Hightower stepping down as EAA president

OSHKOSH - The president of the Experimental Aircraft Association is stepping down.

Rod Hightower cited family reasons in announcing his resignation from the Oshkosh-based group. He says he will be moving to St. Louis to be closer to family.

"Maura and I have five children ranging in age from pre-school to college freshman," Hightower said in a news release. "When I accepted the position two years ago I believed that we could as a family relocate to the Oshkosh area. But our family and school involvement have increased as our children advance in the schools they, and we as their parents, love. It would simply be too great a hardship on my family to move them to the Oshkosh area."

Hightower had been president and CEO since September of 2010. He succeeded Tom Poberezny, who was president for the previous 21 years. Before that, Poberezny's father, Paul, served as president from the organization's founding in 1953 until 1989.

Jack Pelton, recently retired chairman, president and CEO of Cessna Aircraft, has been elected chairman of the board of directors of EAA, the organization said. In his role as EAA chairman, Pelton will guide the organization through the leadership transition.