AOPA presents draft governance changes to members

The board and senior staff based these governance changes, in part, on member requests, and posted the current and potential bylaws online, along with explanatory notes and a feedback form.

AOPA Trustee Jim Hauslein announced the broad strokes of the pending governance update in March, along with his intent to step down from the board in May. Hauslein wrote an open letter posted immediately after the board elected longtime AOPA Trustee Luke Wippler to serve as its new chairman: "As you know, AOPA has a long history of protecting GA and providing our members with essential benefits, such as Pilot Protection Services and the You Can Fly program. To safeguard this legacy, the board must continually innovate and integrate fresh perspectives."

The potential revisions provide that the board of trustees has no fewer than three and no more than 13 members (there is currently no specified minimum or maximum), and establish qualifications for service on the Board beyond AOPA membership, as well as term limits.

To serve as the Chairman of the Board, the change drafted for consideration would require the chairman to have at least three consecutive years of service as a trustee, including at least one year leading one of the board's committees. The proposed new language also limits the chairman to six consecutive years of service in that post, barring extraordinary circumstances and majority support for any extension.

Qualifications to become any other trustee would also be codified if the bylaw changes are ultimately approved. The draft proposal lists trustee qualifications that include being an active or recently active general aviation pilot; being a current or past aircraft owner or having leased an aircraft; and making a commitment to participate in committees and public aviation events. Trustees would also be expected, under the draft proposal, to have expertise in one or more of AOPA's core missions or functions, such as marketing, finance, government affairs, or aviation safety, to name a few.

The changes under consideration would also establish an open nomination process for AOPA trustees, in which any member or trustee may be nominated during a 30-day period that is designated by the nominating committee that would take place at least 120 days prior to the annual meeting. Candidates would be required to submit a résumé and letter of interest describing their qualifications, along with the signatures of at least 25 members who support their nomination. The nominating committee would then present the nominees, including a summary of each candidate's background, to the full membership at least 30 days prior to the annual meeting.

Members have an opportunity to provide feedback about these potential changes through the online form and at the annual meeting to take place on May 12. Details including directions to drive or fly to the annual meeting, instructions for appointing a proxy, and an optional RSVP are available online.

The Board of Trustees intends to call a special meeting in the fall to vote on a final set of proposed changes to the AOPA Bylaws.