Aviation enthusiasts will recognize his name because 25 years ago, he completed the first-ever, around-the-world, non-stop, non-refueled flight. On the morning of December 14, 1986, a fuel-laden Voyager took off on the history-making flight. Nine days, three minutes and forty four seconds later, Dick Rutan set the storm-battered Voyager down on the dry lakebed at Edwards Air Force Base in California, successfully completing the his quest. The Voyager is now proudly suspended in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum’s “Milestones of Flight” gallery in Washington, D.C.

On Friday, Clay Lacy will begin the meeting with his speech. Lacy has more flying hours in jets than anyone on earth, and is the founder and CEO of Clay Lacy Aviation. He is one of the world’s most respected and accomplished pilots. Over the past six decades, he has flown more than 300 aircraft types, established 29 world speed records, performed more than 2,000 aerial photography missions and logged more than 50,000 flight hours. He has also successfully grown Clay Lacy Aviation from a single Learjet in 1968 to a full aviation services company that sets the standard for corporate aviation worldwide. Lacy is the recipient of many distinguished awards and honors, and in 2010 was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame.

NARA Chairman Paul Kirby, Managing Partner of Cerretani Aviation, says, “In addition to our interesting and informative speakers, NARA’s spring meeting will include open forum discussions on important industry issues including pre-owned market conditions, finance, and the logistical, legal, title and tax challenges that arise in aircraft transactions. Topics will also include international transactions, back-to-back transactions and the implications of sales taxes.