TODD SIMMONS

Director

Aviation is in Todd’s DNA. His father was a U.S. Army flight surgeon; one grandfather a B-26 pilot during WWII, the other a crop duster. An uncle flew A-4’s in Vietnam; another uncle hunted enemy submarines in a Sea King for the Navy; yet another served as Beechcraft’s chief structures engineer for the Starship, the first all-composite business airplane. Flying is as much a part of Todd’s life now as it was for family and friends before him.


By day Todd is responsible for leading all Customer Experience and customer-facing activities at Cirrus Aircraft including sales, marketing, personalization, delivery, service and support, flight training; and flight operations at the Cirrus “Vision Center” in Knoxville, Tennessee.


Todd joined Cirrus in early 2008 as vice president of marketing and has led a number of innovative growth initiatives aimed at both the current aircraft owner community and developing new market segments. During his tenure, the SR22 has continued to be the best-selling airplane in its class, and worldwide market share has reached an all-time high. The latest addition to the Cirrus product line – the SF50 Vision Jet – arrives as the world’s first and only single engine personal jet and has been met with global acclaim.

For more than 25 years, Todd has held positions in marketing and business leadership, marketing development, international marketing communications, revenue management and sales team leadership at a range of companies from boutique businesses to Fortune 500 firms. His recent aviation experience includes work at Delta Air Lines and at CubCrafters where he led sales and marketing efforts and later presided over the company.

Todd holds a Bachelor of Industrial and Systems Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) and a Master of Business Administration from University of Chicago Booth School of Business.

Outside of work, Todd’s passion is recreational flying, primarily in his SuperCub, with his wife Melissa, son Clay, and daughters Anna and Cameron. The family also enjoys outdoor activities in Eastern Tennessee, having had a variety of life experiences from living in the Pacific Northwest and Upper Midwest prior to returning to the Southeast.

218-721-2194
tsimmons@theraf.org

Posted in Director

    Recent Posts

MARCEL LEBLANC

By lellington • September 15, 2026

DON'T HAVE TO LOOK FAR

By John McKenna • September 14, 2026
Sometimes one needs to look no further than one's incoming correspondence to find inspiration. Just this past week, folks passionate about the RAF mission reached out to me with suggestions that would bring resources to the RAF. Whether they be one-off items that we might offer, or events like large fundraisers, these folks are offering some thoughts on how we might continue to pay the bills. Additionally, we’re receiving word from folks with new destinations on their mind, and some pretty cool ones at that. Along the way, my inbox – as well as my calendar – is filled with updates on our Expanding the Map effort, with an emphasis on Fly Rocky Top. The Fly Rocky Top initiative in Tennessee is generating strong interest, and for good reason. It feels great. Folks are showing up to pitch in, with significant work projects planned. Trish and I, along with other board members, will be there to lend a hand to this exciting project. We are coming up on our annual year-end letter, which you will be seeing not long from now. In addition to showcasing a few more of our successful projects, we will be seeking your support. Stand by. I’ll wrap this up by letting you know that we could not be more pleased with how you all are doing your part. Thank you. It is so healthy to have an organization that uses passion as a primary energy source. - John McKenna, RAF Chairman Submitted September 14, 2026

GARRISON DAM RECREATIONAL AIRPARK IMPROVEMENTS CONTINUE

September 11, 2026
“We had a busy day at Garrison Dam Recreational Airpark, as we continue to work on the underwing camping area,” RAF North Dakota Liaison Brian Rau reported. Rau was awarded an RAF grant in spring of 2026 to convert an adjacent day-use park into an airport camping area, and had organized volunteers who began the project in May. The airport, 37N, is closed while the runway and taxiway are being upgraded by a contractor for the ND Aeronautics Commission.

PACK A TRASH BAG

By Stef Goza • September 9, 2026
You know the feeling. You set the airplane down somewhere spectacular, shut off the engine, and enjoy the pristine landscape in front of you. This is why you fly. Keeping airstrips pristine is everyone's responsibility. But one item that doesn’t always make it into the airplane is a good trash bag. Not for the trash you planned to make. For the trash you didn’t. Cans left in a fire ring, fishing line along the river, or food wrappers working their way through the brush. None of it came in your airplane, but you have the ability to get it out. That’s reason enough to tuck a couple of heavy-duty contractor bags in with your tie-down gear. They earn their space in other ways, too. A contractor bag can keep wet or muddy gear out of the baggage compartment, cover equipment in a downpour, collect rainwater, or become an emergency poncho or windbreak. It weighs almost nothing and takes up very little room. Throw a few in the airplane and leave them there. You may not need one for your own trash, but there is a good chance you’ll find another use for it—or find something worth carrying out. Submitted September 9, 2026 By Stef Goza, Etiquette Chair, Safety, Education, and Etiquette Committee

VOLUNTEERS CLEAR WILLOWS, TREES FROM MARBLE AIRFIELD

September 8, 2026
RAF Colorado Liaison Ken Long, Ambassador Mike Langersmith, and other RAF volunteers participated in an August work event at Marble, Colorado, a mountain airfield about 20 nm up the Crystal River drainage south of Carbondale. Airfield Manager Susan Blue put together the task list and oversaw the event that brought 21 volunteers in ten aircraft and four dogs.