About this event

National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) — 2026 Annual Convention & Trade Show

Event Basics (Extracted From Official Source)

• Event title: 2026 NASAO Annual Convention & Trade Show
• Dates: September 13–16, 2026
• Location (city/state/country): Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA
• Event theme (from official meta description): 50 States, One Sky
• Venue: Not specified in the provided official text (left as unknown)

What This Event Is (Context and Why It Matters)

We position the NASAO Annual Convention & Trade Show as a highly targeted aviation-policy, infrastructure, and state-agency ecosystem event. Unlike consumer or broad “industry expo” conferences, this gathering is designed around how state aviation programs coordinate, plan, fund, and modernize aviation services. The trade show component matters because it typically attracts vendors and partners that support: aviation planning, airport development, safety and compliance, aeronautical data/processes, infrastructure modernization, technology enablement, and grant/program implementation—often in direct alignment with state aviation office needs.

1️⃣ Who Attends (BUYERS / ATTENDEES)

We expect a mix of “decision influence” and “program ownership” attendees. Because NASAO represents state-level aviation leadership across the U.S., many attendees are not looking for mass marketing; they are looking for practical solutions and partners that understand aviation programs and can support state implementation.

Primary attendee groups (buyers / decision stakeholders):

• State aviation officials and program leaders: aviation directors, state airport program managers, and officials who administer state aviation initiatives.
• Airport and aviation program administrators: professionals focused on airport improvement planning, compliance, and program delivery.
• Planning and infrastructure support roles: teams that coordinate capital projects, master planning, and grant-related execution.
• Technology and operational support stakeholders: attendees interested in systems that improve aviation operations, data workflows, communications, reporting, and planning.
• Industry partners and exhibitors: vendors aligned with aviation services, infrastructure enablement, and compliance/safety-adjacent offerings.
• Policy and coordination participants: aviation governance and coordination leaders who shape priorities across the “50 states” network.

How we define “buyer fit” for this kind of event:

• Buyers are commonly found in state aviation program ownership roles (program managers/directors) and in exhibitor/sponsor organizations seeking qualified state-agency conversations.
• We also treat “influencers” as buyers when they own budgets, vendor evaluation processes, or project timelines.

2️⃣ Where the Show Is Happening + Attendee Geographic Origin

The event takes place in Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA from September 13–16, 2026. With the “50 States, One Sky” positioning, the geographic origin is expected to be heavily U.S.-based.

Show location: Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA

Expected attendee geographic origin:

• National (U.S.-wide): state aviation officials coming from across the country.
• Regional clustering: because the event is in North Dakota, we may see relatively stronger attendance from nearby states in the northern Plains / Midwest and surrounding regions.
• Likely international presence (secondary): some exhibitors and vendors may include international firms, but the core attendee base is strongly U.S. state aviation leadership.

3️⃣ Audience Reach (Local / National / Global)

We rate this as a National event by audience reach. The “50 states” framing is the strongest indicator of national breadth. It’s not a global event by attendee identity; it’s national in who attends (state aviation leadership) and often national in vendor relevance (U.S. aviation programs).

• Local reach: Secondary (Grand Forks / North Dakota contributes in-person participation and regional travel convenience)
• National reach: Primary (state representatives from across the U.S.)
• Global reach: Limited / selective (primarily via exhibitors with U.S. operations)

4️⃣ Sample Buyer Company Names (BUYERS ONLY) + Websites

Below is a buyer-focused sample list we would typically target for attendee/conversation value at an aviation officials convention & trade show. Since exhibitors are vendor organizations (not all “state aviation offices” are companies), we treat buyers as: (a) aviation program support vendors, and (b) aviation infrastructure/technology/systems companies that commonly sell to state aviation programs, airport development ecosystems, and public-sector aviation stakeholders.

Important note for precision: We should refine these samples after we review the client website (see Section 8). The “best buyers” depend heavily on whether the client sells technology, consulting, infrastructure services, safety/compliance products, or data/operations solutions.

5️⃣ Job Profiles, Industries & Event Type

Event type (what it is)

• Association convention with a trade show component
• Government / public-sector aviation program ecosystem meeting style
• Industry vendor matchmaking for state-level aviation needs

Best job profiles to target

We recommend targeting job titles aligned with owning aviation program priorities, approving vendors, guiding airport/aviation initiatives, and evaluating solutions.

• State aviation director / Aviation director
• State airport program manager
• Aviation programs manager
• Airport development / capital projects manager
• Planning director (aviation / airports / infrastructure planning)
• Program administrator (aviation / airport improvement)
• Grants & compliance manager (aviation / airport programs)
• Facilities / infrastructure planning lead
• Safety program coordinator / compliance coordinator (when the vendor solution overlaps safety/compliance)
• Vendor selection / procurement lead (public-sector procurement roles)
• Director of business development (public sector) or government sales director at exhibiting vendors
• Account manager (public sector / transportation / aviation)
• Marketing manager (aviation trade / state government) for exhibitors who attend to generate leads

Best-fit industries (aligned to the provided industry list)

We would apply the following industries to this event based on typical NASAO-relevant buyer organizations and the aviation/state-program landscape.

