Jim Graham serves as the Chair and is a founding member of Airshow London. In over 30 years of volunteering, founding and leading Boards that produce Airshows he has seen first hand how they bring together the best of communities, educate the public about aerospace and careers and inspire so many dreams! He would bring his experience founding and leading the Boards of the Great Lakes Airshow and Airshow London to the NECAS Board to help develop strategies and business models to thrive through change.
Ashley Myers is an Air Show Director and Events Coordinator with a passion for aviation and a strong background in history and historic preservation. She earned her bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in Historic Preservation, which laid the foundation for her career at the Yankee Air Museum.
Joining the museum in 2016 as Membership Manager, Ashley quickly demonstrated her leadership abilities, transitioning to her current roles as Air Show Director and Director of Events. She spearheads signature events such as the annual Bombers, Berries & Brews, Wings & Wheels, and the Hangar Party, while also planning the museum’s exclusive Member Getaway trips.
In her capacity as Air Show Director, Ashley oversees the Wings Over Muskegon and Wings Over Marquette events, which aim to engage the public with aviation through aircraft rides and immersive experiences. Partnering with Kevin Walsh, she also coordinatesThunder Over Michigan, enhancing the guest experience by leveraging data from surveys and social media to implement meaningful improvements.
With a keen eye for detail, Ashley manages social media, ticketing processes, and customer inquiries year-round, ensuring a seamless experience for attendees. She is committed to innovating and modernizing air show coordination and execution, looking forward to further expanding her role within the industry and making aviation accessible to all.
I have a passion for airplanes since I was young, I acquired my pilot’s license but did not pursue a career, instead I have helped organize several airshows in the Ottawa area throughout the years. I am currently Chair of the board of directors and Director General for AERO Gatineau-Ottawa, one of the biggest annual airshows in Eastern Canada.
It all started when I first volunteered at the Carp Airshow in Carp Ontario doing logistics and then crowd control/safety. In the late 80’s, the show was moved to the Ottawa Airport, and I volunteered on the team that met bi-weekly to ensure the coordination of all the airshow elements were aligned.
I took some time away from the airshows scene from 1994 to raise our family, came back 2002 organizing a show at Rockcliffe Airport called the Classic Air Rallie. This involvement lasted several years until Vintage Wings started shows in 2006, we closed the show in 2009, and I helped Vintage Wings grow the show.
In Dec 2016, I was asked if I would take over the air show as Vintage Wings was going through a big change in direction and the first show, we did was with the Patrouille de France jet team in April 2017. We then produced our annual fall airshow in September and in 2019 we did two shows, one in August featuring the Red Arrows, then in September featuring the Snowbirds and the F-35 Demo, a very busy year.
Of course, we took 2020 off for Covid and came back with a modified Drive-in show in 2020. Since then, our show has grown, over the years becoming a favoutire and we had a great show 2024!I have a passion for airplanes since I was young, I acquired my pilot’s license but did not pursue a career, instead I have helped organize several airshows in the Ottawa area throughout the years. I am currently Chair of the board of directors and Director General for AERO Gatineau-Ottawa, one of the biggest annual airshows in Eastern Canada.
It all started when I first volunteered at the Carp Airshow in Carp Ontario doing logistics and then crowd control/safety. In the late 80’s, the show was moved to the Ottawa Airport, and I volunteered on the team that met bi-weekly to ensure the coordination of all the airshow elements were aligned.
I took some time away from the airshows scene from 1994 to raise our family, came back 2002 organizing a show at Rockcliffe Airport called the Classic Air Rallie. This involvement lasted several years until Vintage Wings started shows in 2006, we closed the show in 2009, and I helped Vintage Wings grow the show.
In Dec 2016, I was asked if I would take over the air show as Vintage Wings was going through a big change in direction and the first show, we did was with the Patrouille de France jet team in April 2017. We then produced our annual fall airshow in September and in 2019 we did two shows, one in August featuring the Red Arrows, then in September featuring the Snowbirds and the F-35 Demo, a very busy year.
Of course, we took 2020 off for Covid and came back with a modified Drive-in show in 2020. Since then, our show has grown, over the years becoming a favoutire
Having been a Member of NECAS since 2021, Amy brings with her a wealth of experience in the Aviation community. Amy has held a number of Leadership positions during her career including fire/rescue operations and aviation event management.
