Meridian Attends the NBAA Regional Forum at PBI

Last week, Meridian sent a team of five down to West Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) to represent the company at the first NBAA Regional Forum of 2019. The forum again broke attendance records hosting nearly 2,900 attendees, 250 students, and over 150 exhibitors.
Being the first regional forum of the year, West Palm Beach has set a great precedent for the others to follow and serves as a barometer for the business aviation industry as a whole.
While the business aviation industry constantly breaks attendance records, year after year, NBAA CEO Ed Bolen stressed the need for the industry to push for greater awareness with younger workers and recent graduates: “There’s a big shortage in aviation right now, for not only pilots and mechanics, but basically all facets of the industry, and we need to bring in the younger generation to fill those positions. Our industry gives young people the opportunity to experience life in many different ways. We’re a high-tech industry, so we can meet their expectation in that area too. Young people want to be part of a community and know they belong, and business aviation offers all of that.”
The importance of NBAA regional forums also extends to the future of the industry, with students from nearby Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) and elsewhere coming to talk with attendees and exhibitors to learn what business aviation may offer them in terms of career options, as well a forge crucial connections within the industry.
Meridian had a great showing at the forum and took advantage of the opportunity to make considerable connections, as well as meet with our friends within the industry. We thank everyone for making this event a great success. We hope to see everyone at the next Regional Forum in Houston on March 14th!