Experimental Aircraft Association - Organizational Structure

Organizational Structure

The organization is overseen by a Chairman, a President, a CEO and a Board of Directors. Paul Poberezny assumed the duties of President and CEO at the 1953 founding. In 1989 he assumed the (newly-created) position of Chairman of the Board, and his son Tom Poberezny became President/CEO. In March 2009 Paul Poberezny resigned and the Board voted to elevate Tom Poberezny to Chairman of the Board. At AirVenture 2010, it was announced that Rod Hightower would succeed Tom Poberezny as President of the organization, effective September 2010.

Hightower resigned on 22 October 2012 "effective immediately", directly after a Board of Directors meeting during which former Cessna Chairman, President and CEO Jack J. Pelton was elected Chairman. Hightower indicated he was resigning to spend more time with his family and would relocate from Oshkosh to St. Louis. Pelton will oversee the organization during the hiring process for a new CEO but has not been named President or CEO in the interim. In response to questions about Hightower's resignation, Mac McClelland, EAA vice president of publications, stated that it was due to Hightower failing to relocation himself from his home in St. Louis to EAA headquesters in Oshkosh, as the board had expected him to. McClelland said, "I know there's all kinds of complaints, but that's not it. was the unsolvable requirement. The board sees the president/CEO living in the Fox Valley as essential to the mission."

Local chapters may be formed whenever ten or more EAA members reside in a given area.

Chapters are encouraged to meet monthly. The first chapter meeting occurred at Flabob Airport in California, with noted aircraft designer and builder Ray Stits presiding.