National search part of planned leadership transition as JR Hammond completes eight-year tenure as Founder and Executive Director
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Canada (September 15, 2026) — Canadian Advanced Air Mobility (CAAM) today announced it is launching a national search for a new leader as the organization’s Founder, JR Hammond, works towards the completion of his eight-year tenure as Executive Director on December 31, 2026.
As part of the planned leadership transition, Hammond will support the National Board throughout the recruitment process and will support the incoming leadership and transition in the new year. The application process for the Executive Director position opens today, with applications accepted until October 1, 2026. (See job description and application details here) CAAM’s internal selection team and National Board will undertake the review and selection process throughout Q4 2026, with a target start date of January 1, 2027.
CAAM is seeking a visionary leader who believes deeply in the future of Advanced Air Mobility and can remain motivated through the long runway, uncertainty, and regulatory and commercial hurdles the industry is facing on its path toward operational launch and scaled commercial operations.
In parallel with the leadership transition, CAAM will also be exploring strategic merger opportunities that could strengthen the organization and accelerate Canada’s AAM ecosystem toward operational launch, commercialization and scale.
“I want to congratulate JR for his outstanding work over the past eight years,” said Danny Sitnam President and CEO of Helijet International and a founding Director of the CAAM National Board. “JR’s vision and determination helped create a national vehicle for moving Advanced Air Mobility forward at a time when the industry was still taking shape. Over the past eight years, he brought together government, industry, academia, operators, manufacturers, airports, communities and international partners around a shared belief in what this industry can deliver for Canada. The National Board is deeply grateful for his leadership and is committed to finding the next champion who can build on this momentum and guide CAAM toward operational and commercial outcomes.”
Hammond founded CAAM in 2018 in collaboration with the National Research Council of Canada and helped develop it into Canada’s national industry association for Advanced Air Mobility, helping launch the new industry in Canada and positioning the country on the global AAM stage.
Notable achievements for CAAM during Hammond’s tenure include:
- Catalyzing a national ecosystem of more than 250 members focused on advancing Canada’s AAM industry;
- Preserving the organization and maintaining momentum through the COVID-19 pandemic, an unprecedented period of uncertainty for Canada’s aviation sector;
- Helping host the inaugural ICAO Advanced Air Mobility Symposium in Montréal in September 2024, which welcomed more than 1,700 participants from 87 countries, ICAO’s largest event to date; and,
- Structuring and leading international delegations connecting Canadian organizations with global industry leaders, government partners, technical facilities, and market opportunities in California, Vermont, Dubai, Germany, Portugal, and Italy, with Thailand planned for December 2026.
“CAAM began as a vehicle to build belief, collaboration and momentum behind an industry that did not yet have a clear home in Canada,” said Hammond. “The foundation of this industry is now firmly established, and the needs of CAAM and the industry are evolving. This is the right moment for the organization’s next champion to take the controls and guide that momentum toward operational launch, commercialization, and scale. I will be moving into industry and look forward to announcing my next chapter in due course. My commitment remains the same: to work hard to help make Advanced Air Mobility commercial in Canada.”
CAAM’s programs, member services, government engagement, and international commitments will continue throughout the search and transition process.
Media Contact:
David Dong
Marketing Manager
Canadian Advanced Air Mobility (CAAM)
media@canadianaam.com
Danny Sitnam
President and CEO
Helijet International
dsitnam@helijet.com
604-231-3515
