The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) selected James Viola, currently president and CEO of Vertical Aviation International (VAI), to succeed Pete Bunce at the helm of the association. As part of a transition plan, Viola will step into his new role as GAMA president and CEO in March after the conclusion of VAI’s biggest event of the year, Verticon, while Bunce will retire in April after leading the association for nearly 20 years. In the interim, both will work closely together. Bunce had joined GAMA in April 2005 after retiring from a 26-year career with the U.S. Air Force. Viola brings regulator expertise as a former FAA official to his new role. Joining VAI in 2020, he succeeded Matt Zuccaro, who had been the long-serving president of what was then known as Helicopter Association International.
Louis C. Seno, Jr. assumed the role of executive director of the International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA) on January 1. Seno succeeded Wayne Starling, who had led the organization since October 2018. Previously serving as chairman emeritus and special advisor to the board of Jet Support Services, Inc. (JSSI), Seno’s career has included leadership roles at Boeing Capital Corporation and GE Capital Solutions. Under Starling’s leadership, IADA expanded its influence and established itself as a leader in the business aircraft resale industry. Starling, who received the IADA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024, will continue in an advisory role to support the transition through April 2025. In addition to his role at JSSI, Seno serves on multiple boards, including GAMA and the Experimental Aircraft Association.
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