Story ID: 3010813alerts
AOPA Chooses a New President and CEO
By: Chad Trautvetter
Caption: 
Word Count: 209
Mark Baker, a long-time general aviation pilot and former executive at Home Depot and Scotts Miracle Gro, was named AOPA president and CEO on Tuesday, succeeding Craig Fuller. Baker, who officially takes the reins of the association on September 6, will be the fifth AOPA president since the organization was founded nearly 75 years ago.

“Mark brings 35 years of involvement in the GA community as a pilot and decades of experience in leadership positions in the home improvement industry,” said AOPA board of trustees chairman Bill Trimble. “He has an extraordinary understanding of the importance of serving our membership and advancing their needs. He is well suited to build on the foundation established by his predecessors and move AOPA forward.”

Baker, an AOPA member since 1987, became a pilot in his twenties and has logged more than 7,500 hours. “Many of my happiest moments have been spent flying and sharing my passion for aviation with others,” he said. “I will ensure that AOPA’s focus remains on carrying out our mission of protecting the freedom to fly.”

The AOPA board of trustees’ search committee began looking for the group’s new leader earlier this year, after Fuller told the board he intended to step down.