Former NBAA Board Member John White, Longtime Business Aviation Leader, Dies

John White, a longtime business aviation leader and former National Business Aviation Association board member, died Oct. 16, 2026. His career spanned more than five decades.

White joined the flight department at Valero Energy Corporation in 2004 and served as vice president of aviation until he retired in 2016. Before Valero, he spent more than 25 years with Union Pacific Resources, advancing from pilot and mechanic to director of aviation.

Throughout his career, White advocated for the protection of general aviation airports and for operational safety, particularly in Texas. He joined the NBAA Board of Directors in 2010 and later helped establish Texans for General Aviation to represent the interests of operators, airports and businesses. He also served on the Texas Aviation Advisory Committee, advising state transportation officials on airport infrastructure.

NBAA Acting Chief Operating Officer Dan Hubbard said: "John White combined a remarkable career in the cockpit and flight department leadership with an unwavering commitment to giving back to the industry he loved. His leadership and advocacy for our industry helped strengthen our community and ensure its voice was heard."

White logged more than 17,000 flight hours across all 50 U.S. states and five continents. According to NBAA officials, he held an airline transport pilot certificate with nine type ratings, an airframe and powerplant mechanic certificate, and a commercial glider rating.

White's path ran from pilot and mechanic to director of aviation and then vice president of aviation, followed by a national board seat and state-level advisory work. That progression is common among the people who carry business aviation's policy positions: corporate flight department leaders who gain operational credibility in the hangar and cockpit before representing the segment to regulators and legislators.

State-level groups such as Texans for General Aviation exist because airport protection is largely decided locally and at the state level, where transportation officials weigh infrastructure spending and land use. Operators, airports and businesses rarely hold the same priorities, and a body that speaks for all three gives state officials a single point of contact. Continuity of that voice depends on the individuals who built the relationships.

The next milestone to watch is how Texans for General Aviation and the NBAA's Texas-focused advocacy continue their airport-protection work, and who steps into the advisory roles White held.