San Francisco Aeronautical Society Board of Directors
Louis A. Turpen, President, is a founding board member and has served as the President since the Society’s inception. He was Director of San Francisco International Airport from 1981 to 1995, and President and CEO of the Greater Toronto Airport’s Authority from 1995 to 2004. The San Francisco Airport Commission enthusiastically supported Mr. Turpen’s idea for an aviation museum at SFO and formally approved the concept in 1991. The facility was officially named in 1996, received formal accreditation from the American Association of Museums as part of the San Francisco Airport Museums in 1999, and had its grand opening in 2000.
Peter Volny, Vice President, joined the Board in 2006 and now resides in Scottsdale, Arizona. He is the founder of Griffin Bacal Volny (GBV), one of Canada’s most successful marketing/advertising/PR agencies with a strong reputation for launching new brands and reviving struggling ones. GBV won many prestigious awards including Canada’s top television commercial, and several international Mobius Awards. GBV was acquired by Omnicom (OMC – NYSE), the industry’s largest holding company. Mr. Volny is past President of the Canadian Business Press and of the Society of Ontario Advertising Agencies and has been an editorial advisor and regular columnist for several magazines. Peter has been a life-long aviation aficionado.
Eric Starks, Secretary/Treasurer, joined the board in 2009. In 1985, Eric began working for Alaska Airlines, first in Ketchikan, then Phoenix, Seattle, San Francisco, and San Jose where he was the Station Manager. In 1998, Eric returned to San Francisco’s SFO as the Station Manager for KLM. During this same period, Eric chaired the International Terminals’ Multi User Service Equipment Committee. In 2001, Eric was recruited by Virgin Atlantic Airways for the position of Station Manager at SFO where he is currently still working. He is a charter member of the Rotary Club of San Francisco International Airport, in District 5150.
Dennis Bouey, Director, joined the board in 2005. He is the former Executive Director of the San Diego Unified Port District including the San Diego International Airport at Lindbergh Field, maritime cargo, cruise ship business, and industrial maritime. From 1997 to 1999 he was the Director of Aviation of the Philadelphia Airport System. Mr. Bouey is also the former Deputy Director, Facilities Operations and Maintenance at San Francisco International Airport and the former General Manager of the Olympic Club in San Francisco. He is a member of the board of directors of the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame.
George Doubleday, Director, is a founder and chairman of several companies active in Asia-Pacific trade development and tourism. He served as First Officer with operations training and control duties and as Regional Managing Director of South East Asia during a sixteen-year career with Pan American World Airways. He went on to co-found InnerAsia Travel group, a parent company of Geographic Expeditions and Geographic Travel. Mr. Doubleday is also a Vice President and a member of the board of directors of the Pan Am Historical Foundation.
Angela Gittens, Director, is a founding board member. She is currently the Director General of Airports Council International (ACI World). She was formerly CEO for two of the largest US airport systems. Miami and Atlanta, and deputy at another, San Francisco International Airport. In other previous roles, Ms. Gittens served as Vice President, Airport Business Services for HNTB Corporation, and as Vice President at TBI Airport Management. Ms. Gittens has served on numerous aviation industry boards and committees including the FAA and NASA advisory committees, the Executive Committee of the National Academy of Science’s Transportation Research Board and the Board of Directors of JetBlue Airways.
Mary Griffin, Director, joined the board in 2005. She served as an elected official in San Mateo County from 1976 through 2001, serving twice as Mayor during her eleven year tenure on the Millbrae City Council. In 1987 she was elected to finish the unexpired term of then Supervisor Jackie Speier and was re-elected three times to that office until the term-limit date of January 2001. She was a signatory to the original memorandum of understanding that created the San Francisco Airport Community Roundtable in 1981. Ms. Griffin is currently involved in many community activities including the Skyline College President’s Council, the Millbrae Lions Club and the Hiller Aviation Museum.
Catherine Mayer, Director, joined the Board in 2006. Ms. Mayer is the VP for Airport Services at SITA, a leading service provider of IT business solutions and communications services to the air transport industry. She is an active participant in Airports Council International (ACI), including serving as Chairman of the ACI World Business Partners Board (06/07) and becoming the first non-Airport member to be appointed as an observer to the ACI World Governing Board (06/07). Ms. Mayer has 15 years of airport operations experience with Groupe Air France and Mexicana Airlines as well as ten years of experience working with the San Francisco International Airport coordinating international gate resources.
Zoe Dell Lantis Nutter, Director, is a founding board member. Her career in aviation began as the Official Hostess and Pirate Theme Girl of the 1939-40 Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island, when she traveled more than 100,000 miles by air to promote air travel. Mrs. Nutter, a licensed pilot, served in Civil Air Patrol flying search and rescue missions. She also served as company pilot for the Small Aircraft Division of Elano Corporation, a jet engine fuel and exhaust system manufacturing company founded by her late husband E.J. Nutter. Mrs. Nutter is a trustee of the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio.
Jean Tinsley, Director, is a life member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame. She began flying airplanes in 1945, hot air balloons in 1962, helicopters in 1965, and gyroplanes in 1976 and holds a commercial pilot’s license. Mrs. Tinsley is a life member and past President of the International Organization of Licensed Women Pilots (99’s) and is the international Executive Director of the International Organization of Licensed Women Helicopter Pilots (Whirly Girls). She was a pilot on the fist U.S. team to compete in the World Helicopter Championships in 1973, the first woman to pilot the Bell XV-15 Tilt Rotor aircraft, and the first woman President of the Helicopter Club of America in 1991.
Ken Turpen, Director, is currently a Captain for United Airlines flying the new generation Boeing 737 aircraft from San Francisco. He brings to the board more than 25 years of aviation experience. Ken graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1988 and became an Air Force instructor pilot in 1989. He has built two experimental aircraft, and flown many others. He has maintained membership with the EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) and AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association) since 1992. At United Airlines, Ken has flown the 727, 737, 757, and 767. His accomplishments include being awarded "Pilot of the Year" three times by United Airlines. His hobbies include hiking, fishing, skiing and pocket watch and wristwatch repair and restoration.
Judd Iversen, Director Emeritus, joined the Board in 2005. He worked for the University of San Francisco Law School as the Director of the Center for Law and Global Justice and was responsible for the Law School's Rule of Law Program in Southeast Asia from 1995 to 2005. He is now a partner in a small peninsula law firm. He is a member of the Law School's Board of Counselors. He is a commercial pilot from a family with a long history in aviation which includes pioneer aviator John Livingston who won the Bendix Air Race three times.
Patrick Murphy, Director Emeritus, is a founding board member and has served on the board of directors since the Society’s inception. He is Chair of the Restructuring and Insolvency Group at Winston & Strawn, an insolvency, finance, and litigation firm in San Francisco. He served on the San Francisco Airport Commission from 1988 to 1995. During Mr. Murphy’s tenure on the Commission he saw SFO’s $3 billion Master Plan Program through a lengthy and complicated planning and environmental approval process.
Athena Tsougarakis, Director Emeritus, is a founding board member. She is a former Vice President-Systems Director with the Bank of America. She served on the San Francisco Airport Commission from 1985 to 1988. Her other work in the public sector included serving on the San Francisco Social Service Commission, the Payroll/Personnel Development Advisory Group, and the Employment and Training Council. Ms. Tsougarakis is a former member of the board of directors of the Family Caregivers Alliance.