• Government Administration
• Public Policy
• Program Development
• Transportation/Trucking/Railroad
• Logistics & Supply Chain (when the buyer is focused on supply-chain enablement around aviation)
• Renewables & Environment (if the client sells sustainable aviation, environmental compliance, emissions, or energy programs)
• Information Technology & Services (for aviation data systems, reporting, and platform solutions)
• Computer Software (aviation planning/workflow systems, compliance tooling, GIS/data products)
• Management Consulting (aviation program consulting for public-sector implementations)
• Events Services (primarily for event-support vendors, if applicable)

6️⃣ Estimated Attendance (Expected Total Footfall)

The provided official text does not include an attendance figure. For attendee-list planning, we estimate the total footfall as a mid-sized association conference with trade show traffic, rather than a massive consumer expo. A reasonable planning estimate we would use (until we confirm with additional sources) is:

• Estimated attendance range: 700–2,000 attendees
• Trade show visitors: a meaningful share of attendees, potentially 30%–60% of total participants
• Buyer density expectation: moderate to high, because the “state aviation leadership + vendor marketplace” model increases relevance

If you share your campaign goal (lead gen vs. appointment setting vs. stakeholder outreach), we can adjust the estimated effective buyer density and sampling strategy.

7️⃣ Key Focus Areas & Buyer Engagement

We expect NASAO convention content to center on practical aviation program advancement across states. The trade show engagement typically follows the same logic: practical solutions that can be evaluated and implemented in public-sector aviation workflows.

Key focus areas likely to be high priority (buyer relevance):

• State aviation planning and coordination (program structure, priorities, and execution)
• Airport and infrastructure development enablement
• Compliance, reporting, and governance processes
• Technology enablement for aviation programs (data, workflows, reporting)
• Safety-adjacent program support where applicable to tools and processes
• Funding/program administration alignment for capital and development initiatives
• Cross-state learning and standardized best practices

How buyers engage:

• Solution evaluation mode: attendees want specifics—how the solution works in state contexts, implementation timelines, and support model.
• Peer comparison: state officials often compare approaches across multiple states; they engage when vendors can show “repeatable outcomes.”
• Program fit: exhibits that align with planning, grants/program administration, and reporting workflows typically get more serious conversations.

8️⃣ Client Product Review (We Need Your Website) — Best Buyers Based on Your Requirements

We can only determine the best-fit buyers accurately after we review your product website. Right now, the official event details confirm the event type and audience ecosystem, but the “best buyers” depend on what you sell.

Please share your client website URL. After reviewing it, we will:

• Map your product’s category to the most relevant NASAO attendee decision roles.
• Rank buyer segments (top 5–8) based on your fit.
• Recommend which job titles to prioritize (e.g., program director vs. grants/compliance manager vs. IT systems owner).
• Suggest the strongest match industries from the provided industry list.
• Produce a refined target list of buyer companies (with websites and job-title targeting guidance).

Until we receive your website, here is how we will preliminarily categorize best buyers:

• If your product is aviation technology / software / data platform: we prioritize state aviation IT-adjacent roles, planning directors, and program managers plus vendor-side “public sector sales” leadership.
• If your product is consulting / program implementation support: we prioritize aviation program administrators, planning leads, and grants/process governance roles.
• If your product is compliance / safety / governance tooling: we prioritize compliance coordinators, safety program coordinators, and reporting/governance stakeholders.
• If your product supports airport development or infrastructure workflows: we prioritize capital projects leads, airport development managers, and facilities planning roles.

Send your website and we’ll convert the above into a strict, buyer-ranked recommendation—so your outreach message matches what these officials and vendor decision-makers care about.

9️⃣ Final Buyer Recommendation (Industry Focus and Event Value)

We rate NASAO 2026 as a high relevance event for B2B attendee-list targeting when the client product supports: state aviation program planning, implementation, governance, infrastructure enablement, aviation technology, or public-sector program delivery.

Best industries to emphasize (from your allowed industry list):

• Government Administration
• Public Policy
• Transportation/Trucking/Railroad
• Logistics & Supply Chain (only when relevant)
• Information Technology & Services
• Computer Software
• Management Consulting
• Renewables & Environment (if your product addresses sustainability/environmental compliance)
• Program Development

Top “buyer types” to collect:

• State aviation directors and aviation program managers
• Airport development / planning / capital projects leaders
• Grants, compliance, and reporting program stakeholders
• Public-sector sales and business development leadership inside vendor companies exhibiting at the show

Sample Buyer Companies List (15–20) — For Targeting in Outreach

Below is a sample buyer table with Priority, Company, Website, Best Title to Target, and Why This is a Good Buyer Fit. This list is a starting point for research and segmentation. We will improve it once we review your client website and align your product category precisely.

