At its annual meeting, the AMSAT Board of Directors elected Robert Bankston, KE4AL, of Dothan, AL, President, succeeding Clayton Coleman, W5PFG. Bankston is a Life Member of AMSAT and has previously served as Treasurer and Vice-President User Services, as well as volunteering in several other capacities for AMSAT, including the development and launch of AMSAT’s online member portal and chairing the 2018 AMSAT Space Symposium held at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, in Huntsville, Alabama. He also is an ARRL Life Member and holds an Extra Class license.
Immediate Past President Clayton Coleman, W5PFG, said “It has been both a joy and privilege to serve as President of AMSAT in 2020. In what has been a rather difficult year for many individuals in amateur radio, AMSAT, through its many supportive members, volunteers, and donors, has continued course on our vision of Keeping Amateur Radio in Space. With our initiatives such as modernizing the AMSAT office with a self-service member portal and the Linear Transponder Module, the organization has moved forward. With the talented and capable individuals sitting on AMSAT’s new Board and its Officers, I am confident in a bright future ahead for AMSAT and the amateur radio satellite service. “
Other officers elected by the Board were:
- Paul Stoetzer, N8HM, of Washington, DC, as Executive Vice President
- Jerry Buxton, N0JY, of Granbury, TX, as Vice-President – Engineering
- Drew Glasbrenner, KO4MA, of Brooksville, FL, as Vice President – Operations
- Jeff Davis, KE9V, of Muncie, IN, as Secretary
- Steve Belter, N9IP, of West Lafayette, IN, as Treasurer
- Martha Saragovitz, of Silver Spring, MD, as Manager
- Alan Johnston, KU2Y, of Philadelphia, PA, as Vice President – Educational Relations
- Frank Karnauskas, N1UW, of Burnsville, MN, as Vice President – Development