Fort Lauderdale, FL – April 14, 2025 – The National Aircraft Finance Association (NAFA) recently hosted its 53rd Annual Conference, which took place from April 8–10, 2025 at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Harbor Beach Resort & Spa. This year’s event brought together leaders in business aviation to engage in informative sessions, network with industry professionals, and experience exciting activities that provided new insights into the evolving world of aircraft finance.
Welcoming the New Members of the NAFA Board of Directors
This year, we welcome several new additions to the Board of Directors.
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President: Bryan Byers of Prism Bank
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Secretary: Jim Blessing of AirFleet Capital, Inc.
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Members-at-Large: Christopher Lee of 1st Source Bank; Brian Macbean of AOPA; John Odegard of 5X5 Trading; and Dave Wall of TVPX
NAFA thanks outgoing Members-at-Large Anthony Schieber and Phil Winters for their contributions. We also thank outgoing President Ed Medici for his leadership over the past year and his continued involvement in the coming year as an ex-officio member.
NAFA53 Features Expert Education and Exciting Events
This year’s conference featured a dynamic lineup of industry experts who led sessions covering pressing topics in business aviation, including recent global tariffs, aircraft financing, market trends, regulatory updates, and technological advancements. In addition to the informative sessions, attendees had the opportunity to connect with engaging activities such as a golf tournament and an exciting Everglades tour, making for a well-rounded and enriching experience.
New NAFA President Bryan Byers shared his excitement about the event’s success, stating, “Our 53rd Annual Conference was a great success. It was inspiring to see so many of our members reconnect, collaborate, and engage in thoughtful discussions around the key issues currently impacting the business aviation industry. With new partnerships forming and important connections being made, we are more confident than ever about NAFA’s role in supporting the continued growth of the sector.”
Several awards were presented at this year’s annual conference. Dave Warner was recognized with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contributions to the aircraft finance industry throughout his career. NAFA also recognized Pete Bunce, retiring president and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA), and Mark Baker, retiring president of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), with awards in recognition of their long-term commitment to and support of NAFA.
On April 8, just before the conference began, NAFA and the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) sponsored the Aircraft Appraisal Continuing Education Program, which was held at the conference venue.
Embry-Riddle Collaboration and Historic Milestone for Students
The NAFA Foundation launched its first Endowment with Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) last year and established a goal of incorporating business aviation and private aviation finance into the ERAU Masters of Aviation Finance curriculum. Working with quite a few NAFA member companies, in collaboration with ERAU’s School of Business, we launched two new courses, to be known as NAFA1 and NAFA2. Each course includes five modules, and each module represents three weeks of classes, 3 hours per week. Our first “class” commenced in late 2024 and we’re pleased to see 12 students enrolled in the inaugural program.
Generous Sponsors
NAFA extends its gratitude to the generous sponsors who made this year’s event possible:
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Tropical Paradise: AIC Title Service, AirFleet Capital Inc., Eastern Recovery Inc., Embraer, GlobalAir.com, Insured Aircraft Title Service, LLC, and Scope Aircraft Finance
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Oceanfront: Aero-Space Reports, Gilchrist Aviation Law
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Intracoastal: Aircraft Bluebook, Crowe & Dunlevy, Jet Support Services, Inc., LL Johns Aviation Insurance, PNC Aviation Finance, and Vinci Aeronautica
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Sandy Shore: AircraftPost, Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney, PC, GAMA, Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP
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Golf Sponsors: 1st Source Bank, AirFleet Capital, Inc., Cirrus, Dassault Falcon Jet, McAfee & Taft, Prism Bank, Salem Five Bank, Scope Aircraft Finance, and TVPX
About NAFA:
The National Aircraft Finance Association (NAFA) is a professional association that has been promoting the general welfare of aircraft finance for more than 50 years. Our network of members is comprised of lenders and product service providers who work together to finance general and business aviation aircraft. NAFA sets the standard for best practices in aviation finance by educating its members with the most up-to-date industry trends and best practices. Government legislation, market influences and industry insights allow member companies to provide the highest quality services the industry has to offer.