Against the Wind - National Air Traffic Controllers Association

Breaking the Glass Ceiling
By 2000, President Michael McNally had been
traveling away from home for nearly a decade as national
QTP coordinator, executive vice president, and
president. His two daughters on Long Island were
growing up without him and his wife, Maria, was
unhappy over the lengthy absences. Succumbing to
her wishes, McNally decided not to run for re-election
and publicly endorsed John Carr.
After helping to organize controllers at Kansas
City Tower/TRACON during NATCA’s certification
drive, Carr blazed the trail as facility rep there. He
then moved on to spend ten years at Chicago TRA-
CON, serving in every elected position in the local
and frequently contributing to the facility’s newsletter,
Intentionally Left Blank, an early indication of his
reliance on communication.
Carr was now working at Cleveland Tower/
TRACON to be with his new wife, Jill, who was also a
controller at the facility. Quick-witted and articulate,
he’d gained national visibility as a member of the
1998 contract team and wrote the preamble, which
stated in part, “The true measure of our success will
not be the number of disagreements we resolve, but
rather the trust, honor, and integrity with which the
parties jointly administer this agreement.”
His campaign platform emphasized open
communication, a stark difference from McNally’s
12
July
FAA Administrator Jane Garvey, numerous other agency and union
dignitaries, and rank-and-file members attend a ceremony to dedicate
NATCA’s new headquarters as the Krasner Building. The main conference
close-to-the-vest style, and reflected Carr’s down-toearth,
no-nonsense attitude. He referred to himself
as Johnny the Bull, a nickname he acquired during
negotiations for the collective bargaining agreement.
Chapter 6: Spreading its Wings
area on the first floor is named the Michael McNally Conference Room.
McNally presents Howie Barte with a plaque honoring him for his role in
creating the NATCA logo.
209
Heading home: President Michael McNally
(shown in a playful moment during the
2000 convention in Anchorage) had
decided not to run for re-election when
he chaired the gathering. He’d been on the
road for NATCA for nine years. / Frank Flavin