Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association members will vote Sept. 19 on revised bylaws that would change how the organization selects and governs its Board of Trustees. The special member meeting is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Eastern at AOPA headquarters in Frederick, Maryland, and will also be livestreamed.
Proposal Due Later This Month
AOPA Chairman Luke Wippler said the association received comments from 154 members before the feedback period closed in June. The board reviewed those submissions and is revising the original proposal, which AOPA plans to publish later this month.
“At the May member meeting, the AOPA Board of Trustees heard members’ requests for clearer communication, greater transparency, and more opportunities for engagement,” Wippler wrote. “In response, the board identified several areas for follow-up, including updates on the CEO search, strategic planning, and organizational performance.”
Electronic voting would begin with the 2027 member meeting if the bylaw changes are approved. Eligible members would then be able to vote on trustee candidates before the meeting rather than relying solely on attendance or a written proxy.
Governance Changes Under Review
The original proposal covered seven areas, including the makeup of the nominating committee, an open process for trustee nominations, board size and trustee qualifications. It also called for staggered terms and term limits, new requirements for the board chairman and changes to proxy filing. The initial draft would allow candidates to seek nomination after collecting signatures from at least 25 AOPA members.
The governance review follows several leadership changes at the association. Darren Pleasance stepped away from the president and CEO role in February, and Wippler replaced Jim Hauslein as board chairman in March. At AOPA’s May member meeting, 177 members and designated proxies elected an 11-member trustee slate to one-year terms. The association is also conducting a search for its next president and CEO.
This article was updated on July 17 to reflect corrected date of the upcoming vote.
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