LINDA PALMER AND JOHN McMAHON HONORED FOR ‘LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT’ IN INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Linda Palmer, senior vice president at Buena Vista Non-Theatrical and John McMahon, vice president of operations at Atlas Air Film + Media Service GmbH received World Airline Entertainment Association (WAEA) 2003 “Lifetime Achievement” Awards for their significant, long-term contributions to the airline inflight entertainment (IFE) and communications industry.

Linda Palmer served 11 terms on the WAEA Board of Directors, most of which as WAEA Treasurer and WAEA Communications Chair. As such, she was responsible for the financial health of the organization and the launch and growth of key WAEA publications and awareness campaigns, and helped shape the organization over the past decade and more. For the past two decades, Ms. Palmer has been, and continues to be, a leader and innovator in the “film distributor” community, serving the airline inflight entertainment industry.

John McMahon is a founding member of the WAEA and served on the WAEA Board of Directors from 1981-1986. During these years, he served as WAEA Treasurer and firmly established the Association’s earliest financial plan. Mr. McMahon’s career dates back to the early 1970s, when he was manager of inflight entertainment for Qantas Airways. His career then took him to positions at key inflight content supplier companies, including Inflight Services, Hughes Avicom, and Entertainment Concepts (which he founded), and currently to his executive role at Atlas Air Film & Media.

The Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Linda Palmer and John McMahon on Friday night, 12 September 2003, at the WAEA 24th Annual Conference and Exhibition in Seattle, Washington, USA. The black-tie ceremony capped the week-long, international "market place" for passenger airlines and their inflight entertainment/communications suppliers.