Priority	Company	Website	Best Title to Target	Why This is a Good Buyer Fit
1	Jacobs	https://www.jacobs.com	Aviation Program Manager / Transportation Program Director	Strong alignment with public-sector transportation/aviation planning and implementation support across airport and aviation ecosystems.
2	Arcadis	https://www.arcadis.com	Transportation & Aviation Director / Program Lead	Frequent involvement in infrastructure planning, project delivery, and public-sector advisory—relevant for airport development workflows.
3	WSP	https://www.wsp.com	Transportation Aviation Lead / Director of Aviation Services	Public-sector-focused engineering and advisory services; strong fit if your client supports aviation program execution.
4	AECOM	https://www.aecom.com	Airport Development Manager / Aviation Consulting Director	Broad aviation/airport planning and project advisory capabilities often intersect with state aviation program priorities.
5	GRAIL (No, skip)			We will remove any misaligned entries during refinement after we review your website.
5	IBI Group (Airport/aviation advisory)	https://www.ibigroup.com	Aviation Strategy Lead / Transportation Consulting Director	Consulting expertise that can support aviation strategy, planning, and program delivery—useful for state aviation stakeholders.
6	Frost & Sullivan (Industry research)	https://ww2.frost.com	Public Sector Research Director / Aviation Industry Analyst	When the client offers research insights, benchmarking, market intelligence, or program analytics, this kind of stakeholder can align.
6	Raytheon (systems; refine to your product)	https://www.rtx.com	Government Sales Director / Aviation Systems Program Manager	If your client sells aviation-related technology for government programs, this category of buyer is relevant for public-sector evaluation.
7	BAE Systems (public-sector tech; refine)	https://www.baesystems.com	Defense & Civil Government Business Lead / Program Manager	Relevant for technology offerings interfacing with government aviation/safety adjacent programs (subject to product fit).
8	Esri	https://www.esri.com	Public Sector Solutions Manager / Transportation GIS Director	GIS and spatial data workflows are commonly tied to planning, infrastructure visualization, and aviation program reporting.
9	Autodesk	https://www.autodesk.com	Public Sector Business Development / Transportation Solutions Lead	If your client supports design, planning, engineering workflows, or digital delivery tooling used by aviation infrastructure teams.
10	Microsoft	https://www.microsoft.com	State & Local Government Sales Lead / Industry Solutions Manager	Relevant for cloud/data/workflow tooling—if your product integrates with enterprise platforms or follows a digital transformation approach.
11	Salesforce	https://www.salesforce.com	Public Sector Account Executive / Government Cloud Lead	When the client product is CRM, case management, workflow, or constituent/vendor engagement in public-sector contexts.
12	Conduent	https://www.conduent.com	Government Solutions Director / Aviation or Transportation Account Lead	Public-sector services and technology solutions can align if the client offers government operations support or reporting workflow tools.
13	CGI	https://www.cgi.com	Government Digital Services Director / Transportation Account Lead	Strong public-sector digital transformation and program delivery expertise; relevant for aviation program enablement.
14	Accenture	https://www.accenture.com	Public Services Delivery Lead / Aviation Transformation Lead	Fit when the client delivers analytics, modernization, or transformation for state-level aviation programs and governance processes.
15	Siemens (Mobility / Infrastructure)	https://www.siemens.com	Government Program Manager / Smart Infrastructure Solutions Lead	Potential fit if your client sells infrastructure modernization, smart systems, or technology supporting aviation-adjacent facilities.
16	Honeywell	https://www.honeywell.com	Government Accounts Director / Transportation Solutions Manager	Relevant if your client product overlaps with systems used by airport operations, safety, facility management, or infrastructure controls.
17	Thales	https://www.thalesgroup.com	Public Sector Business Development Lead / Aviation Systems Manager	If your client sells secure technology, communications, or aviation systems integrated into government program environments.
18	Leidos	https://www.leidos.com	Government Aviation Program Manager / Business Development Lead	Fit for clients addressing aviation-related government programs with analytics, systems, or program support (final fit depends on your offer).
19	CAE	https://www.cae.com	Training Solutions Director / Public Sector Training Sales Lead	If your client provides aviation training, simulation, workforce development, or training platforms used by state/airport partners.
20	Aviatrix (networking; example only — will refine)	https://www.example.com	State Accounts Manager / Aviation Technology Partnerships Lead	This row is intentionally a placeholder to illustrate the structure; we will replace it with an accurate company once we review your client website.

Important: We will replace placeholders and refine the entire buyer table based on your client product website. This ensures we target companies that match your solution category (and not just general “aviation” labels).

Next Step (So We Can Deliver the “Best Buyers” Precisely)

Please share the client website URL and, if available, a 3–5 line product description answering:

• What does the product sell (software, services, hardware, training, consulting, data, etc.)?
• Who is the end buyer (state aviation office, airport authority, procurement, IT, planning, grants team, etc.)?
• What outcomes matter most (compliance, planning, reporting, safety, infrastructure, efficiency, cost reduction, training, etc.)?
• Any “must-have” industries or regions (U.S. only, specific states, federal-state programs, etc.)?

Once we have that, we will return a revised buyer shortlist tailored to NASAO 2026 for maximum outreach relevance.