FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 12, 2000

Long Beach, California – The National Association of State Aviation Officials announced today that it is presenting its "Kenneth A. Rowe Ambassador of Aviation Award" to Robert W. Kunkel who retired last month as director of Wisconsin's Bureau of Aeronautics. The award, which is the highest honor NASAO members may confer upon their peers, has been presented only four other times. The announcement came during NASAO's 69th Annual Convention and Trade Show.

Henry M. Ogrodzinski, NASAO's president and CEO, said, "Throughout his long and illustrious career, Bob Kunkel has maintained a deep commitment to improving the safety and efficiency of our national aviation system and has always focused on providing the highest level of service to the people of Wisconsin and the nation. His contributions to the transportation system have had a profoundly positive influence on the traveling public, the aviation industry, and the national economy. His inspiring leadership has provided us all with a shining example of what can be accomplished on behalf of our fellow citizens through vision, persistence, diplomacy and old- fashioned hard work. The state government aviation directors across the nation, who have had the opportunity to work with Bob over the past 30 years, proudly salute him and his many accomplishments."

An early and eloquent champion of the State Block Grant Program, Kunkel administered more than $40 million annually in state and federal airport development and improvement projects. Under his leadership, Wisconsin took advantage of emerging technology and developed one of the first state-funded networks of automated aviation weather observation systems, installed the first Transponder Landing System at a public-use airport and successfully demonstrated the nation's first GPS (Global Positioning System) Local Area Augmentation System (LAAS) for instrument landings at public airports. Looking toward the future, Kunkel fully automated the Bureau of Aeronautics and directed the creation of the "Wisconsin State Airport System Plan 2020" to prepare airports for the 21st Century. He directed the development of a Runway Approach Clearing Program to improve airport system safety. Recognizing aviation's enormous potential for economic development, he helped establish the Wisconsin Business Aviation Association earlier this year.

Ogrodzinski said," As important as Bob has been to the growth and improvement of aviation within Wisconsin, he has also provided thoughtful and action-oriented national leadership. He

has served NASAO in a number of executive leadership positions and, as NASAO chairman in 1997, he testified before Congress on the importance of reliable and predictable funding for the federal Airport Improvement Program. All of the issues he addressed with Congress were ultimately included in AIR-21, the new federal aviation funding program. While increasing NASAO's involvement on Capitol Hill, Bob strengthened the states' partnership with the Federal Aviation Administration. NASAO is the only organization of its type to have an official Memorandum of Understanding with the FAA. Bob used the MOU to work closely with FAA to resolve a number of issues to the benefit of all Americans. Through Bob, Wisconsin's Governor and Secretary of Transportation have become very active proponents of the aviation community."

Kunkel began his career with the Wisconsin Bureau of Aeronautics as an airport planning engineer in 1970. He later served as airport operations supervisor, state airport development engineer and deputy director before being appointed director in 1989. Prior to coming to Wisconsin, he served in the U.S. Navy as a naval construction engineering officer and commanded a Seabee Team in Viet Nam. He holds a civil engineering degree from Montana State University and has been an active pilot since 1965. With more than 4,000 flying hours, he is an instrument-rated commercial pilot, a certified flight instructor and holds multi-engine and seaplane ratings. An active and accomplished runner and bicyclist, Kunkel has often competed in races and triathlons. His latest athletic adventure was a bicycle trip across the full length of Viet Nam.

The Kenneth A. Rowe Ambassador of Aviation Award is named for a former Virginia director of aviation. Rowe received the award upon his retirement in February 1994. It is the highest honor NASAO members may confer upon one of their peers. It is reserved for those, "who embody Rowe's spirit, optimism and fierce pride in the capabilities of state aviation agencies." Other previous recipients are Montana Aeronautics Division Administrator Michael D. Ferguson (1994); former Missouri Administrator of Aviation Lloyd B. Parr (1998); and former Oregon Manager of Aviation Elizabeth K. Johnson (1999).