The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) has announced that international business aviation pioneer Don Spruston will receive the 2011 NBAA John P "Jack" Doswell Award.

The award is granted for lifelong individual achievement on behalf of and in support of the aims, goals and objectives of business aviation.

Spruston has been responsible for shaping many of the advances in today's business aviation industry, from best practices in safety to international flight operations as the director general of IBAC from 1999 to the present day.

Under Spruston's leadership, IBAC has effectively advocated for the interests and concerns of business aviation before ICAO, including for safety and operations standards. Development of new safety standards for Annex 6, Part II of the Chicago Convention governed by ICAO, which addresses the modernisation of operational rules and safety for general aviation worldwide, is a milestone in the history of IBAC that owes much to Spruston's leadership.

A lifetime aviator, Spruston previously served as managing partner of Canadian Aviation Safety Associates, where he conducted evaluations of civil aviation authorities. He also served as advisor to ICAO in establishing its Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program. He was director general of civil aviation in Canada, and managed a flight department of over 90 aircraft as director general of aircraft services.

"The global business aviation community would not be the same without visionaries like Don Spruston," says NBAA president and ceo Ed Bolen. "He has been a tremendous advocate and leader in promoting the industry's agenda and furthering its cause."

Spruston will receive his award in October during NBAA's 64th annual meeting in Las Vegas.