Aerospace Center for Excellence

The annual career fair held at the Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo is officially expanding from three to five days for the 2023 show. Hosted in partnership with aviation job website JSfirm.com, this year’s career fair will take place daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time beginning Tuesday, March 28, and ending Saturday, […]

Dennis Dunbar is joining the Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo as its new director of airshows and attractions, the organization announced on Wednesday. Dunbar, who brings more than 20 years of airshow management experience to the position, has also served as director of airshow operations for the Experimental Aircraft Association’s (EAA) annual AirVenture fly-in convention […]

The Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE) has announced that Jana Filip has been named business development manager for the organization. According to ACE, Filip’s role will include creating and managing initiatives that “cultivate individual, corporate, and foundation gifts, grants, programs, and events” that will provide financial support for ACE and its annual Sun ‘n Fun […]

The Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE) has announced that Kimberly Brewer will serve as its new education director. A Polk County native and resident of Lakeland, Florida, Brewer also serves as an adjunct professor at Florida Southern College and is working on her doctorate in education. According to ACE, she began participating in organization events […]

The Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE) has named Eric Crump as the organization’s new executive director. Crump, who will assume the position on June 1, is credited with opening the Polk State College Aerospace program in 2012 and has served as the program’s director since its launch. In addition to flying as a corporate pilot, […]

The Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE) is launching a new initiative aimed at accelerating aerospace business growth and developing “successful individuals, businesses and concepts” by supporting entrepreneurs and established companies in fully developing their ideas. In addition to mentorship, the Elevate Aerospace and Logistics Business Incubator will provide open co-working areas and dedicated desks along […]

The Board of Directors for the Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE) and Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo (SNF) has named Gene Conrad as the organization’s new president and CEO. Conrad has been the airport director at Lakeland Linder International Airport (LAL) since 2010. He is set to join the ACE/SNF team on March 7, 2022, […]

The Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE) is celebrating a banner year at last April’s Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo after canceling the 2020 event due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. ACE president John “Lites” Leenhouts announced at AirVenture that almost 200,000 people attended Sun ‘n Fun 2021, beating out previous show records. Net revenue was […]

Aerospace Center for Excellence and Sun ‘n Fun President John “Lites” Leenhouts officially opened the organization’s new mobile airshow command center on Tuesday. The three-story modular facility can simultaneously serve as a control tower, airshow announcers’ box and air-ground safety center. Sun ‘n Fun also plans to rent out the building, which was constructed from […]

Following last year’s cancellation due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the annual Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo opened its doors to high ticket sales and sizable crowds on Tuesday. According to Sun ‘n Fun and Aerospace Center for Excellence (ACE) president John “Lites” Leenhouts, event ticket sales had reached around $1.2 million by Tuesday morning, […]