Former NBAA chairman Jeff Lee has made his mark not only for decades of service as a flight department manager, but also for his advocacy of the business aviation community as well as safety and education. NBAA is recognizing those efforts with the 2015 John H. Winant Award, which will be presented here during the association’s annual convention awards luncheon.
Named after former president and board member John Winant, the Winant Award is one of NBAA’s highest honors. It is presented annually in recognition of “former NBAA directors whose service to business aviation continues well beyond their tenure on the board.” Winant set the example of this service, working with the association and business aviation causes for more than five decades.
“Jeff Lee represents the best of business aviation, and his continuing contributions to the industry reflect John Winant’s legacy of life-long dedication to promoting its interests,” NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen said in announcing the selection of Lee for the award. “Like John Winant, Jeff constantly gives back to the industry and leads by example; even when Jeff was part of NBAA’s leadership on the national stage, he remained deeply involved at the local level, away from the spotlight, but at the center of important safety and professionalism initiatives.”
Lee has an aviation career that also is in its fifth decade. An Air Force Academy graduate, Lee’s career began in 1970 as a pilot with the U.S. Air Force, where he served for more than 10 years. After retiring from the USAF, Lee jumped into the business aviation community, becoming director of flight operations for IBM. While steering the company’s flight operations for the next 30 years, he also became active in business aviation issues. He has continued that work in his subsequent role as vice president of flight operations at American Express, where he has worked since 2011.
Lee’s tenure on the NBAA board of directors began in 2001 and continued through 2013. While an NBAA board member, he served on a number of committees that were integral to the association’s management, from the Membership Committee and the Nominating Committee to the Budget Committee and the Compensation, Investment & Succession Committee (some of these committees have since changed names). He served one term as chairman beginning in 2008. While not on the board at the time, he also has served and chaired the Corporate Aviation Management Committee.
While deeply involved in the national association, Lee also had a strong local interest, spending a number of years as president of the Westchester Aviation Association (WAA) in New York. There he developed an Aviation Career Fair to attract interest in the industry among students. The first career day drew 2,000 students, and NBAA said the “event became a model for all other aviation associations across the country.” More than 8,000 students have attended the now annual event. The career days not only introduce students to careers in aviation, NBAA said, but also demonstrate a collaboration between business aviation operators and the local community.
Lee further is credited with fostering a dialog with aviation stakeholders through the launch of the annual Westchester Business Takes Flight luncheons at Westchester County Airport in White Plains, N.Y. The annual event highlights the economic, convenience and safety contributions the airport makes to the local community. The luncheon has a range of guest speakers including NBAA’s Bolen and astronauts Jim Lovell and Robert “Hoot” Gibson, among others.
Lee’s efforts also have centered on safety, with the development of a series of safety events at Westchester County and neighboring Teterboro and Morristown airports. These safety events have covered issues such as emergency egress, icing and international operations. In June, 120 business aviation professionals gathered for a safety day that he spearheaded at Stewart International Airport in New York.
Bolen further praised Lee for his efforts to welcome new operators to the industry, serving as a hands-on leader and becoming a mentor and friend to many. “NBAA is honored to recognize Jeff with this award,” he added.