Sandy Ward, the former head of marketing for the Future of Flight Aviation Center and Boeing Tour, is known as the mother of the Aviation Geek Fest, which draws aviation enthusiasts to Mukilteo, Washington every year.

Originally organized in 2009 as a tweet-up – where #AvGeek Twitter users could meet face-to-face and enjoy a VIP tour of Boeing’s Paine Field factory in the lead-up to the 787’s first flight – the “AvGeek Fest” as it has come to be known, has evolved into something much bigger.

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After spending nearly 12 years at Future of Flight, Ward learned of an opportunity in Bellingham, Washington as executive director of Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism.

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