LAS VEGAS, NEV., March 27, 2013 -- Kent McIntyre of Bevan-Rabell Inc. in Wichita, Kan., is the 2013 Member of the Year for the Aircraft Electronics Association; while top honors in the Associate Member of the Year Award category went to Sandia Aerospace of Albuquerque, N.M., during ceremonies at the AEA's annual Awards Luncheon on March 27.

Each year during the AEA International Convention & Trade Show, two prestigious awards are presented at the AEA Awards Luncheon: the AEA Member of the Year, which honors an individual from an AEA regular member company; and the AEA Associate Member of the Year, which honors a company that is an AEA associate member. 

The winners of each award are voted on by their peers for their service and participation in the industry and in the association.

2013 AEA Member of the Year: Kent McIntyre
Kent McIntyre of Bevan-Rabell Inc. was first introduced to the world of aviation by often flying with his uncle, a World War II pilot, in the 1970s. He began taking flight lessons in the summer of 1976, and it wasn't long until he was working and pumping gas at the airport in Wellington, Kan. 

McIntyre attended Southwestern College in Winfield, Kan., and later earned a bachelor's degree in business at Newman University in Wichita, Kan., in 1983.

He worked for Mike Kelley Aircraft, now Air Plains Services, for several years. In 1989, he began working for Bevan-Rabell as the shop manager with virtually no avionics experience except flying. He served as an avionics and sales manager until 2001, and he then bought the business from Bob Patterson. 

An AEA member since September 1986, Bevan-Rabell is an FAA-certified repair station located at the Wichita Mid-Continent Airport.

McIntyre has been actively involved with the AEA for a number of years, previously serving as a member of the AEA board of directors.

The nominees for the 2013 AEA Member of the Year were: Stewart Dimon of Texas GYRO; David Loso of Jet Aviation St. Louis; McIntyre; Dan Rice of Flightcraft; Mark Wilken of Elliott Aviation; and Greg York of Pippen-York Inc.

2013 AEA Associate Member of the Year: Sandia Aerospace
The recipient of the 2013 AEA Associate Member of the Year Award was founded in 1997, by a group of avionics professionals to provide high-quality avionics products to general aviation, corporate aviation and regional airline markets.

Located in the high desert of Albuquerque, N.M., Sandia Aerospace's product offerings include the STX 165 transponder with built-in encoder, the SAE 5-35 altitude encoder, the SAC 7-35 air-data computer, avionics cooling fans and MARC 70 interface modules.

Sandia Aerospace products are offered worldwide by both avionics modification centers and aircraft manufacturers.

The company also provides product development, product design and product manufacturing for other aerospace companies.

An AEA member since 1998, Sandia Aerospace actively participates in the annual AEA International Convention and Trade Show and the various AEA Regional Meetings that take place around the world.

Sandia's founder, Dennis Schmidt, has been an active participant in AEA events and activities for more than 30 years, when he was employed by King Radio, Foster AirData and Terra Avionics. Schmidt has also served as a member of the AEA board of directors.

The nominees for the 2013 AEA Associate Member of the Year were: Aero Express; Aeroflex; FreeFlight Systems; Rockwell Collins; Sandia Aerospace; and Universal Avionics Systems Corp.