John Casker, President, Professional Aviation Maintenance Association (PAMA)

Before joing PAMA, Casker managed membership and chapters on national and international levels, affiliate society formation, and exhibit and sponsorship development for SAE International. He is also a veteran of the U.S. Army.

AM: What type of experience do you bring to the position of President of PAMA?

JC: I joined the association management field and the SAE International staff in 1978. Therefore, what I bring to PAMA is 30 years of experience in managing the many and various elements that make up a successful association.  The bulk of my time at SAE was spent in developing and supporting SAE’s local chapter network, as well as student chapters on engineering school campuses.  Included in that experience was the formation of new chapters, not only in North America, but in other countries as well, such as Hong Kong, Italy, Brazil, India, and the United Kingdom. In the last three countries mentioned, I also led the development of the full-service SAE affiliate societies that are successfully operating in those countries today.

I was also responsible for membership development and retention at SAE, both at the professional and student levels, worldwide.  Most recently, I held the position of Manager of Exhibits and Sponsorship Development.  Over the course of the years, I have gathered a great deal of experience in helping member leaders at the local, national, and international level identify and meet the needs of association members and the industry that employs them.

AM: Please discuss both the short-term and long-term changes that you plan to implement.

JC: The short and long-term changes at PAMA are, for the most part, going to be identified by the PAMA Board.  My role will be to make sure the strategic direction they set is carried out. The Board, under the leadership of Clark Gordon of TrueNorth Avionics, has adopted a board governance model that establishes the board as providing strategic direction and the staff as implementers of that direction.  That is a short-term change that will have a positive, long-term impact for PAMA.

That said, in the short-term, PAMA will be strengthening its chapter network and the services chapters offer their members at the local level. The PAMA website is also undergoing some changes that will provide improved communication to and between members.  We have also launched the JetBlast Network for PAMA members to discuss PAMA and maintenance issues and JetBlog Interactive for the industry to come together to discuss the future of the industry. In the short-term we will also be launching our new Regional Airworthiness Symposiums, which are two-day educational and networking events for maintenance technicians and management personnel of the aviation maintenance industry.  Our first regional symposium, complete with tradeshow, will be held August 22 and 23 in Wichita, Kansas.

Long-term, PAMA will focus on serving the industry as a reliable resource for aviation maintenance information.  We will also serve the aviation maintenance professionals in legal and regulatory matters, life-long learning opportunities, standardization through the PAMA/SAE Institute Certification Program, and, it goes without saying, safety issues.  We will also be diligent in raising the industry’s and the flying public’s recognition of the value provided by the aviation maintenance professional.

AM: How do you think the aviation industry views PAMA?  What do you think the industry wants from the association?

JC: I believe the industry views us as the premier organization in the world dedicated to understanding and meeting the technical and professional needs of the aviation maintenance technician. The industry and membership, alike, recognize PAMA as the voice in Washington, D.C. for the aviation maintenance technician. The industry looks to us as a reliable and consistent resource for aviation maintenance-related information, training, and networking.

AM: Can you talk about some of PAMA’s greatest weaknesses…strengths?

JC: Of course, like any association, we will always look to improve, and I’ve mentioned some areas in which we plan to do this, including stepping our support of chapters and their officers, improving the website, and the steps the Board of Directors is taking to focus on strategic issues. In addition to these issues, communication is a key to any organization’s growth and success; we plan to continually improve how we communicate to our members and how they communicate among each other. We also face the challenge of no longer being involved in AS3, but I believe our new concept for Regional Symposiums will restore our leadership in these types of events.

When I consider of our strengths, I first think of our loyal members, some of whom have been members for 20 and 30 years and are still passionate about being part of their organization. A second strength is industry support. The Industry Advisory Board, appointed by the PAMA Board of Directors, was instrumental in developing the Regional Symposium mod. Interest for the Regional Symposium events from industry leaders and organizations grows every day. Third, we have a Board of Directors that is passionate about the PAMA vision and a dedicated cadre of chapter officers that is rallying around a PAMA that is emphasizing service to the individual member.  Fourth, SAE International and the SAE Institute are backing PAMA 100 percent. And finally, one of our major strengths moving forward is the leadership over the last eight years of Brian Finnegan.

AM: Does PAMA plan to increase its outreach/branding program?

JC: With the help of SAE staff, we are in the process of developing a marketing program that will effectively and aggressively communicate the value that PAMA products, services, and affiliation provides to its various audiences and customers.


AM: How closely will you be working with Brian Finnegan on the certification?

JC: We will be working very closely. This is a PAMA program. Brian and I agree that PAMA needs to play a key role at all levels in promoting and delivering the Certification Program to maintenance technicians and their companies. We will make the Chapter networks available, feature the Program on the website, and make the Program part of the Regional Symposium’s technical program and tradeshow.  PAMA’s success and the Certification Program’s success are inseparable. 

AM: Can you tell me any specifics about PAMA’s 2008 show?

JC: PAMA believes it can serve more members and more companies by offering intensive two-day events on a regional basis, several times a year, rather than staging a multi-day event, one time a year, as we have in the past at the AS3 events.  Our first regional will be in August in Wichita, Kansas, and will feature a day of training for managers and a day of IA Renewal training for technicians.  We will have table top exhibits, sponsoring opportunities, networking and career enhancement activities, and, of course, our signature PAMA Olympics.  Regional Symposiums will be strengthened by the involvement of the chapters in the area.  The new format will allow more technicians and managers to take part because it requires less travel and less time away from the job.

AM: Anything else you would like to discuss?

JC: I believe the future of PAMA is going to be exciting and successful, and contributing to that success will be our partnership with SAE International and the SAE Institute.  SAE understands the need for PAMA in the aviation industry and the leadership that the association has displayed over its history in serving both the industry and its technicians. SAE strongly supports PAMA’s mission and has dedicated the resources needed to ensure that the mission is fulfilled. We have a very strong ally in SAE International.