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2023 WAMA CONFERENCE A GREAT SUCCESSThis year's WAMA Conference held at the Davenport Grand Hotel in Spokane resulted in the largest turnout ever. Monday was a day of arrivals, a game of golf and a tour of Geiger Field, ending with a reception at the Historic Flight Foundation Museum on Felts Field. Tuesday and Wednesday were filled with top speakers presenting a variety of subjects to aid and inform those in charge of airport operations. The 2023 WAMA Conference presentation slides are available to WAMA members for viewing and download.
Congratulations to the recipients of this year's WAMA Awards!
President's Award: Member of the Year Award: Scholarship and Grant WinnersCongratulations to the winners of the 2023 WAMA Scholarships and Grants! ![]() Letter from the PresidentDear colleagues, I want to begin by thanking you all for allowing me to represent the Washington Airport Management Association (WAMA) in 2023 as President. It is a great honor and privilege to represent the fine group of professionals that are stewards of Washington State Airports.WAMA has been instrumental in my career and management of the Chehalis-Centralia Airport. To be able to repay this by taking on this responsibility is incredible. I know if you are not yet a member and are considering joining, you will not regret it. If you are an existing member who has assisted or encouraged me in the past, I am indebted. Since the early days of aviation, Washington State has been home to an innovative hub for aviation. I believe we have the opportunity and responsibility to help keep it that way. The WAMA Mission Statement says, “Our mission is to strengthen airports and airport management in Washington State by fostering professionalism among airport operators.” I can say without a doubt this group effectively does that every day. We do this as individuals and collectively. With that being said, we have some challenges as stewards of airports coming up. We have rising costs, labor shortages, and increased legislation that can all negatively impact our airports. This is where WAMA can excel. We can provide tools and support to our colleagues and help Washington airports thrive in the next chapter of aviation we are writing today.Thank you all again for this honor, and let’s work together to make the Washington Airport Management Association an example for other states to follow. If you are not already a member, please join us. Receive the benefits of the knowledge and experience of your peers, but also become a resource for others to learn from. I look forward to seeing you all in the coming year. Sincerely, Brandon Rakes WAMA WAYPOINTSHighlights from recent WAYPOINTS. For the full version of the latest edition, click here. LEGISLATIVE ACTION | Sponsors Washington State Airport RestaurantsWarren Hendrickson has compiled an informal list of Washington State/PNW Airport Restaurant List (updated spring 2023) which includes additional pages for nearby Oregon (both east and west of the Cascades) and Idaho airports. This list is not complete and we ask that if you have suggestions or recommendations for restaurants at or serving your airport, please feel free to send your suggestions or recommendations to Warren Hendrickson, at: wbhendrickson@comcast.net. He will continue to update the list as time allows. The list is primarily intended for use by pilots as they fly around the area. Perhaps providing everyone with an additional reason to visit your airport! |