4th Annual Conklin Scholarship Awarded at 2011 NBAA

NBAA 2011 – Las Vegas, NV -- Conklin & de Decker in association with the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) announced the fourth annual Alan H. Conklin Business Aviation Management scholarship winner is Christine Dow. This award is being presented at the 2011 NBAA Annual Meeting and Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Christine is a Senior at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, FL and is majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Air Transportation. She is on the Dean’s List with a 4.0 average and in addition to planning to graduate next May, she is also working on her private pilot’s license. Christine is Vice President of the local chapter of the Women in Aviation Club, volunteers with a number of other organizations, and interned with Rolls-Royce this summer. She is looking forward to the opportunity to put her business background and studies into action.

This annual scholarship honors Alan H. Conklin, founder of Conklin & de Decker, a US Air Force veteran, author, father, husband and business aviation leader for more than 60 years who passed away in 2006. The $5,000 scholarship is awarded to a student attending a University Aviation Association (UAA) affiliated college and who is specializing in aviation management.

Alan Conklin was an active member and supporter of NBAA for many years and served on the Operations Committee until his retirement in 2003. His aviation career spanned more than six decades. After flying as an instructor pilot in the US Army Air Corps and as a USAF transport pilot in Korea, Conklin’s career took him to business aviation where he sold aircraft for several companies before meeting Bill de Decker and creating the first Aircraft Cost Evaluator program. Then in 1984 he founded what became Conklin & de Decker.

“We are very impressed with Christine Dow’s passion for the business of aviation,” commented Bill de Decker, President and co-founder of Conklin & de Decker and long time friend of Al Conklin. “On behalf of the family of Alan Conklin and the entire staff at Conklin & de Decker, we congratulate Christine as this year’s scholarship winner and wish her all the best that our industry has to offer.”