MISSIONARY AVIATION, LLC
MELBOURNE, FLORIDA

MAF Mission Mission Aviation Fellowship began in 1945 as the Christian Airmen's Missionary Fellowship (CAMF). Betty Greene flew the inaugural missionary flight to Mexico on February 23, 1946.  The MAF executive leadership team and Board of Directors are committed to making Jesus famous through their role in the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. As president and CEO of Mission Aviation Fellowship, John Boyd is responsible for the ministry's strategic direction, assuring that MAF remains true to its mission and the Great Commission. As a boy, John developed a keen interest in aviation and in later years earned commercial fixed wing and helicopter pilot licenses with instrument ratings. In 1990 he was able to combine his aviation hobby with his business skills to become marketing director for Court Helicopters. John worked for Court until 1993, when he answered God’s call to enter the mission field as a pilot for MAF in 1994. John's first MAF mission assignment, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (then called Zaire), was cut short when the DRC experienced a coup several days after the Boyds arrived in the country. John then flew for MAF in Haiti and Lesotho, becoming intimately acquainted with the inner workings of the organization. MAF-South Africa invited John to become its CEO in 2000, a position he held until 2003 when he was asked to relocate to the U.S. to serve as vice president of Ministry Advancement for MAF-US. John became the eighth president of MAF-US in January 2008. Dave grew up in Papua New Guinea where his parents were pioneer missionaries in the interior. When Dave was a boy, his mother developed a tropical ulcer on her leg that quickly became serious. As she was unable to walk out from the remote mission station to the nearest airstrip, villagers carried her in a chair through miles of jungle, across valleys, up mountains and over swift rivers. This was a life-changing event for young Dave, emphasizing the importance of reliable transportation in remote areas, and strengthening in his heart desire to become a missionary pilot. Dave holds a bachelor’s degree in aviation management from Lewis University in Illinois, as well as a commercial pilot license with instrument and multi-engine rating, and an FAA airframe and power plant mechanic license. He received a master’s degree in management and international business from the University of Redlands. Dave completed additional course work at Chicago State University and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. For some 30 years, Barbara has been actively involved in Young Life, an international youth ministry. She has more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit management and corporate career management, including ten years with the Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce where she served as vice president of Member Services, senior manager of the Small Business Division, and director of the Center for Workforce Leadership. Barbara joined MAF in February 2010, serving as director of Marketing & Communication before being named vice president of Ministry Advancement in January 2011. Barbara believes that stewardship plays an important role in the life of all believers. Her vision for MAF Ministry Advancement is to enable ministry supporters to grow in the grace of giving while enabling MAF to remain steadfast in its mission of sharing the love of Jesus Christ through aviation and technology. Gene is a lifetime missionary. He grew up as a "missionary kid" in Quito, Ecuador, where his parents served with HCJB World Radio, a short-wave missionary radio station. About the time he was three years old, Gene flew with Nate Saint to the jungle where Gene's father provided music for evangelistic meetings. Says Gene, “I am extremely thankful for my family. It was around the dinner table, following family devotions, that I gave my heart to the Lord. It was growing up in Ecuador that defined my desire to be a missionary.” After graduation from Moody Bible Institute's flight program, Gene briefly worked for a Florida aviation company before joining MAF in 1977. Gene and his wife, Lynn, were assigned to the MAF program in Shell, Ecuador, where Gene served as pilot, mechanic, base manager, chief pilot, and Ecuador program manager. Over the years he also filled several strategic management roles, including South America chief pilot, South America area manager, and Latin America regional director. Rick Dickson was born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama, and holds a bachelor's degree in aviation management from Auburn University. Rick earned his private pilot's license in 1979, and later achieved commercial/instrument ratings and an A & P license. After graduating from college he spent twelve years working on the business side of the aviation industry with Boeing and Lockheed Martin, mostly in the finance area. Rick and his wife, Teresa, joined Mission Aviation Fellowship in 1996, and have served in many roles around the world. Rick began his MAF career in Lesotho as a pilot/mechanic. He assumed instructor pilot responsibilities there before becoming the Lesotho program manager. Rick then became MAF's southern Africa area manager, overseeing operations in the countries of Lesotho, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe. He also spent six years as director of MAF's Latin America region, based in Costa Rica. In 2011, the family moved to Meridian, Idaho, where Rick assumed the role of senior director of field operations at MAF headquarters, a job he held until being named director of Finance in June 2014. He became vice president of Finance/CFO in September 2015. Commenting on the role of MAF’s Finance division, Rick says, "Our primary vision is to assure accuracy and efficiency in MAF's financial recordkeeping, and provide the users of our financial data with timely, accurate and pertinent financial information that fits their needs. Our desire is to see God's resources used in the most efficient manner, to reach the greatest number of people in the areas where MAF serves."