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American Bonanza Society Shifts Leadership

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Key Takeaways:

  • The American Bonanza Society (ABS) has appointed new leadership, with Stephen Blythe replacing Ron Lessley as president and Tom Turner taking over from Nancy Johnson as interim executive director.
  • These leadership changes are part of a strategic move to adapt to a "real-time" world, which will involve significant improvements to the ABS website.
  • Despite the changes, the society's core services—technical support, personal attention, and the ABS magazine—will remain benchmarks, undergoing only minor enhancements.
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One of the industry’s oldest and strongest “type clubs” is readjusting its leadership. The American Bonanza Society has a new president and an interim executive director, effective the beginning of this month. Nancy Johnson is stepping down as executive director after 13 years in that position, replaced by Tom Turner, who has been the group’s technical manager since 2003. Ron Lessley has resigned as president after four and a half years, replaced by Stephen Blythe. In a letter to members, Blythe explained the changes, in part, as a move toward a more “real-time” world, and said the association’s website service will undergo significant improvement over the coming months. He wrote, “Technical support, personal attention and the ABS magazine have always been the benchmarks of the Society and while there are opportunities to enhance these services, they will undergo only minor changes.” Blythe praised the dedication and the efforts of the departing officers, and thanked them for their service.

Mark Phelps

Mark Phelps is a senior editor at AVweb. He is an instrument rated private pilot and former owner of a Grumman American AA1B and a V-tail Bonanza.

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