New Program, Appointments at PAMA

Dec. 14, 2007
John Casker named new President of PAMA, Brian Finnegan named new director of SAE's Professional Certification Division.

WARRENDALE, Pa., Dec. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In order to assure that both members and industry are well-served by the Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA), two new appointments will begin the New Year.

Effective January 1, 2008 , the PAMA Board of Directors approved the naming of John Casker as the new President of PAMA. Casker has more than 30 years of association management experience, most recently with SAE International where he managed membership and chapters on national and international levels, affiliate society formation, and exhibit and sponsorship development.

"The PAMA Board's decision to invest in the future of the Association is exciting to me. I am confident that by placing emphasis on service to our individual members and their companies, in terms of technical programming, member benefits, and the new Certification Program, the Board is positioning PAMA for long-term success. I am excited about our future, and I'm excited to have the opportunity to bring my association management experience to PAMA," Casker said.

Also, Brian Finnegan has been named the new Director of SAE's Professional Certification Division. In his role, Finnegan will champion advanced standards and credentials for aviation maintenance and production professionals. Finnegan had served as PAMA's president for eight years before being named director of the certification program, which will be a stand-alone entity headquartered in Washington, D.C., under the SAE Institute.

Clark Gordon , PAMA chairman, said the changes were made to keep PAMA relevant to both its members and the aviation industry.

"I believe that these changes are ideal for two reasons. First, they fulfill the vision of PAMA's Board of Directors for creating a new way of doing business for our organization. Second, they elevate the certification program to ensure that it becomes an integral part of the aviation industry and an integral part of the continued success of PAMA," Gordon said. "John Casker will bring a wealth of experience to the position of PAMA president.

"It also is equally well known that Brian Finnegan has been the driving force in the certification program and that his understanding of the aviation-maintenance professional's role in the industry is unparalleled. In his new role, Brian will be able to focus his considerable skills and his time on this important certification program.

"The new structure allows PAMA the flexibility to enhance service to its constituency of aviation maintenance professionals," added Gordon. "PAMA must pursue its mission to improve aviation safety by enhancing the professionalism and recognition of the individual aviation maintenance technician," he said.

PAMA is an affiliate of the SAE Institute. V. Herbert Kaufman , CAE, Managing Director of the SAE Institute, said the new appointments speak well of the excellent relationship between the two organizations.

"The new program and appointments are indicative of how successfully PAMA and the SAE Institute work together to achieve common goals," Kaufman said. "The SAE Institute is not only investing in the financial support of the certification program, but also in the overall success of the entire PAMA organization."

SOURCE SAE

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