AOPA Southeast regional representative honored for lifelong devotion to aviation

AOPA Southeast Regional Rep. Bob Minter

The Tennessee Aeronautics Commission last week honored Bob Minter, AOPA Southeast regional representative for the past 17 years, for a lifetime of accomplishments in aviation, presenting him with the Career Contributions to Aviation Award. It is the highest aviation award presented by the state to an individual.

As Southeast regional representative, Minter has been focused most recently on Tennessee's current budget crisis and its potentially devastating effect on dedicated aviation funds, paid for out of aviation fuel taxes. Tennessee has no income tax, and with both gubernatorial candidates vowing they won't impose one, pilots and aviation officials are watching nervously to see if the legislature will try to dip into the dedicated funds. AOPA will fight any such attempt.

Besides serving as AOPA's Southeast regional representative for 17 years, Minter has also worked at the state Bureau of Aviation and serves as executive director of the Tennessee Museum of Aviation.

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