Rinaldi, Gilbert To Serve A Second Term
Thursday, April 05, 2012




One week ago (March 30), the deadline for receiving nominations of those members intending to run for national office passed without a challenger for either the office of President or Executive Vice President. That means President Paul Rinaldi and Executive Vice President Trish Gilbert will continue to serve NATCA for another three years, through Aug. 31, 2015.

NATCA issued this press release last Monday announcing the news:

National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Paul Rinaldi and Executive Vice President Trish Gilbert will serve a second three-year term after an election deadline last Friday passed without any nominations received from possible challengers for either position.

Rinaldi and Gilbert will finish out their first term on Aug. 31, 2012. Their second term will run from Sept. 1, 2012 through Aug. 31, 2015.

“I am profoundly honored and excited to receive this support from our members for the positive direction in which we are proceeding as an organization,” Rinaldi said. “I am filled with pride to be able to continue to serve them for another three years and lead this great union. We represent a tremendously skilled and professional group of aviation safety professionals that has made our aviation system the world’s safest and most efficient and is working collaboratively with the Federal Aviation Administration to move the system forward to even greater safety levels and success.”

Rinaldi, the sixth president in NATCA’s 25-year history, will become the third to serve two terms, joining Barry Krasner (1991-1997) and John Carr (2000-2006). Gilbert, NATCA’s seventh executive vice president, will become just the second to serve two terms, joining Dr. Ruth Stilwell (formerly Dr. Ruth Marlin, who served from 2000-2006).

“It has been a pleasure and an honor serving the hard-working men and women of NATCA,” Gilbert said. “We are thrilled to serve a second term and continue the great work of making our union stronger and better than ever as we celebrate our 25th anniversary and move forward together into a future filled with opportunity and great optimism.”

Rinaldi, who served as executive vice president from 2006-2009, assumed national office after 16 years as an air traffic controller at Washington-Dulles Tower (IAD). He served as facility representative of the Dulles local chapter of NATCA, and also served as alternate vice president of NATCA’s Eastern Region.

Gilbert previously worked as a controller for 21 years at Houston Air Route Traffic Control Center. She also served as facility representative at Houston Center (ZHU) and chaired NATCA’s National Legislative Committee from 2005-2009.