Cessna super-salesman honored with BBGA outstanding contribution to aviation award

Tom Perry, who has been the face of Cessna aircraft in Europe for three decades, is this year’s recipient of the British Business and General Aviation Association’s prestigious Michael Wheatley Award for Outstanding Services to the general aviation industry. BBGA Chair Aoife O’Sullivan presented him with the award at the Association’s annual conference and AGM on March 2 at London’s Leonardo Hotel, St Paul’s.

Tom witnessed many highs and lows in the industry and during his career sold over 1,000 aircraft in Europe, O’Sullivan noted.

“Everyone who has ever dealt with Tom will agree that his integrity, professionalism, and remarkable knowledge made a massive contribution to Cessna’s standing as a trusted OEM on this side of the Atlantic,’’ said Ashley Namihas, Textron Aviation Regional Sales Director, accepting the award on Tom’s behalf.

From the early 1990s through his retirement last October, Perry was instrumental in helping Cessna, and its parent Textron Aviation, become a leading manufacturer of light jets, turboprops and piston aircraft in Europe.

Perry studied aeronautical engineering at Bristol University and was a member of the University Air Squadron RAF VR. He joined the Cessna/Textron Aviation team in September 1992 and assisted with the 2013 acquisition of Hawker Beechcraft and the formation of Textron Aviation. After he became the VP of European Sales in 2012, Perry built a team of 20 while the company moved away from third-party representatives towards direct sales. The testimony to his popularity is evident as his original team remained a united sales force under Perry’s successor, Duncan van de Velde.

“Tom has been a terrific champion of BBGA,” O’Sullivan said. “His legacy continues with his team continuing to fly our flag and we thank him for his contribution with this year’s award.”

“Tom has been an absolute pleasure to work with over many years, a trusted and universally respected professional,” she said. “We will all miss Tom’s great friendship and wicked sense of fun.”

During his tenure, Perry made many friends in the industry. According to colleagues, his departure from Textron Aviation was a long and emotional goodbye.

“The whole team at Textron Aviation are so pleased Tom has been honored with the Michael Wheatley award,” Namihas said. “Tom has been an inspirational leader, an incredible mentor and most importantly, a great friend. We are forever grateful for the profound impact he has had on us individually and as a company we wish him the most enjoyable of retirements.”