Clay Lacy, Don Spruston to Be Honored With NBAA's Highest Awards

“Clay Lacy’s name appears on a great many pages of official aviation record books,” Bolen said. “We are proud to celebrate his lifelong devotion to flying airplanes and advancing the professionalism and safety of our industry with business aviation’s highest honor.”

John P. "Jack" Doswell Award Recipient Don Spruston

International business aviation pioneer Don Spruston has been responsible for shaping many of the advances in today’s business aviation industry, from best practices in safety to international flight operations as the director general of the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) from 1999 to the present.

Under Spruston’s leadership, IBAC has effectively advocated for the interests and concerns of business aviation before the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) – the global standards-setting body for civil aviation around the world, including for safety and operations standards.

Development of new safety standards for Annex 6, Part II of the Chicago Convention governed by ICAO, which addresses the modernization of operational rules and safety for general aviation worldwide, is a milestone in the history of IBAC that owes much to Spruston’s leadership.

Spruston acknowledged the achievement in a recent NBAA tribute to IBAC’s 30th anniversary, saying deferentially, “It was significant recognition of business aviation as a trusted participant in the international process.”

A lifetime aviator, Spruston previously served as managing partner of Canadian Aviation Safety Associates, where he conducted evaluations of civil aviation authorities. He also served as advisor to ICAO in establishing its Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program.

Before joining IBAC, Spruston was director general of civil aviation in Canada, and also managed a flight department of over 90 aircraft as director general of aircraft services. He received his aviation training at the Royal Military College of Canada, and holds an airline transport pilot license, with experience flying worldwide cargo operations and system evaluation flying.

He is a frequent writer on aviation safety, and has been honored with the Transport Canada Safety Award, the Canadian Owners and Pilots President Award and the Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute C.D. Howe Award.

“The global business aviation community would not be the same without visionaries like Don Spruston,” Bolen said. “He has been a tremendous advocate and leader in promoting the industry’s agenda and furthering its cause. NBAA is pleased to recognize his outstanding contributions.”

Lacy and Spruston will receive their awards during NBAA's 64th Annual Meeting & Convention, to be held from October 10 to 12 in Las Vegas, NV, at the Las Vegas Convention Center and Henderson Executive Airport.