International Aviation Snow Symposium
2026 Speaker Bios & Headshots
Click the headshot to view speaker bio
| Weekend School Instructors |
Registration
Lobby of Convention Center
7:00am-5:00pm
|
| Time |
Session Title
|
Location |
Speaker / Moderator |
| 8:00am-4:30pm |
Basic ASOS |
101A |
Instructor:
John Ostrom
Metropolitan Airports Commission
|
| 8:00am-4:30pm |
Advanced ASOS |
101B |
Instructor:
James Nilo
JRN Consulting
|
| 8:00am-4:30pm |
Basic Snow Academy
Classroom 1 |
101D |
Instructors:
Jim Moorhead, C.M.
Pittsburgh International Airport
Gary Gleichman
Cryotech Deicing Technology
Bob Convery
FAA ATC
|
| 8:00am-4:30pm |
Basic Snow Academy
Classroom 2 |
101E |
Instructors:
Brad Becker
MBS International Airport
Mike Carlson
Denver International Airport
Bob Convery
FAA ATC
|
| 8:00am-4:30pm |
Basic Snow Academy
Classroom 3 |
101F |
Instructors:
Richard Brannan
Denver International Airport
Matt Gowat
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport
Bob Convery
FAA ATC
|
| 8:00am-4:30pm |
Advanced Snow Academy |
106A & 106B |
Instructor:
Matt Gabbert
Fortbrand Services
Ashley Thorsen, A.A.E.
Gerald R. Ford International Airport
|
8:00am-4:30pm
|
Airport Snow Equipment Mechanic Training
|
101H
|
Instructors:
Bob Gardner
SARAA/ Harrisburg International Airport
Kevin Gaddis
Guardian Off-Road
|
| 8:00am-4:30pm |
Advanced Snow Equipment Mechanics Course
|
Exhibit Level- North |
Instructors:
Bob Gardner
SARAA/ Harrisburg International Airport
Kevin Gaddis
Guardian Off-Road
|
| 8:00am-4:30pm |
Air Force Snow & Ice Control Management Course
|
106C |
Instructor:
P. Benny Benedyk
Air Force Civil Engineer Center
|
Registration
Lobby of Convention Center
7:00am-4:00pm
|
| Time |
Session Title
|
Location |
Speaker / Moderator |
| 7:00am-8:00am |
Advanced Snow Equipment Mechanics Course
|
Exhibit Level- North |
Instructors:
Bob Gardner
SARAA/ Harrisburg International Airport
Kevin Gaddis
Guardian Off-Road
|
| 8:00am-12:00pm |
Advanced Snow Academy Final Exam
|
106A & 106D |
Instructor:
Matt Gabbert
Fortbrand Services
Ashley Thorsen, A.A.E.
Gerald R. Ford International Airport
|
| 8:15am-9:00am |
Opening Remarks
|
Ballroom |
Opening Remarks:
Sean Hammer, A.A.E.
NEC/AAAE President/ BWI
Jim Moorhead, C.M.
SnoPo Committee Chair/ Pittsburgh International Airport
Russell Stark
Buffalo Niagara International Airport
|
| 9:00am-10:00am |
General Session I
Balchen Post Awards
|
Ballroom |
Moderator
Jim Moorhead, C.M.
Pittsburgh International Airport
Speakers
Tim Haizlip
Cincinnati Northern KY Intl. Airport
Alex Gertsen, C.M., ACE
National Business Aviation Association
|
| 11:00am-12:30pm |
General Session II
Hall of Fame Introduction
with Legacy Snow Fighters
|
Ballroom |
Speaker:
Gary Gleichman
Cryotech Deicing Technology
Moderator:
Todd Rushing
Sherwin Industries
|
| 2:00pm-3:00pm |
Track 1:
Small Hub Operations
& Maintenance
|
101B
|
Speakers:
Matt Humphreys
Roanoke Regional
Airport Commission
Brad Becker
MBS International Airport
|
| 2:00pm-3:00pm |
Track 2:
Medium & Large Hub Operations
& Maintenance
|
101C |
Speakers:
Matt Gabbert
Fortbrand Services
Jim Moorhead, C.M.
