**To Be Presented at the 81^st Awards Gala in October**

The Wings Club Foundation, Inc. is pleased to announce that Ray Conner, Chairman, Pursuit Aerospace, Retired Vice Chair, The Boeing Company, Retired President and CEO, Boeing Commercial Airplanes will be the recipient of this year’s Distinguished Achievement Award. Acknowledging Mr. Conner’s outstanding accomplishments in the field of aviation, The Wings Club Foundation will present this award on Oct. 20, 2023, at the 81^st Annual Awards Gala to be held at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York.

Mr. Conner is Chairman of Pursuit Aerospace, a global manufacturer of complex aircraft engine components.

He retired as Vice Chairman of The Boeing Company in 2017.

In his nearly 40-year career at The Boeing Company, he developed deep manufacturing, technical and government affairs experience.

From 2013 to 2017, Mr. Conner served as vice chairman of The Boeing Company, as well as president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes from 2012 to 2016. Before that, he was head of sales, marketing, and commercial aviation services for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Previously, he served as vice president of sales for Boeing Commercial Airplanes and vice president and general manager of Supply Chain Management and Operations for The Boeing Company.

In 2003, he was named Boeing’s vice president of sales for the Americas. He joined the company in 1977 as a mechanic on the 727 program.

Currently, Mr. Conner serves as a director and a member of the Safety Committee and Chair of the Compensation Committee of Alaska Air Group and has been a member of the Board of Directors and Compensation Committee of Atlas Air Worldwide since 2022.

He holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Puget Sound and earned his bachelor’s degree from Central Washington University where he is a member of the Board of Trustees.

The Wings Club Foundation, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Its mission is to focus on initiatives aimed at supporting scholarships for students who will pursue a career in aviation or aerospace, providing programs to educate in the field of aviation, and supporting charitable organizations that use aviation to help those in need. The Wings Club Foundation comprises more than 1,100 members including industry leaders, pilots, professionals in related service organizations, and students of aviation.

Recognizing significant achievements that contribute to the advancement of aviation and aeronautics, The Wings Club Foundation presents not only the Distinguished Achievement Award, but also the Outstanding Aviator Award and the Distinguished Scholar Awards. For more information on The Wings Club Foundation, visit www.wingsclub.org. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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