NATA Honors Signature Aviation Leaders with 2025 Industry Excellence Awards

NATA (the National Air Transportation Association) has announced the recipients of its 2025 Industry Excellence Leadership Awards, honoring individuals whose professionalism and resilience exemplify the highest standards of general aviation.

This year’s honorees, Adam Cope, general manager of Signature Aviation (DCA) at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and operations manager Connor Thoreck, also at Signature Aviation (DCA), are recognized for their extraordinary leadership every day, but particularly during the January 29 air disaster over the Potomac River, which claimed 67 lives.

Cope, a 30-year veteran of Signature Aviation, is presented with the Leadership Excellence Award for guiding his team in preparing facilities for emergency response and coordinating with federal and local agencies to support recovery efforts while restoring operations quickly. “Because of our preparation, we were able to help reopen the airport faster than I thought possible,” Cope says. His steady presence and ongoing mentorship reflect a leadership style defined not only by operational excellence in critical moments, but by the consistent guidance, compassion and strength he provides to his team and the broader aviation community.

Thoreck, who joined Signature in 2022 as a line service technician and rose rapidly to operations manager, receives the Future Leader Award for his professionalism and initiative, both during the crisis and on a daily basis. “That night showed me the importance of teamwork, preparation, and supporting one another in the hardest of times,” he says. Thoreck’s actions reflected both strong leadership and a deep commitment to his colleagues and community.

“The aviation industry is built on resilience, professionalism and service,” says NATA president and CEO, Curt Castagna. “Adam Cope and Connor Thoreck embody these values, and their leadership reflects the strength and character that make general aviation indispensable to our nation.”

“Adam and Connor exemplify the steadiness, preparation and care that define Signature Aviation. On a day our community will never forget, they led with professionalism and compassion, and they’ve continued to lead in the months since,” says Brad Williams, chief operating officer at Signature Aviation. “We’re grateful to NATA for recognizing two leaders who reflect our values at their very best.”

The NATA Industry Excellence Awards celebrate individuals whose leadership, mentorship, and professionalism strengthen general aviation and inspire the next generation of industry leaders.

Cope and Thoreck will be recognized during NATA’s 2025 Aviation Business Conference in Dallas, TX, on November 18, 2025. Tickets for the luncheon are available for purchase and are also included in the conference registration.

For more information on attending the presentation and luncheon, contact jwilliams@nata.aero.