Amy has led large-scale national ceremonies and coordinated complex aviation events across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. She is currently one of the Exhibit Directors coordinating exhibits and event logistics for the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) “Red Tail” Squadron with their P-51C Mustang and traveling museum.
Since 2020, Amy has been a Line Service Crew member for the Canadian Harvard Aircraft Association (CHAA) in Ontario, Canada and has also been involved with the Greater Rochester International Airshow, assisting with large-scale airshow planning, aircraft marshalling, and ground operations. In 2024, Amy Assisted the airshow organizer, Dave Cooper and has now taken a leadership role for the 2026 airshow.
Amy is currently Operations Manager for OnCore Aviation, based at Buffalo, Batavia and Rochester, NY where she oversees daily operations for a successful multi-location flight school and aircraft management company. Her duties include managing aircraft scheduling, maintenance coordination, supervising and supporting instructors, ground crews, administrative staff, and enhancing operational efficiency while ensuring safety and FAA compliance.
Amy is a great representative for women in aviation history, both lecturing and displaying the roles of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) and WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) programs during WWII.
Outside of aviation, Amy is Part of a 6-member national team planning and executing the annual National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend and was the first female career firefighter appointed Overall Honor Guard Commander in 2021 and 2022. This draws on her vast experience in the Frederick County Fire & Rescue Department where she reached the rank of Lieutenant, leading specialized rescue teams in high-risk emergency response operations.
Mike Tryggvason has been a member of NECAS since 2010 and a member of the board since 2019. Mike is a Canadian pilot and began his airshow flying career in 2011- first in a Pitts Special, then transitioning to high performance monoplanes. He specializes in high energy, maximum performance aerobatic displays and is an active competitor in the North American aerobatic competition community. A professional pilot by trade, Mike also holds a BESC in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Western Ontario. His past experience includes work in aerospace engineering research and development, flight operations at a regional airline as a Training Captain, and most recently, major airline flight operations as a line pilot, Level D simulator instructor & Human Factors/ CRM instructor. After his start in aerobatics in 2006 with a Pitts Special S2A, Mike worked with coaching legend Sergei Boriak and began flying formal competition aerobatics in 2009, going on to compete at the US National Aerobatic Championships in 2014 and 2017. He began flying the Giles 202 in 2012, and has been flying airshows and competitions in it from Abbotsford to Oshkosh to Bagotville in the years since. His passion is showcasing precision, high energy aerobatics to the aviation community across the continent and sharing his experience with fellow aviators to help them achieve their goals. Mike now considers it a privilege to have the opportunity to give back to the NECAS family by sharing his time and expertise to support the group and its members.”
My wife, Janie, and I live on a farm in southern Ontario, where we are involved in community service as well as pursuing our passions of quilting and aviation.
I learned to fly in high school and took up skydiving while at Penn State where I organized the university’s’ sport parachute club. After college I opened a full service parachute center and managed a small airport in Pennsylvania. I was heavily involved in parachute rigging, contracting, test jumping for manufacturers, show jumping, and producing instructional emergency jump videos. In 1996, I planned, produced and executed the first FAA sanctioned tandem skydiving exhibition jump which paved the way for today’s air show VIP tandem jumps.
In 1981, I founded the GEROIMO! Skydiving Team, and worked to set a standard of excellence for civilian exhibition jumping within the air show industry. After more than 43 years of continuous operation, the GERONIMO! Skydiving Team serves both the US and Canada.
Air shows have always been my love and joy and I have produced small scale aviation events and continue today with my wife, Janie, producing the annual Sky Fest aviation festival at Sherkston Shores Resort in Ontario, Canada. The excitement and joy that I see in the eyes of the young spectators at air shows is my reward as both a performer and producer.
Aviation is my passion and has been both a part-time and a full time venture for me over the past forty six years. When not in the air I have pursued a myriad of occupational fields ranging from forester, teacher, farmer, and pastor to name a few. Throughout my work and life experiences I have always valued team work and the importance of having a high degree of honor, integrity, professionalism, as well as a positive proactive attitude which are paramount for success.
