2023 ARSA President Josh Krotec at First Aviation’s booth at NBAA-BACE in Orlando, Florida in October. Krotec is standing next to his “ARSA Champion” display. Photo courtesy First Aviation.

During its annual board meeting on Oct. 14, the ARSA board of directors elected Josh Krotec to serve as its 2023 president. Krotec is senior vice president of First Aviation Services and has been engaged in the association’s volunteer leadership for several years, serving as government affairs chairman before his election to the board in 2019.

ARSA’s board represents a broad range of international maintenance interests, ensuring attention is given to the entire aviation safety life cycle. Krotec represents the small business segment of the industry – most association members – and his professional network touches all elements of aviation. Since his initial election, he has helped recruit five of the board’s nine elected directors since 2020.

“Leaders must be proactive in dealing with governments,” Krotec said of his support for the association. “Everyone encounters inconsistencies and contradictions among rules, guidance, and personal interpretation. Easing the burden of these inevitabilities demands actively engaging at every possible level to make government oversight efficient and effective. ARSA enhances our individual and collective actions.”

ARSA’s immediate past president Terrell Siegfried, assistant general counsel, and corporate secretary of NORDAM, will remain on the board. Siegfried made member retention and recruitment the major themes of his presidency. By the end of his one-year term, Siegfried was able to celebrate record member renewal rates and a bevy of new ARSA members. In his final piece for the association’s monthly newsletter, Siegfried recognized ARSA’s healthy membership as a platform on which to build.

Krotec is bringing his own focus to the association’s top leadership position. Using his personal experience engaging the FAA, the Departments of Defense and Commerce, and other U.S. and international government agencies, he will emphasize building professional relationships with regulators and policymakers at every level.

“As long as I’ve known Josh, he’s worked to solve problems from the local to the federal level and at every lawmaking point in between,” said ARSA Executive Vice President Christian Klein. “He’s worked side by side with – sometimes in front of – the association’s team on Capitol Hill, in local jurisdictions, in the Pentagon, on Independence Avenue [at FAA headquarters], and on issues stretching around the world with the Department of Commerce. His experience and polite tenacity are – and will continue to be – an asset to this association and the industry it supports.”

Krotec’s engagement is not limited to ARSA. He is also a member of the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Advisory Committee and a board member for the Modification and Replacement Parts Association (MARPA). He also serves in executive roles for First Aviation’s subsidiary businesses: Aerospace Turbine Rotables; Aviation Blade Services; Evolution Aerospace; Heliblade International; and Piedmont Propulsion Systems.

“Josh is resolute,” said ARSA Executive Director Sarah MacLeod. “He moves himself, his business, and the industry steadily in the right direction. He makes certain there is a return on investment by engaging the ARSA team for the industry while ensuring business interests are considered. For the next year, ARSA and Josh will work to leverage those investments for the entire industry’s benefit.”

Gary Fortner, vice president of engineering for Fortner Engineering & Manufacturing, was elected for the third time to serve as ARSA vice president. Bob Mabe, director of regulatory compliance for HAECO Americas, joins Krotec and Fortner on the executive committee as the association’s treasurer. The association welcomed new directors Rob Roedts, Columbia Helicopters vice president of aircraft solutions, and Jon Silva, president and chief executive officer of AeroKool Aviation, who were elected to initial one-year terms.

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