Pittsburgh International Airport
Richard Brannan
Denver International Airport
Mike Carlson
Denver International Airport
|
| 2:00pm-3:00pm |
Track 3:
GA Airport Operations
& Maintenance
|
101F |
Speakers:
Justin Lamb
Blue Grass Airport
Noah Van Lannen, C.M.
MMU
|
| 2:00pm-3:00pm |
Track 4:
Balchen Post Award Process
|
101G |
Speaker:
Tim Haizlip
Cincinnati Northern KY Intl. Airport
Alex Gertsen
National Business Aviation Association
|
Registration
Lobby of Convention Center
7:00am-4:00pm
|
| Time |
Session Title
|
Location |
Speaker / Moderator |
| 8:00am-10:00am |
Military Breakout Session
AF CE Vehicle/Snow Control
Program Manager
|
106B |
Speaker:
P. Benny Benedyk
Air Force Civil Engineer Center
|
| 8:00am-9:15am |
General Session III:
FAA Winter Safety & AC Update
|
Ballroom |
Speakers:
Caroline Bonynge
FAA ACSI
Andy Behary
ATC Cleveland Center
Moderator:
TBA
|
| 10:00am-11:00am |
Track 1:
FAA Advisory Circular Requirements
|
101B |
Speaker:
Caroline Bonynge
FAA ACSI
Moderator:
TBA
|
| 10:00am-11:00am |
Track 2:
Cooperative Contracts for Purchasing Solutions
|
101C |
Speakers:
Todd Rushing
Sherwin Industries
Moderator:
TBA
|
| 10:00am-11:00am |
Track 3:
ACRP Project 04-37 Aviation Safety Culture
|
101F
|
Speakers:
TBA
Moderator:
TBA
|
|
10:00am-11:00am
|
Track 4:
Airport Winter Ops Requirements
|
101G
|
Speakers:
Drew Pfeifer
Southwest Airlines
|
|
10:00am-11:30am
|
SAE-Airport Snow & Ice Control Equipment
G-15
|
106C
|
Speakers:
Kevin Gaddis
Guardian Off-Road
|
|
11:30am-1:00pm
|
Corporate Appreciation Lunch
& Keynote Speaker
|
Ballroom
|
Speaker:
Christopher U. Browne
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Moderator:
Matt Gabbert
Fortbrand Services
Jim Moorhead, C.M.
Pittsburgh International Airport
Ashley Thorsen, A.A.E.
Gerald R. Ford International Airport
|
|
1:15pm-2:15pm
|
General Session IV:
Roundtable Discussion with FAA and Airport Leaders
|
Ballroom
|
Speaker:
Brian Zoeckler, C.M., ACE
Charlotte Douglas International Airport
Bob Gardner
Susquehanna Area Regional Airport Authority
Ashley Vanderbos
Gerald R. Ford International Airport
Chris Sieklucki
Cherry Capital Airport
Jim Moorhead, C.M.
Pittsburgh International Airport
Matt Gabbert
Fortbrand Services
Moderator:
Ashley Thorsen, A.A.E.
Gerald R. Ford International Airport
|
|
2:00pm-4:00pm
|
Military Breakout Session
|
106B |
Instructors:
P. Benny Benedyk
Air Force Civil Engineer Center
|
|
4:00pm-4:15pm
|
Snow Plow Rodeo Driver Meeting
|
106A |
Instructors:
Justin Lamb
Blue Grass Airport
Candace Spillers-Wood
DBT Transportation Services - ADB SAFEGATE
Matt Humphreys
Roanoke Blacksburg Regional Airport
|
Questions?
[email protected] | (518) 313-1141
|