NBAA names Roger Whyte, 2016 John Winant Award winner

Washington, DC, Sept. 30, 2016 –  The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) announced today that business aviation veteran and former industry executive Roger Whyte will receive the John H. Winant Award at the 2016 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), in Orlando, FL in November.

“Roger’s selfless and enduring commitment to growing business aviation is exactly what the Winant award is all about,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “Like John Winant, Roger has worked tirelessly to advance the interests of business aviation – prior to, during and after his service on NBAA’s Board of Directors. We are very pleased to recognize his lifelong dedication and commitment to the industry with this honor.”

Whyte served as the chairman of NBAA’s Associate Member Advisory Council, and as an NBAA board member, during which time he was chairman of the board’s Nominating Committee.

Following his term on NBAA’s board, Whyte travelled extensively in Southeast Asia on special assignment for NBAA, helping lay the groundwork for NBAA’s Asian Business Aviation Conference & Exhibition (ABACE), a successful annual event.

Whyte has also served for three years as chairman of the board of directors for Central Europe Private Aviation, a Prague-based organization that works to foster the growth of business aviation in the region. The group produces the CEPA Expo, an annual summit that brings together delegates from across Central and Eastern Europe, to conduct business and focus on the issues and trends facing the industry in that part of the world. The inaugural edition of the event, in 2010, hosted 17 delegates; during Whyte’s tenure as board chairman, CEPA Expo has continually grown, and in 2015, more than 160 delegates attended.

Whyte has also supported the aviation community through positions he has held as a member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and as a member of the Board of Governors for the National Aviation Hall of Fame.

In 2010, Whyte concluded a distinguished career with the Cessna Aircraft Company (which is today a part of Textron Aviation), after having held the position of senior vice president of sales and marketing, with responsibility for all aircraft product lines, for more than 13 years. He began his career at Cessna in 1982, when he was appointed Citation regional sales manager for German-speaking Europe.

At Cessna, Whyte rose through the sales ranks, serving as director of Europe, Middle East and Africa, and later became director of international Citation sales. After a brief stint with Raytheon Aircraft Company in 1994 as vice president international sales, Whyte returned to Cessna as vice president of worldwide Citation sales. He was promoted in 1997 to his position as senior vice president of all Cessna sales and marketing.

Prior to joining Cessna, Whyte worked for automobile manufacturer Rover in England, then Deutsche Rover in Germany, and then British Leyland Austria in Salzburg. He subsequently became general manager of OEFAG Aviation Services, a fixed-base operator with three locations in Austria. During this time, he worked with Austrian Airlines on the establishment of Austrian Air Service regional airline, the predecessor of Austrian Arrows.

An airline transport pilot with multiple jet ratings, Whyte is also a certified Six Sigma green belt.

One of NBAA’s most prestigious awards, the Winant Award recognizes former members of NBAA’s Board of Directors who have demonstrated a lifelong passion for and service to business aviation and whose service to the industry extends well beyond their tenure on the Board. The award was created in honor of John H. Winant, the NBAA leader who was a critical figure in NBAA’s ongoing work to foster the continue growth of business aviation.

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NBAA-BACE is business aviation’s most important annual event, where participants have an unequaled opportunity to view the latest business aircraft, products, technology, and services the industry offers. Held at the Orange County Convention Center from Nov. 1-3, the event also offers a premier networking venue, and dozens of educational sessions.