CONTINUING EDUCATION
GEBA
Continuing Education Seminar
SATURDAY MARCH 7st, 2026
(Registration see below)
Lackawanna College, Scranton, PA.
Celebrating 40 Years
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Hotel information and reservation:
Baymont by Wyndham
1266 O’Neill Haighway
Dunmore, PA 18512
2026 CES Presenters
JOHN PIPER
Frayed Knot
A chance to learn (and be able to remember) several knots and rope tricks used in ballooning. Beyond the Bowline, you’ll also learn some handy tie downs for packing and in the trailer, including the “Macy’s Truckers Hitch”.
Former Vice President/Senior Director, Macy’s Parade Studio, Macy’s Branded Entertainment
John received his Private LTA license in 1993, his Commercial in 94 and his gas rating in 2016. He is a member of the BFA, GEBA and the Balloon Club of America NC. He was the Balloon Meister for the Hot Air Jubilee in Jackson Michigan for several years and acted as Balloon Meister for the New Jersey Festival of Ballooning from 2018 to 2022.
Professionally, John Piper was the Vice President and Senior Director of Macy’s Parade Studio from 2001 to 2020. As the leader of a team of artists responsible for the design and production of the giant character balloons and fantasy filled floats showcased in the world-famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Paradeâ.
During his tenure, John led the team in the design and production of over 80 new Floats, 67 giant character balloons, 20 balloonicles, dozens of character “balloon heads” and a handful of “trycaloons”. John has collaborated with the artistic teams from Disney, Universal, Dreamworks, Cirque Du Soleil, Nickelodeon, the Hallmark Channel, Peanuts, the Oneida Indian Nation and the History Channel. For Macy’s series of “Blue Sky Gallery Balloons” John worked directly with international artists Takashi Murakami, Tom Otterness, KAWS, Jeff Koons and Tim Burton.
John has also been a spokesperson for Macy’s appearing on the NBC Today Show, Good Morning America, and various NYC television and radio stations, as well as The NY Times, The Daily News, Huffington Post and People Magazine.
TONY SAXTON
Balloon 911 – Co-presented with Henry Rosenbaum and Mike Emich
This session is designed to prepare responders with the essential knowledge and skills needed to handle hot air balloon incidents confidently and safely. You’ll learn how to address critical scenarios such as power line and propane emergencies, understand the key components of a balloon, and become familiar with important FAA and NTSB regulations. We’ll also cover best practices for preserving the scene, establishing effective incident command, and more. By the end of this presentation, you’ll be better prepared to respond decisively and protect both lives and property during hot air balloon incidents.
Every response is an opportunity to make a difference. Your preparedness and dedication can turn a challenging situation into a successful outcome—let’s rise to the occasion and ensure every response counts.
Tony has been involved in ballooning since he was nine years old. His interest started when he saw a balloon fly over his home and his brother Scott insisted they chase the balloon. Tony crewed for a local hot air balloon team and eventually learned to fly. Tony received his Commercial Pilots Certificate in 2000.
During his career in ballooning, Tony has crewed or flown balloons in France, Canada, Mexico and numerous US states. He has also had the opportunity to fly several special shapes including Balloon Hilda, Chesty the Marine Bull Dog, Uncle Sam, and PEA-NUT the Flying Elephant. Some of his most memorable flights are a flight through the Delaware Water Gap at 55 mph and his flight to 15,000 feet over Lancaster County.
He is happily serving his 3rd (non-consecutive) term on the board of Great Eastern Balloon Association and currently is GEBA’s President.
Safety is a major objective for Tony and he has been co-organizing GEBA’s CES for many years. If everyone walks away from a seminar learning one thing that could save a life or serious injury he considers it a win.
Ballooning never gets old for Tony. Every flight is unique and he loves to get others involved in the sport as well as teach his crew members to fly. One of the BEST things about ballooning is the people that Tony, has met over the years. He is a proud recipient of GEBA Torok Sportsmanship Award and a Balloon
Federation of America (BFA) Eastern Region Directors award for his contributions toward ballooning.He has previously served on the BFA Board of Directors.Tony served as his town’s Fire Chief for 18 years and has been a fire fighter and EMT in Fleetville Volunteer Fire Department for 40 years, first joining at age 14.
HENRY ROSENBAUM
Balloon 911 – Co-presented with Tony Saxton and Mike Emich
This session is designed to prepare responders with the essential knowledge and skills needed to handle hot air balloon incidents confidently and safely. You’ll learn how to address critical scenarios such as power line and propane emergencies, understand the key components of a balloon, and become familiar with important FAA and NTSB regulations. We’ll also cover best practices for preserving the scene, establishing effective incident command, and more. By the end of this presentation, you’ll be better prepared to respond decisively and protect both lives and property during hot air balloon incidents.
Be Your Own First Responder
When injuries occur, the actions of those who are nearby can have a significant impact on the long-term outcome of those injured. The two most critical actions for those who find someone injured are to keep them breathing and stopping blood loss. Even with minimal training, anyone can perform simple skills that will save a life.
This presentation will be delivered in an open discussion format covering some of the most common and life threatening medical and traumatic events that pilots and crews may be exposed to at balloon events, flying in general, or in their everyday lives.
