NBAA Names Dan Hubbard Interim COO as CEO Ed Bolen Takes Cancer Treatment Leave; Heidi Williams Elevated to SVP Operations

The National Business Aviation Association's Board of Directors has named Dan Hubbard as interim chief operating officer, putting him in charge of day-to-day operations while President and CEO Ed Bolen takes a leave of absence to undergo cancer treatment. The announcement was made in Washington, DC, on September 18, 2026.

Hubbard has been with NBAA for 22 years and has served as senior vice president for communications since 2008, with responsibilities spanning brand strategy, external affairs, partnerships, and advocacy efforts domestically and internationally, including conventions held on four continents. 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. As NBAA's interim COO, he will oversee day-to-day operations during Ed's absence, including at NBAA-BACE." Hubbard said, "I am honored to step in and lead our dedicated team," and added that he has confidence in the association's ability to deliver the upcoming NBAA-BACE while continuing to advance the industry's policy agenda.

NBAA also announced that Heidi Williams will be elevated to senior vice president, operations, filling a role left vacant by the retirement of Douglas Carr in July 2026. Williams currently serves as vice president, air traffic services and infrastructure, overseeing NBAA's policies and coordination with the Federal Aviation Administration and other government and industry stakeholders, and also leads the association's emerging technologies initiatives and airspace and air traffic modernization efforts.

NBAA-BACE is scheduled for October 20–22 at the Las Vegas Convention Center and Henderson Executive Airport (HND). NBAA was founded in 1947, is based in Washington, DC, and represents 10,000 company and professional members, providing more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community.

Leadership succession at a trade association carries different stakes than at a company: members, regulators and exhibitors all rely on continuity of advocacy positions and event delivery, so an abrupt gap at the top can ripple into policy timing and convention planning. NBAA's approach here is to promote from within rather than search externally, using an interim title to signal that the change is temporary and tied to a specific personal circumstance rather than a strategic reset.

This is how large membership associations typically manage the handoff: a long-tenured senior executive with cross-functional exposure — in Hubbard's case, communications, external affairs, advocacy and international conventions — steps into the top operating role, while a separate vacancy created by a retirement (Douglas Carr's departure) is filled by promoting a subject-matter leader already embedded in the relevant government-relations work. That keeps FAA coordination and air traffic modernization efforts under Williams's continuity rather than introducing a new voice into those relationships during a transition.

What happens at NBAA-BACE from October 20–22 will be the first visible test of the interim structure, since Witzig specifically flagged that Hubbard will oversee the event. Bolen's return timeline and any further changes to the executive team are the next points to watch.