Ed Bolen is retiring as president and CEO of the National Business Aviation Association after leading the Washington-based organisation since 2004. The NBAA board named Dan Hubbard, who had been overseeing day-to-day operations, acting CEO and senior vice president for communications. Bolen’s departure follows medical leave for cancer treatment; the board has formed a search committee to find a permanent successor, with no appointment timetable specified.
The search committee will be chaired by Matt Byrd, NBAA board vice chair and president and CEO of Hillwood Aviation. Bolen cited his health as the reason for stepping down and expressed confidence in the association’s future. NBAA plans to continue its advocacy work and early-2027 events during the leadership transition.
During his tenure, Bolen led the association’s work on business aviation safety, airport and airspace access, workforce development and air traffic control modernisation. Before joining NBAA, he was president and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. Earlier, as a Senate aide, he played a central role in passage of the 1994 General Aviation Revitalization Act. He also served on the Federal Aviation Administration’s Management Advisory Council, chairing it from 2000 to 2004, and on the Commission on the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry.