New Marketing, Communications Chief Named for CAP

Maj. Gen. Mark Smith, Civil Air Patrol national commander and CEO, today announced the appointment of Randy S. Bolinger as chief of marketing and strategic communications.

Bolinger is responsible for brand and marketing strategy, internal and external communications, media planning, managing and directing the organization’s national marketing efforts and partnering with CAP’s philanthropy team.

Essential duties include the execution of a targeted, proactive multi-channel marketing strategy, the coordination of national media relations, and leadership in the development and delivery of marketing-related training across the country. Bolinger replaces Lt. Col. Andrew Oppmann of  the Tennessee Wing, who served as acting chief since August while CAP conducted a national search for the position.

“Randy Bolinger is exactly the right person at the right time to lead CAP’s efforts in this critically important area,” Smith said. “He has extensive leadership experience in marketing and strategic communications with well-known companies in the aviation industry, plus he knows CAP well because he’s been a volunteer member for many years.

“I look forward to working with Randy to more effectively communicate all the great things CAP does to support our communities, states and nation and to strengthen CAP’s brand.”

Most recently a member of the Georgia Wing’s Savannah Composite Squadron, Bolinger joined CAP in 1998. He’s familiar with general aviation both as a vocation and avocation. In addition to being a 4,000-hour instrument-rated pilot and a certified small Unmanned Aerial System (sUAS), he has nearly 30 years of corporate marketing, crisis communications, public relations and brand management experience in the aviation, marine, automotive and motorcycle industries.

Since 2003 Bolinger has led the high-profile marketing and communications efforts for Cirrus Aircraft, Columbia Aircraft and Gulfstream Aerospace. As an entrepreneur, he launched a trade show and founded an aviation marketing firm supporting a wide variety of aerospace companies, including Rolls-Royce, Continental Motors, Mooney, Flying magazine, Honda Aircraft and many others. He’s also an aviation feature writer and author.

Most recently Bolinger served as director of brand marketing at Gulfstream, where he built a 50-person creative services agency. Collectively, the team he assembled won 282 domestic and international creative award competitions during his tenure. He also relaunched Nonstop magazine, an international award-winning aviation lifestyle magazine distributed globally in English and Chinese.

Bolinger previously held key leadership roles at Volvo Group North America, Bombardier Recreational Products, American Suzuki Motors and Excelsior-Henderson Motorcycles. He’s a graduate of Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, New York, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership and management.

He is actively involved in other community service organizations, including Family Promise and the American Red Cross, and serves on the board of directors of the National Museum of the Mighty 8th Air Force.

“During my many years as a Civil Air Patrol senior member, I’ve had the pleasure of serving squadrons in Ohio, New York, North Carolina, Minnesota and Georgia as mission scanner, observer, pilot and public affairs officer,” Bolinger said. “I now have the rare opportunity to blend the breadth of my marketing experience and my passion for general aviation with my desire to serve the public.

“I’m truly looking forward to serving the organization in this new capacity.”