NEWS RELEASE
WASHINGTON, April 24, 2007 – The Air Transport Association (ATA), the trade association for the leading U.S. airlines, in association with Aviation Week & Space Technology, recently announced the winners of the 2007 ATA Nuts and Bolts Awards presented at the Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) Conference and Exhibition in Atlanta, Georgia.
The winner of the Nuts and Bolts Award in the airline category is Tony Charaf, senior vice president of Delta TechOps; the winner in the non-airline category is Eric A. Mendelson, president, flight support group of HEICO Corporation.
The ATA Engineering, Maintenance and Materiel Council recognized Charaf for more than 30 years of service and his outstanding contributions to the aviation engineering, maintenance and materiel industry. Charaf also was recognized for his personal dedication and visionary leadership at Delta where he helped realize notable improvements in operations.
Mendelson was recognized for leading HEICO’s 2,000 employees in their efforts to create top-quality, cost-effective solutions for their airline customers.
“These outstanding individuals have provided exemplary leadership and dedication in their careers. They are to be commended for their achievements, which will have a lasting impact on the aviation industry,” said ATA President and CEO James C. May.
The ATA Nuts and Bolts Award was established in 1967 by members of the ATA Engineering and Maintenance Committee, in order to recognize exemplary leadership in both airline and non-airline categories. Each award honors outstanding service and contributions to the airline industry over an extended period. Now selected by the Engineering, Maintenance and Materiel Council, the winners of the awards, in both categories, represent individuals who have gone the extra mile and succeeded in improving processes related to airline engineering, maintenance or materiel management.
ATA members transport more than 90 percent of all U.S. airline passenger and cargo traffic.
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Photos of the Award Winners