At the end of this program (and with some basic skills practice during breaks in the vendor area) students will be able to identify and provide lifesaving procedures for:
- Cardiac arrest – including “Hands Only CPR”
- Serious bleeding – Including tools and techniques for control of bleeding
Henry Rosenbaum is a commercial pilot who began flying in 1988. Henry has over 1,600 hours flying for commercial programs, BFA competitions and special shape balloons. Henry is from Virginia and has a hot air balloon business based out of Hanover County Airport. In addition to flying at many events over the past 35 years, Henry has served as a staff member at many local and international events serving as a Safety Officer to Balloonmeister. Henry is the current Balloonmeister for Albuquerque International Balloon Festival since 2018.
Professionally, Henry retired in October 2024 after 40 years of public safety service with Henrico County, Division of Fire. Henry retired as an Assistant Chief Fire Marshal, responsible for fire inspections, enforcement, and interpretation. Fire marshals are also sworn law enforcement officers to conduct fire investigations and carry out prosecutions of arson and hazardous materials violations. Henry is a Paramedic and has spent time on various ambulances and the Virginia State Police Medivac Helicopter.
MICHAEL EMICH
Balloon 911 – Co-presented with Tony Saxton and Henry Rosenbaum
Michael Emich has been an active balloon pilot for more than five decades, beginning with his first balloon flight in June 1971 at the Lakehurst Navel Air Station. He began his formal training the following year in Randolph, Ohio and earned his Commercial Balloon License in 1974, later adding a Gas Balloon Rating in 1983. A skilled builder and restorer, Emich has constructed more than 20 hot air balloons and returned two historic U.S. Navy gas balloons to flying condition.
An accomplished long-distance pilot, he set the U.S. National Distance Record for Gas Balloons (AA-4) in 1985, followed by U.S. National and World Distance Records in AX-5 hot air balloons in 1998 and AX-4 balloons in 1999. His contributions to the sport have been recognized with numerous honors, including the Balloon Federation of America’s Ed Yost Master Pilot Award (2014) and the FAI Gold Sporting Badge with One Diamond (2018). In 2023, he was inducted into the U.S. Ballooning Hall of Fame.
In addition to his achievements in lighter-than-air aviation, Emich also holds commercial, multiengine and instrument airplane ratings and USPA Gold Wings for 1000 free fall parachute jumps.
In his professional life, he served 25 years with the Akron, Ohio Fire Department in a variety of rolls retiring in 2014 as a Battalion Captain.
DR. GREG BLUMBERG
Basic Weather and The Impact of Climate Change
Dr. Blumberg will be presenting on two topics. The first presentation will be an overview of basic weather knowledge with a focus on hot air ballooning and other methods of flight. We will cover a variety of concepts that focus on the planetary boundary layer, which is the lowest mile or two of our atmosphere. The second presentation will focus on climate change and its impact on us. We will cover what we know about climate, how serious it is, how it connects to our lives, and most importantly what we can do about it.
Dr. Greg Blumberg is an Assistant Professor of Meteorology at Millersville University in Millersville, PA. He obtained his meteorology degrees from the University of Oklahoma between 2007-2018. After completing his education, he obtained a 3-year fellowship through the NASA Postdoctoral Program at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. Dr. Blumberg’s research interests vast. Most of his research is focuses on problems that are dependent on the state of the planetary boundary layer, which is a 1-2-mile-thick layer that is contact with the Earth. During his PhD, he worked on ways to improve the ways to observe the boundary layer and studied low-level moisture changes that occur near sunset. While at NASA, he worked on air quality modeling in Thailand and collaborated with members of the launch range safety community (FAA, Space Force, NASA) to improve predictions of weather-dependent launch hazards. He teaches a variety of courses at Millersville including cloud physics, weather instruments, advanced forecasting, and boundary layer meteorology.
BRIDGET MAEHR
Rising Safely: Best Practices in Ballooning Risk Management
This course will introduce the principals and practices of risk management and how it applies to safe hot air balloon operations. We will explore the unique risk environment of balloon aviation and equip participants with the knowledge to identify, assess, and mitigate hazards before, during and after flight.
Bridget’s Expertise
- Director AM Best in the life/health ratings division. AM Best is a Nationally Recognized Statistical Organization (NRSRO) founded in 1899. AM Best issued the first ever financial strength rating in 1905. It is a global rating agency with a specialist focus on the insurance and reinsurance sectors.
- Part of analytical teams evaluating the financial strength and creditworthiness of health insurance, employee benefits and Caribbean property casualty insurance companies utilizing Best Credit Rating Methodology (BCRM) which includes a detailed analysis of an insurer’s Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) program and capabilities.
- Manages a portfolio of insurance companies including, both for-profit and non-for-profit organizations, some of the largest UDS health insurers Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans as well as Caribbean insurers.
- Over 25 years if insurance and financial industry experience.
Most importantly, crewed for about a dozen hot air balloon pilots over the past 30 years or so.
2026 Membership Registration Forms / CES Registration Forms
You can use this option for your GEBA 2026 membership and register for Continuing Education Seminar in one transaction
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