NBAA Names Dan Hubbard Interim COO as President Ed Bolen Undergoes Cancer Treatment
Why It MattersThe transition shows how trade associations lean on long-tenured executives to keep major conventions and policy work on schedule during unplanned leadership gaps.
What happened
The National Business Aviation Association has named Dan Hubbard as interim chief operating officer while president and CEO Ed Bolen undergoes cancer treatment. Hubbard, who has been with NBAA for 22 years, has served as senior vice president for communications since 2008. In his interim role, he will oversee day-to-day operations, including at the upcoming NBAA-BACE convention.
John Witzig, chair of NBAA's Board of Directors, said, "We are wishing Ed a full recovery as he takes the time he needs to focus on his health," adding, "Dan has a strong strategic view of NBAA's mission and all its initiatives." Hubbard said, "I have every confidence in our ability to execute an outstanding NBAA-BACE next month, while continuing to advance the industry's policy agenda and supporting the operational and other needs of our members."
NBAA also announced that Heidi Williams will be elevated to senior vice president, operations, filling a vacancy created by the retirement of Douglas Carr in July. Williams currently serves as vice president, air traffic services and infrastructure, overseeing the association's policies and coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration and other government and industry stakeholders.
Industry impact & what to watch
Leadership transitions at member-driven trade associations tend to lean on internal continuity rather than external hires when timing is tight, and this case follows that pattern: both Hubbard and Williams are long-standing internal appointees stepping into broader roles rather than outside recruits. That matters for an organization whose credibility with regulators and members rests on institutional memory, especially heading into a flagship event like NBAA-BACE.
The association's ability to keep policy work and convention logistics moving through Ed Bolen's health absence will be the immediate test, with NBAA-BACE next month serving as the first visible checkpoint for how the interim structure performs under real operational load.
