FlightSafety Promotes Rick Bedard to Director, Training Operations

March 21, 2008
Rick Bedard replaces Robert Stephenson who is retiring after 19 years of service with the company.

LA GUARDIA AIRPORT, NEW YORK (March 19, 2008) – FlightSafety International announces that Rick Bedard has been promoted to Director, Training Operations. He replaces Robert Stephenson who is retiring after 19 years of service with the company.

“Rick is a highly experienced and capable leader, committed to excellence in Customer service. He is a valued member of our senior management team and has made significant contributions to the efficient and effective management of FlightSafety’s Learning Center operations, business systems and marketing since joining the company,” said Bruce Whitman, President & CEO, FlightSafety International.

He joined FlightSafety in 1998 as Assistant Manager of FlightSafety’s Learning Center in West Palm Beach Florida. He became Director, Analysis and Planning of FlightSafety’s Business Systems department in 2005 and most recently served as Director, Operations Support Group.

Bedard has served in the United States Army National Guard for over 28 years. Prior to joining FlightSafety, he was Director of Operations at the Army Aviation Support facility at Rickenbacker International Airport in Columbus, Ohio. Bedard served in Honduras, Kuwait and Iraq, flew more than 2,600 hours in UH-1, AH-1 and OH-58 helicopters and was a flight instructor and aircraft maintenance test pilot.

Rick graduated from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Science and Operations Research and holds a Master of Business Administration from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio. He completed the United States Army War College through a Securities Studies Fellowship at Tufts University, in Medford, Massachusetts.

“We thank Bob for his 19 years of dedicated service and wish him and his family All the Best for the future,” said Bruce Whitman. “We appreciate his many contributions to the efficient and effective operation of our Learning Centers and his commitment to enhance aviation safety worldwide.”

Stephenson joined FlightSafety in 1989 as an instructor at the company’s Learning Center in Houston, Texas. He held a number of management positions during his career with the company and was promoted to Corporate Director of Standards in 2001. He served in the United States Navy for 20 years and in corporate aviation for another 10 prior to joining FlightSafety. “It has been an honor and privilege to work with Bob and we wish him health and happiness as he enters this next phase of life,” said Greg McGowan, Vice President Operations, FlightSafety International.

FlightSafety International is the world’s premier aviation training organization. More than 75,000 pilots, technicians and other aviation professionals train at FlightSafety facilities each year. The company designs and manufactures full flight simulators for civil and military aircraft programs and operates the world’s largest fleet of advanced full flight simulators at 40 training locations.