During a last-minute press conference held Tuesday under a bright blue sunny Oshkosh sky, Tom Poberezny announced that he has decided to retire from his job as chairman of the Experimental Aircraft Association and chairman of the annual EAA AirVenture Oshkosh show. Poberezny, who has worked for EAA for the past 49 years, recently turned 65 and wants to have time to do things that his busy job never afforded. Poberezny’s retirement takes effect August 1, when he becomes chairman emeritus. EAA president and CEO Rod Hightower “will assume Tom’s responsibilities,” according to Louie Andrew, EAA board vice chairman and chairman of the EAA board executive committee. The board hasn’t yet decided on a new chairman, however.
Poberezny made his announcement at the Brown Arch “Gateway to Aviation” at Wittman Regional Airport, surrounded by the sights and sounds of AirVenture, a Ford Trimotor’s radial engines blatting away in the background, two young boys chasing model airplanes next to the Arch, the ever-present Breezy taking people on rides, the announcer delivering tidbits about the aircraft doing flybys over Runway 18-36.
