People In Aviation: April 2016

Paul Foley has joined Bedford, Mass.-based charter and aviation services company Rectrix Aviation as CEO as the company prepares to launch commercial service between Hyannis and Nantucket, Mass. Foley has experience in startups, growth, mergers and turnarounds, having served as executive v-p and COO for Mess Air Group, president and CEO of Mair Holdings and chairman and CEO of Big Sky Airlines.

United States Aviation Underwriters, managers of the United States Aircraft Insurance Group (USAIG), promoted John Brogan to president and COO, responsible for all underwriting and claims departments. Brogan joined USAIG in 1997 and has held a succession of management roles, most recently executive v-p and manager of both the General Aviation and Workers’ Compensation departments. Stepping into the executive v-p position is Edwin Marin. Marin has served with the company since 1994 and has held positions of increasing responsibility, most recently as senior v-p and chief underwriting officer. Also, Vincent Keenan, who had been senior v-p and treasurer, was promoted to CFO. Keenan succeeds William Lichte, who will retire on June 14.

King Aerospace hired Trevor Mashburn to serve as COO and James Moore as general manager. Mashburn spent 10 years with Flexjet, where he was CFO. Moore has more than 20 years experience with Cessna, where he was a maintenance manager in Mesa, Ariz., and Orlando, Fla., and has also served with Bombardier Learjet.

Gulfstream Aerospace named Leda Chong senior v-p of government programs and sales. Chong, previously senior v-p of strategic planning and senior v-p Asia-Pacific for Gulfstream, has also served as head of the Asia-Pacific region for General Dynamics Aerospace, parent of both Gulfstream and Jet Aviation.

Bret Neely was promoted to executive v-p at Greenpoint. He joined the completions specialist in 2007 as director of sales and marketing and has led the sales and design departments since 2009 as v-p of sales.

Bombardier Business Aircraft appointed Chris Milligan v-p of services, sales and authorized service facilities. A 19-year company veteran, Milligan previously was the director of Bombardier Business Aircraft’s authorized service facilities, mobile response and services.

Richard Mumford, who is head of aviation at the law firm Stevens and Bolton, was elected chairman of the Baltic Air Charter Association (BACA). Mumford succeeds Tony Coe, who has held the position for the past three years. Volker Meissner will continue to serve as deputy chairman.

FirstFlight appointed Vickie Mahoney v-p of sales. Mahoney brings 25 years of sales, marketing and client relationship services to her new role, having held positions with multinational companies in the technology and MRO equipment, tools and materials distribution fields.

Stuart Illian has joined Desert Jet as v-p of business development and general manager of Desert Jet Charter. Illian has 30 years of business experience, most recently as director of business development of ProFlight, the Part 142 training center that was recently acquired by Textron’s TRU Simulation + Training division.

Craig Zysk has joined Frasca International as v-p of business development. Zysk has 33 years of aviation industry experience, previously serving with AgustaWestland, Rotorsim, Aerosim Flight Academy/Technologies, Keystone and most recently MD Helicopters.

Frédéric Lefebvre has been appointed v-p of marketing regional airlines for Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC). He succeeds Richard Dussault, who retired in January. Lefebvre formerly led technology development at P&WC and managed engineering operations at the company’s affiliate in Rzeszów, Poland. Also, Marty Kessell, currently v-p of Pratt & Whitney Aero Power, will lead the completion of the APU transition from Pratt & Whitney Aero Power to P&WC as previously announced, and will lead the sales, marketing and aftermarket support for APUs. Kessell is a 24-year veteran of P&WC parent United Technologies. Michel Toutant joined P&WC as v-p of operations, customer service. Toutant has 20 years of senior management experience in the aerospace, energy and marine industries with North American and European organizations such as ABB and Rolls-Royce.

Skytrac Systems appointed Jan van der Heul as v-p of sales. Van der Heul previously served with CHC Helicopter, where he led a global sales team of key account managers that was responsible for a helicopter oil and gas services portfolio with more than $1 billion in revenue.

Spectrum Aeromed owner and CEO Dean Atchison was appointed to the North Dakota District Export Council. The volunteer council promotes North Dakota companies and their efforts to export products and services around the world through advocacy, education and mentoring.

The Ohio Regional Business Aviation Association named the following leadership team for the 2016-2018 term: Eric Black of L Brands is president; Lauren Behrens of FirstEnergy is v-p; and April Wood of Executive Jet Management is secretary. Filling at-large spots are Don Bernier of FirstEnergy; Grant Hundley of Global Appearance Partners; Jim Gursky of Ariel; Lisa Swartzwelder of L Brands; and Bob Tanner of Executive Jet Management. Jeff Poeppelman of Nationwide Insurance is the immediate past president; Paul Tocknell of Nationwide Insurance is technology chair; Andy Balser of Argus International is communications chair; and Mark Myers of Lane Aviation is advocacy chair.

Parker Aerospace appointed Mike Portela as general manager for Advanced Atomization Technologies, its joint venture with GE Aviation in Clyde, N.Y. Portela most recently was general manager of Parker Hannifin’s Precision Fluidics Division and before that, plant manager of its general valve operation. He succeeds David Overholt, who was promoted to v-p and general manager of the Parker Aerospace Gas Turbine Fuel Systems Division.

