Washington Seaplane Pilots Association
Board of Directors
The Washington Seaplane Pilots Association is managed by a board of volunteers, each with varying levels of aviation knowledge and experience. The actions of the board represent the interests of its members. It is the intent of the board to carry out meaningful actions that advance the mission and goals set forth by the organization. Get to know your board by reading the brief bios below, and don't hesitate to reach out with any questions.
Stephen Ratzlaff, President
Stephen completed his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering at California State University Northridge in 1985. Upon graduation, he worked with Accenture in computer science and manufacturing and is now in the software industry. He is currently a partner with OrderPort, LLC, which provides point of sale software for wineries.
Stephen serves as President of the Washington Seaplane Pilots Association. He is instrument rated and flies an amphibious DeHavilland Beaver out of Boeing Field. Stephen began his association with the Washington Seaplane Pilots while working to successfully preserve float flying at Ross Lake in the North Cascades National Park. Later he helped lead the effort to preserve float flying on Lake Whatcom in Washington State. Stephen is also a board member with the Seaplane Pilots Association, which represents seaplane pilots more broadly in the US and internationally. Stephen and his wife, Kristie, have three children: Katharine, Nils and Peter. They make their home in Seattle, Washington and enjoy boating, flying and skiing in the Northwest.
Bruce Hinds, VP & AIS
One of the first things Bruce did after he and his wife Janie moved to Washington in 1998 was to purchase a fully restored Republic Seabee; their first airplane. Being unfamiliar with the PNW and Seaplanes, it was the WSPA members he immediately came into contact with that opened up their world.
Determined to continue the tradition of sharing it forward, he’s served the WSPA BOD in several different roles ever since to include President and VP. He created our first website, electronic (email) newsletter, discussion groups and has been instrumental in the process of working with WA Department of Fish and Wildlife, Pacific States Marine Fisheries and US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Western Regional Panel to create an approved self-inspection program that’s been adopted by ID, OR and MT. In addition to helping us, he’s served for several terms on the BOD at SPA.
Bruce began flying when he was just 15 (1964) and wanted to become an airline pilot like his dad. Interrupted by the Vietnam war and the economy, that didn’t happen until he was 35 when he was hired at Continental Airlines. During the interim, he graduated from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, flew Helicopters in the US Army, freight in DC-3s, Beech 18s and various turbo-props, demonstrated the MU-2 for Mitsubishi Aircraft, held a few corporate jobs along the way.
Today, he’s backed off a bit from the “Keeping our waters open to seaplanes routine” to work as a Simulator Instructor at Alaska Airlines. But, he’s still around to help and still just as passionate about it.
Jack Jacobson, Treasurer
Jack has been on the WSPA board for nearly seven years in the role as Treasurer. He became involved as a way to contribute to the greater good of the seaplane community. Jack is a Vietnam veteran and a UW graduate who built his career as a banking executive and CPA. He has always had a fascination with aviation that started at a young age. He learned to fly in 1971 at the Alameda Naval Air Station in San Francisco and began seaplane flying just 14 years ago. With now almost 600 hours of sea time, he enjoys every moment on the water and in the air.
Jack holds the ratings of ASEL and ASES and owns a C-185 (N70208) on straight floats which he keeps moored at Kenmore Air. His favorite places to fly include Lake Isabel in the Alpine Lake Wilderness Area of Washington and Priest Lake in the Idaho Panhandle. Two noteworthy flying experiences include the privilege of flying in support of a Wounded Warrior event in the Alaska bush during the summer of 2019 and the opportunity to fly a Grumman Goose with Addison Pemberton during the WSPA Annual Splash-In at Tanglefoot Seaplane Base on Priest Lake. In his spare time, Jack loves to hike, ski, travel, and play with his grandkids.
Don Goodman, Secretary
Don Goodman has been a WSPA member since 2012 and the Board Secretary since 2015. He Joined WSPA prior to having a pilot license! He was Austin Watson’s first SES student and they both survived (somehow). Four hundred and fifty SES hours later, his wife and he enjoy seasonally flying their 182P on straight floats. Their passion is the remote places and long cross-country trips. They have been twice to OSH on straight floats and three times to the Canadian Yukon and Northwest Territories. Don holds the ratings ASEL and ASES.
Kevin Franklin, Lost SPBs
Kevin Franklin is a Toronto native and grew up watching seaplanes in Ontario. Kevin has lived in Seattle since 2012 and flies a Cessna 180 and a Lake LA-4. Kevin enjoys both restoring Seaplanes and Seaplane bases. His role with the WSPA includes documenting all of Washington’s “Lost Seaplane Bases”, working on FAA Seaplane base forms, the seaplane economic impact report, and compiling seaplane safety data. Professionally Kevin is a Video Game Designer who has worked on the Halo, SOCOM, and Need for Speed franchises. In 2016 Kevin co-founded Final Strike Games in Bellevue. Kevin holds his SES and Instrument rating, but still does not have a land endorsement. Kevin joined the WSPA board in 2017.
