NATA has named the recipients of its Industry Excellence Awards that will be presented June 9 during its Aviation Business Conference. The association’s top awards will be presented in honor of the late James Christiansen and also to Mark Willey, CEO of Napa Jet Center. Christiansen will be honored with the William "Bill" Ong Memorial Award in recognition of his 50-year career as an aviator, business leader and industry advocate. A former chairman of NATA, and the Air Charter Safety Foundation, he held senior roles for several aviation businesses, including Executive Jet Aviation, Wayfarer Ketch, NetJets and Hawker Beechcraft. Willey will receive the Distinguished Service Award. He has more than 25 years of senior management experience and has been actively involved in advocacy work, serving on the board of NATA and various NBAA committees.

Also, Mark Jensen, director of maintenance and managing partner at Bakersfield Jet Center by Loyd's Aviation, was selected for the ATP/NATA General Aviation Service Technician Award in recognition of his 47 years of maintenance service. Mark Davidson at Smith Reynolds Airport in Winston-Salem, N.C., was selected for the NATA Airport Executive Partnership Award in recognition of efforts to foster relationships between aviation businesses and airport operators.

NATA’s Excellence In Pilot Training Award winner is Ben Gabriel, director of training at ATP Flight School. NATA's FAA Service Excellence Award will be presented to the Phoenix Tracon, and Ratu Tuuhetoka, lead operations specialist at Alliance Aviation Services, will receive the Safety 1st Certified Line Service Professional Award.