Friends of Flight 93 announces new leadership

The former senior executive director of the Pentagon Memorial Fund was appointed executive director of the Friends of the Flight 93 National Memorial.

Officials said Andrew Ammerman, who served as senior executive director of the Pentagon Memorial Fund for more than 13 years, will assume the post as new leadership begins work with the volunteer organization that supports the national memorial in Somerset County.

Ammerman, who worked with the National Park Service during the planning and construction of the Flight 93 National Memorial Visitor Center, assumes his new post as the 20th anniversary of 9/11 and the crash of Flight 93 approaches.

Authorities believe four hijackers aboard United Flight 93 were headed for a target in Washington, D.C., the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, when passengers who learned of the three other crashes — two at New York’s Twin Towers and a third at the Pentagon — attempted to wrest control of the plane from them.

Moments later, the jet crashed in a Somerset County strip mine at the site of what is now the memorial.

Local volunteers who cared for the site in the days and months leading up to the establishment of the memorial helped establish the Friends group that has become an integral part of the National Park Service’s operations there.

The volunteer support organization tasked Ammerman with leading operations and strategic planning efforts to ensure the Friends of the Flight 93 National Memorial meets the needs of today’s visitors while preparing for tomorrow’s generation.

Ammerman assumes his duties as newly elected Vice President Fred Lukachinsky of FedEx Ground joins President Donna Gibson of First National Bank in volunteer service with the organization.

Officer roles include new Treasurer David Finui from AmeriServ Financial, Secretary Sheena Baker from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and Assistant Secretary Tom Rooney from The Rooney Sports & Entertainment Group.

New directors joining the organization’s board include David Finoli from Kohl’s Department Store, Stacey Heitzenrater from FedEx Ground, Katrina Perkosky from the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies, Ian Northrop from JHNA and Emily Schenkel, a relative of flight attendant Lorraine G. Bay and former member of the Families of Flight 93 Board of Directors.

Additional information about the Friends of Flight 93 National Memorial is available at Flight93Friends.org.