NBAA Honors Governor Perdue with American Spirit Award

ATLANTA – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) today announced that Governor Sonny Perdue has been named the recipient of the 2010 American Spirit Award at NBAA’s 63rd Annual Meeting & Convention (NBAA2010) in Atlanta.

The NBAA American Spirit Award is presented in recognition of an individual who exemplifies the service, courage and pursuit of excellence in support of business aviation that characterizes the men and women who created and advanced the American aviation community. The Governor was presented the award during this morning’s opening general session of the convention, which draws 25,000 aviation professionals and enthusiasts from across the world to the Georgia World Congress Center.

“Governor Perdue has two great passions – aviation and the state of Georgia – and has spent many years tirelessly supporting and nurturing the development of both,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “NBAA is proud to include him among the speakers at our convention’s opening general session, and also to honor him with the American Spirit Award for his dedication to all aviation, including business aviation.”

In 2007, Governor Perdue addressed attendees at the NBAA Annual Meeting & Convention, also in Atlanta, welcoming the crowd to “the real state of aviation,” and proudly detailed Georgia’s long list of aviation superlatives, including the state’s role as home to the eighth-largest general aviation industry in the nation, with many thousands of people employed at more than 500 aerospace and aviation companies.

“NBAA applauds Governor Perdue for recognizing the value of business aviation, to citizens, companies and communities across Georgia,” Bolen added. “The Governor has long understood that the use of a business airplane helps promote the creation of jobs, provides service to small communities and helps companies of all sizes in the state compete and succeed. We thank Governor Perdue for his steadfast support for business aviation, and the many benefits it brings to the State of Georgia.”

Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the NBAA is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. The Association represents more than 8,000 companies and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Annual Meeting & Convention, the world's largest civil aviation trade show. Learn more about NBAA at www.nbaa.org.

Past honorees of the NBAA American Spirit Award have included such aviation notables and pioneers as John and Martha King, founders of the King Schools, Inc., and Rep. John Mica (R-7-FL).

For more information about the Convention's 2010 programming, visit NBAA's dedicated AM&C web page at http://www.nbaa.org/2010.

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