During a teleconference meeting this week, the AMSAT Board of Directors elected Clayton Coleman, W5PFG, of Granbury, Texas, as AMSAT President. Coleman had served as a member of the Board of Directors and as AMSAT Secretary from 2017 until 2019, and he has volunteered in several other capacities for AMSAT, including as chair of the 2016 AMSAT Space Symposium. He succeeds Joe Spier, K6WAO, who resigned recently, citing personal reasons, after being in office since October 2017.

Coleman was introduced to amateur radio in space through the SAREX program — the forerunner to ARISS — and the Russian Mir space station. His interest in setting up an AX.25 BBS and nodes in the early 1990s led him to try making contacts via the Mir Personal Message System (PMS) and digipeater. In 2011, Coleman became interested in OSCAR and began chasing operating awards.

Coleman’s focus as president will be working with members to improve organizational processes and aligning them with strategic goals. Professionally, Coleman works in the industrial process control sector both as a consultant and business development manager.

AMSAT members will have an opportunity to meet Coleman at Orlando HamCation on Saturday, February 8, when he will greet visitors at the AMSAT booth from 9:30 – 10:30 AM and 2 – 3 PM. He will also speak at the AMSAT Forum at 12:30 PM on Saturday in Room CS III at the Lakeside Pavilion. — Thanks to AMSAT News Service