Leo Schefer Top-Side Aviation Club’s
Boss of the Year
Jeffrey N. Shane, Under
Secretary of Transportation for Policy at the US
Department of Transportation presented the Top-Side
Aviation Club’s prestigious
“Boss of the Year”
award to Leo Schefer, president of the Washington
Airports Task Force at an evening reception on Thursday,
May 4th in Washington, DC. The SunTrust Bank Executive
Dining Room overlooking the White House was the setting
for this year’s event, which is held annually to
recognize the recipient of the award for his/her
contribution to aviation.
Secretary Shane praised
Schefer’s contribution to aviation noting, “In my
judgment, it was the creation of USA-BIAS (United States
Airports for Better International Air Service) and the
passionate advocacy supplied by Leo that made it
possible for the United States to establish its Open
Skies Policy in 1992 – a doctrine that has now become
almost the default approach to international aviation in
most parts of the world.” Shane went on to say, “By
figuring out the importance of bringing the civic voice
to our deliberations about international aviation
policy, Leo helped to change the world. It is a
profound contribution to our nation’s economic
well-being, and all of us who have labored in the
aviation policy vineyards will be forever in his debt.”
Schefer’s regional
contributions were also recognized. “If you have lived
in the Washington area since the 1980s, I don’t have to
tell you what a profound difference WATF has made under
Leo’s leadership,” Shane stated. “Leo was on the
founding board of directors. It quickly began making a
difference. But it REALLY moved into high gear when Leo
Schefer became its president in 1988—just 18 years ago.”
“Leo brought together
cooperative efforts for reopening Ronald Reagan National
Airport after the 9/11 attacks, saving thousands of jobs
for the region and ensuring the terrorists did not
succeed in their efforts to shut down the nation’s
capital,” noted Anita Kayser, WATF Director Aviation
Policy and Top-Side Aviation Club president. She added,
“He played a key role in persuading the Smithsonian to
expand the National Air & Space Museum at Washington
Dulles and also in creating the blueprint to jumpstart
the project to bring Metrorail to Washington Dulles.”
Top-Side Aviation Club was
formed in 1954 by a group of professional women in key
administrative positions supporting top-level executives
within aviation/aerospace companies in order to provide
opportunities for personal development and networking.
The Club draws its members from private industry in the
aviation/aerospace field as well as related government
sectors, all within the Washington metropolitan area.
Top-Side’s industry association includes the who’s who
of aviation/aerospace/air transport companies present in
the U.S. Shane opened his remarks by speaking about of
the importance of the Club itself, and stated “What a
brilliant idea -- recognizing this unique group of
professionals without whom life in the executive suites
of our companies and agencies would be impossible – and
if not literally impossible, almost certainly
unbearable.” Leo Schefer has long recognized the value
of developing relationships with the “gatekeepers” to
some of Washington’s most powerful executives, calling
Top-Side, “one of Washington’s best-kept secrets.”
Since the award’s inception in 1964, the “Boss of the
Year” honor has been presented to many well-known
government officials and aviation executives such as:
Senator John Warner, General Colin Powell, Dr. Tom
Cooper (GE), Tom Culligan (Raytheon),
and Ed Pease (Rolls-Royce).
