When retired industry executive Bob Blouin received a call from Corporate Angel Network (CAN) president and CEO Robert “Bob” Stangarone asking if he’d be interested in serving in the new Ambassador Program for CAN, Blouin didn’t hesitate. The invitation was a chance to give back to an industry that had defined his life.
“Our paths had crossed many times over the years,” said Blouin, whose decades-long career has spanned senior roles at companies and organizations including NBAA, Bombardier/Shorts, Hawker Beechcraft, Imperial Airlines, and Island Airlines, along with other organizations.
He and Stangarone had known each other since the 1980s, when the latter worked for Fairchild Dornier. Both had also worked in Wichita for a time—Stangarone at Cessna Aircraft, while Blouin was at the helm of the Hawker Beechcraft flight department. When Stangarone reached out about the new Ambassador Program last year, it felt like a natural progression.
The CAN Ambassador Program is a grassroots effort to expand the organization’s reach. Ambassadors are seasoned aviation professionals who leverage their extensive networks and industry knowledge to raise awareness about CAN’s mission of arranging flights for cancer patients to access care aboard available seats on business jets.
For Blouin, the decision was deeply personal and serendipitous. He and his wife Kathleen—also a former NBAA official—had spent years volunteering with Angel Flight, flying patients to hospitals like Children’s Hospital Philadelphia and Johns Hopkins. When they sold their Bonanza, they thought their days of service in medical transport were over. Then came Stangarone’s call.
“One door closes, and another door opens,” said Blouin. “It was like a month after we sold the airplane that Bob called and asked if we’d like to be Corporate Angel Network ambassadors.”
CAN’s new Ambassador Program is crucial in connecting more corporate flight departments with patients who require transportation. Ambassadors like the Blouins visit flight departments, FBOs, and industry events to spread the word. And the work isn’t limited to formal interactions. The ambassador’s role is multifaceted. They’re part networkers, part storytellers, and part aviation evangelists. Blouin’s approach is hands-on and personal.
“We keep a packet of brochures and giveaways in our car,” Blouin says. “When we stop at a flight department or FBO, we always have something to leave behind.”
These personal connections help demystify the program and encourage participation. And that stems from the organization’s origins. Founded by Leonard Greene in the early 1980s, following his wife’s cancer diagnosis, and initially supported by cancer survivors like pilot Priscilla “Pat” Blum, who flew the organization’s first mission, CAN has always been about personal connection and compassion.
The program is deliberately flexible. Ambassadors might attend regional aviation events or spread the word through their networks. For Blouin, this means sharing CAN’s story at his monthly aviation lunch club, which includes retired pilots from various backgrounds.
One such conversation led directly to a potential patient. A fellow pilot mentioned a neighbor with metastatic breast cancer who needed transportation from Delaware to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston—precisely the type of mission CAN supports.
The ambassadors are still defining their role. Their first official meeting was a Zoom call, during which Bob Stangarone and his staff provided guidance and answered questions for the scattered ambassadors. It’s a new program, less than a year old, but is already gaining momentum. More than a dozen industry executives, both retired and active, have signed up as ambassadors.
Social media plays a crucial role. Ambassadors are encouraged to share stories, post about CAN, and use their networks to spread awareness.
“In this day and age of networking,” Blouin said, “the more we get the word out through social media, the better.” It’s about creating a ripple effect of awareness and support.
The ambassador program reflects a broader trend in aviation—using industry expertise for social good. For corporate flight departments, participation offers more than just a charitable opportunity. It’s an opportunity to demonstrate corporate social responsibility and use aircraft more efficiently. “The majority of corporations use these airplanes as tools,” Blouin explained. “How can we use those tools to do something meaningful?”
For the Blouins, it’s more than a volunteer role. It’s a continuation of a lifetime spent in aviation, a way to give back to a broader community and an industry that has been their home for decades. “To give back through aviation,” he said, “is a wonderful thing to do when you’ve spent your whole career flying.”
As CAN’s Ambassador Program continues to grow, it represents an intersection of professional expertise, personal dedication, and compassionate service, proving that in aviation, there’s always room to lift others higher.