Today, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) announces with profound sadness the passing of Ed Bolen, an industry giant who led NBAA for nearly a quarter century as president and CEO.
Bolen had been fighting cancer, forcing him to take medical leave and retire from an industry he had championed for more than 40 years. Since announcing his retirement on Nov. 6, NBAA has received a tremendous outpouring of support for Bolen, with messages crediting his legacy and friendship from every corner of the industry.
“We are filled with incredible sadness about Ed,” said Dan Hubbard, NBAA acting CEO and SVP, communications. “Ed was not just our colleague – he was a friend and a mentor to many of us. He accomplished so much, and did so with grace and humility. On behalf of the entire NBAA team, we send our condolences and prayers to Beth, Jack, Robert and all of Ed’s family, in this incredibly difficult time.”
Just yesterday, in recognition of his extensive contributions and leadership in aviation, Bolen was inducted into the Kansas Aviation Hall of Fame for his advocacy on safety, airport and airspace access, workforce development, air traffic control modernization and many other key priorities.
While Bolen himself could not be present, NBAA leadership and members of his family were on hand to celebrate his unwavering dedication and service to the industry he loved.
A private pilot and native Kansan, Bolen was introduced to flying by his father, who served on the board of the Salina Regional Airport in Kansas.
Bolen attended the University of Kansas, graduating with a degree in economics. After earning a law degree and Master of Laws in taxation, he served as legislative director for U.S. Sen. Nancy Kassebaum (R-KS), and majority general counsel to what is today the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
As an aide to Kassebaum, Bolen was a key player in the passage of the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994, which revived U.S. aircraft manufacturing, an industry that made Wichita the Air Capital of the World.
Bolen served as president of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) from 1996 to 2004 before becoming president and CEO of NBAA, where he was a tireless and singularly effective advocate for business aviation.
Bolen advised presidents of both parties, working across party lines to bring people together to get things done. He was nominated by President Clinton and confirmed by the Senate to serve as a member of the Management Advisory Council to the Federal Aviation Administration, which he chaired from 2000 to 2004. In 2001, Bolen was appointed by President Bush to serve as a member of the Commission on the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry. Bolen is also a former chair of the Radio Technical Commission for Aeronautics.
Bolen received numerous honors and accolades throughout his career. In 2021, he was inducted as a Living Legend into the San Diego Air & Space Museum’s International Air & Space Hall of Fame, in recognition of his decades of contributions to the aviation and aerospace industry. In 2025, he received the Alpha Eta Rho Award, the aviation fraternity’s highest honor, for his commitment to the industry’s future leaders. Earlier this year, he received the Clay Lacy Friendship Medal from Flights to Freedom, which transports human trafficking survivors to their loved ones, or to support groups.
“It’s hard to express how much we miss Ed, and what he meant to so many of us,” said John Witzig, chair of NBAA’s Board of Directors. “What we do know is that we can all take inspiration from Ed’s legacy of service, dedication and leadership.”