The members of the board of directors of the Canadian Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) are thrilled to announce that Mark van Berkel has agreed to join COPA as its new president and CEO.

Van Berkel brings with him a wealth of aviation, business and management experience that will be instrumental as he leads COPA in its mission ‘to promote, advance and inspire general aviation, and to preserve the Canadian freedom to fly’.

Originally from Calgary, he is now a resident of Ottawa. An active COPA member for 20 years, van Berkel earned his PPL shortly after college, and he remains an active pilot with a current IFR rating and has owned and operated five aircraft in those 20 years of COPA membership. He started his life-long aviation career as an avionics AME in Vancouver, moved to Ottawa where he worked for Transport Canada Aircraft Services and became the chief avionics specialist. Thereafter, he transitioned into the private sector, ultimately founding and building a highly successful avionics manufacturing business, TrueNorth Avionics, which specialised in designing and manufacturing communications and data connectivity for business jets. After growing the business to more than 50 employees in just 10 years, he sold TrueNorth to Satcom Direct where they have continued to build on the success that TrueNorth had established.

During his professional career, van Berkel has had significant experience advocating before, and positively interfacing with, government stakeholders including Transport Canada and Nav Canada. He is an incisive and thoughtful person with a proven track record of capably leading a team and an organisation to success. He is passionate about general aviation and is enthusiastic about applying his experience and skills to advancing COPA's mission and vision.

The board recently concluded an extensive and successful strategic planning process. Equipped with clear strategic priorities and objectives, van Berkel is strongly positioned to flesh out the strategic plan with defined tactics and deliverables, and to lead his team and our members as together they all advance COPA's mission and vision.

The board once again wishes to express its gratitude to Jim Ferrier who graciously and capably assumed responsibility for leading COPA on a temporary basis, thereby affording it the benefit of time to recruit a stellar candidate for the position on a permanent basis. Ferrier will return to his former role in aviation operations.

Van Berkel started his new role on 15 May.