Chuck Perry, Industry Representative
Chuck Perry has been flying seaplanes for 35 years. He was raised in Ketchikan and learned to fly in the challenging weather of Southeast Alaska. He flew his Cessna 180 floatplane around SE Alaska and the Yukon for 16 years. In 1997, he was hired by Taquan Air as a part-time pilot. He worked for the original Taquan and later became the Director of Safety at Promech Air in Ketchikan before coming to work for Kenmore Air in early 2002. He became Asst. Chief Pilot in 2004, Chief Pilot in 2012, and is now Assistant Director of Operations for both Seaplanes and Landplanes. Chuck holds ratings for ASEL, ASES, AMEL, AMES, and Instrument Airplane. He is a lifetime member of SPA. In his spare time, he enjoys gardening, riding his Harley and touring in his RV.
Jamie Madonna
Jamie is currently an Aviation Practice Leader in the insurance brokerage space. He has served in the United States Marine Corps reserves and began serving on the Washington Seaplane Pilots Association board in June 2019. His goal is to help build and maintain the seaplane community by bringing flying to a larger population and showing the community the value and benefits seaplanes bring to an area. Jamie holds the following ratings: ASEL, AMEL, and ASES. He has been flying on floats for about three years. He is part owner of a Cessna 206 on straight floats, and prior to float flying, he has been part owner in a C210, C172, C150, and a Piper Apache Geronimo. His first passenger was his now 17-year-old son in 2006.
Amy Fenwick
Amy joined the board in April 2020. She earned her Private Pilot License in a Piper PA-12S on straight floats, and has yet to obtain a land rating. She most enjoys splashing between lakes and frequenting airport fly-ins with her husband, Stuart, her daughter Charlie, and their dogs in their Lake Buccaneer.
Amy lives in Spokane but is a native of Northern Michigan where she was raised with 12 siblings. She completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology at Western Michigan University and went on to earn her Master’s and Ph.D. in Behavior Analysis at Southern Illinois University. She is an established educator and consultant in the areas of organizational behavior management, behavior-based safety, and the behavioral analysis of autism and other developmental disabilities. She founded a behavioral consultancy and clinic for children with autism, and serves as a management, safety, and leadership consultant in organizations across the United States. Through her work with the WSPA, she hopes to expand her professional interests by examining aviation through the lens of behavioral science.
Scott Cooper
Scott joined WSPA in 2009 and was appointed to the board in 2020 working on legislation for seaplanes and as Newsletter Editor. Scott grew up swimming in and boating on the waters of the Chesapeake and knew instantly when seeing a Grumman Albatross splash down near him, that an aircraft with a hull would be in his future. As the son of a WWII pilot, aircraft and flying were inevitable. Scott graduated from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach) with a double-major in Aeronautical Engineering and Flight/Air Science, obtaining his SEL license at age 18. He has spent his entire career in aircraft development, working many years in Boeing’s flight test organizations for the 777-200 and F-22 Raptor, and later as an executive with aerospace suppliers. Scott holds SES and MES ratings and recently purchased a Republic Seabee, becoming the 10th owner of this classic that has been in the Northwest for most of its pampered life, hangared at Harvey Field. Scott lives in Seattle with his wife, Ede, and daughters Cassandra and April.
Bayan Towfiq
Bayan Towfiq is a tech innovator and entrepreneur who has founded telecom and internet infrastructure businesses. He lives on Lake Sammmamish with his wife Kirsten, 7 year old daughter Lily, and 4 year old Son Nuri. He is passionate about aviation, has single land and sea ratings and spends time flying his 1977 SIAI-MARCHETTI SM1019 warbird on amphibs. He believes in the mission of WSPA to protect and grow seaplane access and share the joy of seaplane flying.
Kevin Wyman - WSPA State Liaison - Idaho
Kevin Wyman is a Seattle area native and active, local investor. He has been a WSPA member and Board Member since 2014. In March 2023, he transitioned from the board into a newly created role, WSPA State Liaison for Idaho. He recently relocated with his family to the beautiful, mountain and float-flying area of North Idaho. He was Founder and President of a Seattle area specialty, residential land developer and Managing Member and co-founder of a small start-up fund investing in a diverse array of Seattle area start-ups including bio-fuel, bio-technology, real-estate and internet technologies. Fortunate to grow up in a flying family, Kevin learned to fly while living in Steamboat Springs Colorado and has more hours on floats than on wheels.