Overcoming debilitating injuries from an automobile accident in 1997, I had to learn to walk again. From that humbling life changing experience I learned that there is no obstacle too big to overcome. I see today’s obstacles and challenges facing the air show industry today as opportunities for innovation rather than road blocks to success. Better networking and cooperation between performers and producers as well as a collective strategy to not just survive but to strive as an industry is a must. We should recognize our air show heritage and traditions but move forward through innovation and adaptation into the 21st century encouraging the younger generations to take the lead. The good old days are still ahead of us and I want to be able to help make that happen.
Dave had the privilege of serving as the Operations Director for Continental Air Show Productions since 2002 and now he is continuing Bill Bordeleau’s ( ICAS Charter Member #4) 50-year legacy of Continental Air Show Productions by purchasing the business at the end of their 50th season in 2019. CASP continues to provide live sound reinforcement and production assistance to air shows across North America under Dave’s two decades of leadership.
Dave also owns and operates Behind The Scenes Productions which is an event production and marketing agency in Cincinnati, Ohio that he started in 2004. BTSP has clients throughout the air show industry as well as other local and national organizations they work with annually. Behind The Scenes Productions has received numerous awards for our video productions and is recognized as a “go to” event planner and production specialists within the Cincinnati market and beyond. Behind The Scenes Productions acquisition of Continental Air Show Productions allows a more seamless application of the varied resources and expertise that Dave can provide to his new air show clients.
Dave is a recipient of a Platinum Pinnacle Award from ICAS as well as the ICAS Bob Hoover Wingman Award.
Dave has been a part of the air show community for over 20 years and is currently ICAS member #4 having taken ownership of CASP in 2020,
Steven Webster started in the air show business as a volunteer/ sponsor of the first air show in Ocean City, MD. In February of 2011, he took on the role of Director of Sales and Marketing for B.Lilley Productions, LLC. At that time, they had two shows, one with Ocean City, MD and the other with Cocoa Beach, FL. They have since grown to seven shows spanning the East Coast in 2023. He currently serves as the Vice President of Flight Operations for all seven shows, and he is the event manager for Ocean City, New York, Atlanta, and Orlando.
Trevor Rafferty was born and raised in Hamilton Ontario Canada where he still lives. Hamilton is a steel town and Trevor worked as a millwright for most of his adult life in order to pay for his flying passion. Attending air shows with his family as a child sparked a desire to someday become an air show pilot and he has been chasing that dream ever since.
Trevor is also a dedicated builder and has built 5 aircraft as well as participating in building, rebuilding and restoring countless others.
With flying time in over 50 types of aircraft he has worked most recently as an aerobatic instructor for a company specializing in upset recovery training, tailwheel instruction and thrill rides. Performing in airshows since 2011, Trevor has been all over Canada and the U.S. as well as China. Trevor has been a NECAS member for several years and an advocate for small shows on both sides of the border.
Thanks for the Years of Service Huggie!
Dave “Huggie” Cooper
Rochester International Airshow
Dave Cooper is a native of Pennsylvania, who attended his first airshow in 1982 in Cleveland, Ohio while taking private pilot lessons. He was hooked after watching Bob Hoover’s performance in the “Shrike Commander.” At the time, he was a consulting petroleum engineer in the oil and gas business in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. In 1985, he formed “Just Plane People”, a traveling airshow novelty company that participated in over 550 events nationwide from 1985 until 1999. In 1990, Dave moved to Geneseo, NY to independently manage the gift shop and away airshow novelty operations for the National Warplane Museum. In 1994, he was back on the road as a novelty vendor and airshow operations consultant throughout the U.S. In 1998 and 1999, Dave was a consultant to the Promotional Management Group and principal advisor to the March Airfest at March Air Reserve Base in California in the conduct of airshows at a military base. In 2000, he joined Beau Productions as the airshow coordinator for the Rochester International Airshow. Dave is now the Managing Director of PEC Management, LLC, which was awarded the contract to produce the Rochester International Airshow through to 2020, with extensions. In his free time, Dave collects antique glass and serves on the Board of Directors for the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition. Dave holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and a Master of Business Administration degree in Marketing/Finance from Ohio University.