HAI President Matt Zuccaro met with Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) on Capitol Hill Jan. 25 to discuss issues of concern to the helicopter industry and Lee’s upcoming speech to the Annual Membership Meeting and Breakfast at HELI-EXPO 2011 in Orlando, Fla.

“The senator is very interested in the concerns of the industry and in working with HAI and our members regarding the legislative and regulatory process,” Zuccaro said after the meeting. “We look forward to the senator joining us at HELI-EXPO in Orlando.”

Utah voters elected Lee (shown at left in photo) to the Senate in November after he wrested the state Republican Party’s nomination from three-term incumbent Sen. Bob Bennett. That was the first time in 70 years that a sitting Utah senator failed to win the party nomination.

Lee already possesses a good understanding of the helicopter industry. He has known HAI member Bryan Burr and his sister Sharon since high school. Their father, Jim, founded Rocky Mountain Helicopters and Bryan owns Mountain West Helicopters, LLC in Alpine, Utah. Lee is married to Sharon Burr.

The Annual Membership Meeting and Breakfast is scheduled for March 6 from 8-9:30 a.m. in the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.