The Extra Mile - Fall 2019

E. The Meridian foursome at the Teterboro Airport golf classic poses
at our sponsored hole. (l to r): Nehemias Camacho, Freddy Dressel, Chris
Battaglia, and Kirk Stephen.
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“Airports are fundamental to the success of business aviation.
We have an infrastructure of airports that opens up the world to us -
it’s very powerful,” he said. “All of this is possible because of a broader
infrastructure that includes airplanes, it includes airports, it includes
FBOs, it includes our ability to access airspace and these airports themselves.
It includes a lot of dedicated people who are flying as pilots,
but also those who are maintaining the airplane, building the airplane,
insuring the airplane, financing the airplane.”
The event featured many programs for students and recent
graduates, highlighting the defining aspects of a career in business
aviation.
Meridian had a great showing at this year’s event, having the
opportunity for face-to-face business paired with the event’s recordbreaking
attendance. Kirk Stephen, Director of Marketing, said, “White
Plains is always a great show for us. With its proximity to New York City,
we have the unique opportunity to meet with many of our customers,
vendors, and friends at a local venue.”
The evening before the Forum, Meridian and Fontainebleau
Aviation co-hosted a trip for over 50 of our industry colleagues to
Yankee Stadium to attend a Major League Soccer match between the
New York City Football Club (NYCFC) and FC Cincinnati. New York won
the game handily 5-2. The evening’s weather was perfect and a great
time was had by all!
White Plains was the last regional forum of 2019. Meridian
looks forward to the 2020 NBAA forums!
As this issue of The Extra Mile is being distributed, Meridian is
participating in the last big aviation event of the year, NBAA’s Annual
Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (BACE). Meridian has a full
team of associates, representing all areas of the company on hand at
the event held in Las Vegas, October 22-24. If you are in attendance,
please stop by our booth, #C9830. We look forward to seeing you!
Golf Outings
Meridian also participated in several industry golf outings this summer
and fall.
Meridian was, once again, a proud sponsor of FlightSafety’s
22nd Annual Customer Appreciation Golf Tournament, held on Monday,
June 24, 2019. The company sent a team of people to meet and greet
golfers at the sponsored hole, as well as a foursome to play in the tournament.
Meridian sponsored the “Closest to the Pin” contest hole on
the Meadows course which was hosted by two representatives of the
company, Francisco Cabrera from Owner Services and Matthew Barclay
from Marketing.
Francisco and Matthew welcomed golfers throughout the day,
offering them water bottles, power bars, sunscreen, and Meridian golf
balls. The Meridian foursome included Bob Platten, Nehemias Camacho,
and our guest, Herb Knight. The fourth golfer, Chris Battaglia, was
recruited to play on another team at the last minute. This
year, Meridian took first place, scoring a 60 in the scramble
format. The Meridian team finished 4 strokes better
than last year.
Overall, this year’s tournament had 154 golfers
and over 220 total attendees. In addition to a fun day
on the links, there was also a charitable component to
the event. FlightSafety raised over $1,000 for Corporate
Angel Network (CAN). CAN is the only charitable organization
in the United States whose sole mission is to help
cancer patients access the best possible care for their
specific type of cancer by arranging free travel to treatment
centers across the country using empty seats on
corporate jets.
“The annual FlightSafety Golf Tournament is a
fun way for us to thank our valued customers each year
by providing a relaxing day on the golf course followed
by a dinner with awards and prizes,” said Michele Posey,
FlightSafety Director of Sales and event organizer. “We
also want to thank our sponsors, like Meridian, for their
generosity and support. Now that the 2019 tournament
is behind us, we’re already planning for next year.”
In September, Meridian participated in two other
industry golf events. On September 18, Meridian Jet
Center was proud to be a sponsor of the 31st Annual Ed
Furst, Sr. Memorial Scholarship Golf Outing, which was
held at the beautiful Crystal Springs Golf Club in
Hamburg, NJ.
The golf outing traditionally follows the first
Teterboro PAMA meeting of the season, which was held
the previous evening at the Holiday Inn in Hasbrouck
Heights, NJ. Meridian has been an event sponsor from the
very beginning, over 30 years, and Meridian Jet Center
Vice President John Langschultz has been on the golf
committee the entire time. The PAMA golf outing was
renamed after Ed Furst, Sr. passed away suddenly in 2001.
Today, his son, Ed Furst, Jr. organizes the event each year.
Meridian finished the month participating in the
35th Annual Teterboro Airport Community Benefit Fund
Scholarship Golf Classic, held at the Forsgate Country
Club in Monroe, NJ, on September 23. Meridian sent a
foursome to play and sponsored a hole.
The proceeds from the event go to the Teterboro
Airport Community Benefit Fund, which contributes to
several scholarships in aviation. Overall, the event generates
about $12,000 a year for local high school graduates.
Meridian continued its support this year by
sponsoring the 4th hole on the Banks course. The historic
Banks Course was designed by Charles H. Banks, one of
America’s celebrated “Golden Age” architects.
While our team didn’t take a place on the podium
this year, we had a great time playing and participating in
the festivities. Meridian is proud to show our continued
support of the event and of our Teterboro community.
It’s been another busy year for the Meridian team!
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