TVPX, a provider of 1031 exchanges and trust services for the aircraft industry, has added Brett King, Michael Hoggan and Scott Nielsen to the trust group. King, Hoggan and Nielsen previously spent eight years steering the Corporate Trust Group for the Bank of Utah, and before that worked within Corporate Trust Services at Wells Fargo.

Pacific Coast Jet hired Jim Reyes to serve as charter coordinator. Reyes, who obtained a bachelor’s degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, has more than 20 years of flight operations and charter sales experience.

Wendy Bechtel was appointed manager of the Luxivair SBD FBO in San Bernardino, Calif. Bechtel has served as general manager at Encore Jet Center and has held management, customer service and marketing roles at Jet Executive Transportation Technologies, Executive Aviation Logistics and Butterfield Airplane Store.

Silver Air promoted Chris Marshall to director of operations and Anders Hostmark to chief pilot. Marshall, who learned to fly at the age of seven and is a Guinness World Record holder as the youngest aviator to fly transcontinental (age 10) and transatlantic (age 11), previously was chief pilot for Silver Air. Hostmark, who joined Silver Air in 2014, has 25 years experience as a pilot.

Elliott Aviation appointed Brian Everson jet service manager. Everson, who has more than 32 years of aviation experience, most recently spent eight years as a quality control analyst for Gulfstream Aerospace Appleton.

Zenith Aviation promoted Tom Shawaryn to sales manager. Shawaryn joined Zenith in 2008, initially serving as a warehouse associate, later as warehouse manager and most recently as sales associate.

Elliott Aviation hired Luke Gomoll to serve as avionics manager. Gomoll previously served as avionics manager for J.A. Air Center in Sugar Grove, Ill.

Executive AirShare promoted Eric Franz to assistant chief pilot. Franz joined Executive AirShare in 2013 as a captain for the Embraer Phenom 100 and 300, and before that he served with Envoy Air (American Eagle).

Duncan Aviation named Troy Nail as airframe service sales representative for Challengers and Globals. Nail began his career at Duncan in 2001 as an airframe mechanic and has held roles of increasing responsibility, most recently as team leader for the Challenger/Global lines.

Rectrix Aviation appointed Chris Mundy general manager of its Aerodrome Center at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (KSRQ). Mundy previously was a line service technician at Rectrix and also has held maintenance and line service positions at Delta Air Lines and Mercury Air Center.

FlightSafety International promoted Otto Gambrel to manager of its new learning center in Denver. Gambrel joined FlightSafety in 2001 as an instructor at the  learning center in Savannah, Ga., and since served as manager of the Gulfstream program at the Hong Kong center, as an EASA senior examiner for FlightSafety’s EASA instructor training and qualification programs in Atlanta and Savannah, and most recently as assistant manager at the West Palm Beach, Fla. center.

Laboratory Corp of America named Kenneth Hopper director of aviation. Hopper has 40 years of aviation experience and has spent the past 35 years as president and CEO of Hopper Aviation, an aviation consulting company specializing in aircraft management, acquisition and maintenance, as well as president and founder of the Quad City Air Show.

Rectrix Aviation named Chris Shewokis general manager of the Rectrix Aerodrome Center at Boston Hanscom Field (KBED). Previously Shewokis was the duty manager at Signature Flight Support at KBED, and he has served as a general aviation supervisor and dispatch and line manager at Mercury Air Center, Raytheon Aircraft Services and Executive Flyers Aviation.

Awards & Honors

NBAA named Shelbey Hooker and Wendy Ulrich as the 2016 recipients of its Donald A. Baldwin Sr. Business Aviation Management Scholarships. The scholarships are awarded annually to individuals seeking to become NBAA Certified Aviation Managers (CAMs). The scholarships are presented in coordination with the family of Donald A. Baldwin Sr., an accomplished business aviation pilot who served on the NBAA board of directors from 1968 to 1971.

Hooker is the HondaJet Southwest customer relations manager for Cutter Aviation. An Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University graduate with commercial, instrument and rotorcraft ratings, she has also flown Predator UAVs in the Middle East.

Formerly a tax accountant, Ulrich is CFO for Air Services. She is a certified public accountant with a master’s degree in accountancy and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Western Michigan University.

Elliott Sanders, a general aviation advocate based in California, was selected as the 2015 winner of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association’s Laurence P. Sharples Perpetual Award. The award, AOPA’s highest honor for individuals, is presented annually to those who have made the most significant contributions to the advancement of general aviation. AOPA presented the award March 2 during a ceremony at Van Nuys Airport in California. Sanders is AOPA’s Airport Support Network volunteer at Van Nuys Airport, an active private pilot and the owner of PAB Insurance Solutions. He has also played a role in the development of The Park at Van Nuys, a 30-acre propeller aircraft facility that will include a terminal, maintenance services, flight schools, a restaurant, a self-service fuel station and an aircraft wash rack.