The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) is embarking on a leadership transition as president and CEO Darren Pleasance steps out of the day-to-day CEO role and into an advisory capacity to support AOPA and the board of trustees during the search for AOPA's next leader.

Over time, it's become increasingly clear that the AOPA CEO role should be based full-time in Frederick, Maryland, at AOPA's headquarters. The AOPA board appreciates the substantial time Darren has spent travelling from his home in Bend, Oregon, to be present in Frederick and with members across the country. Recognising this, now is the right time to transition leadership in a way that best supports the organisation's long-term needs.

“Darren has brought energy, perspective and a deep commitment to serving pilots and protecting the freedom to fly,” confirms Jim Hauslein, chairman of the AOPA board of trustees. “He has been deeply engaged with our members across the country, taking time to listen to their experiences, understand their challenges and represent their voices in the work we do every day. We are grateful for his leadership and are pleased he will continue to support AOPA during this transition.”

“I'm incredibly proud of what we were able to set in motion at AOPA in a relatively short period of time,” says Pleasance, who took on the leadership role in January last year. “In addition, I had the opportunity to meet thousands of members across the country, hear their stories and work on issues that matter to everyday pilots, which has been deeply meaningful. The most special part of AOPA, though, is the staff. The people here care deeply about pilots and the mission, and it's been a privilege to work alongside them.”

Effective immediately, AOPA's day-to-day operations will be jointly led by chief financial officer Jill Baker and senior vice president of membership strategy and growth Katie Pribyl, who will serve as acting co-presidents during this interim period. Both are members of AOPA's executive leadership team and will lead the organisation's operations, staff and strategic execution, ensuring continuity of leadership and decision-making across the association.

AOPA's leadership team and staff remain fully focused on the work pilots rely on every day, including advocacy at all levels of government, advancing aviation safety and training, and delivering trusted member programmes and services as the board conducts a thoughtful search for AOPA's next leader.

The AOPA board of trustees will initiate a formal search shortly for the next president and CEO. The process will be designed to be thoughtful, inclusive and aligned with the long-term needs of AOPA's members and the general aviation community.

Earlier this week, AOPA announced GA visionary Dale Klapmeier, co-founder and former CEO of Cirrus Aircraft, has been appointed to the AOPA board of trustees. Klapmeier's decades of leadership in advancing aircraft safety, innovation and pilot engagement add important industry perspective to the board.