People in Aviation

John Peery was promoted to president and COO of Mercury Air Cargo. Peery has more than 30 years of air cargo experience, including serving as general manager for the Northwest U.S. and regional v-p for Aeroground.

Macquarie Capital named Timothy Alden managing director, co-leading the firm’s aerospace, defense, and government services coverage alongside Jeremy Parker. Alden has more than 20 years of experience in the aerospace, defense, and government services sector, formerly leading aerospace and defense coverage for Jefferies and also holding senior investment banking roles at Goldman Sachs.

Renee Spann, manager of Teterboro Airport, retired after 30 years of service with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Spann, who joined the Port Authority in 1983 as a summer intern, has worked at four of the five airports under the jurisdiction of the authority—Teterboro, La Guardia, Newark, and JFK International—and became manager at Teterboro in 2011. Scott Marsh is stepping in as interim manager. He has 30 years of aviation experience and has held numerous roles with the Port Authority since joining in 2004, including his most recent position of manager of operations and security at Teterboro.

Aerion appointed Matthew Cram deputy general counsel. Cram previously was a shareholder at the Aero Law Group and also has held a variety of contractual and finance positions with Boeing.

Terrell Ford has become general manager of TAC Air’s Little Rock, Arkansas base. He succeeds Kip Simanek, who earlier this year moved over to lead the company’s new FBO at Dallas Love Field. Ford, who is a 10-year military veteran, has spent 19 years with TAC Air, most recently as general manager in Shreveport, Louisiana. Succeeding Ford in Shreveport is Steven Ryberg. He has served with TAC Air since 2005 as line management in Omaha, Nebraska.

Jet Aviation appointed Jeremie Caillet v-p of VIP completion programs. He succeeds Neil Boyle, senior v-p of global completions, who retired at the end of May. Caillet joined Jet Aviation in 2008 as an engineering team leader and before that was with Dassault Falcon Jet.

William Skinner joined Heritage Capital Group as a principal. Skinner has more than 33 years of financial management and leadership experience both in public accounting and the aerospace industry, most recently as v-p of financial planning and treasurer of Gulfstream Aerospace.

TAG Aviation (UK) Ltd promoted Stuart Stevenson to head of compliance and safety based in Farnborough. Stevenson, who joined TAG Aviation in 2018 as deputy head of compliance and safety, previously held engineering roles with British Airways.

Aireon named Jonathan Astill v-p and general manager of its new Air Traffic Flow Management Services business. Astill previously spent 30 years with the UK’s NATS, most recently as director of alliances, airline, and international affairs.

FlightSafety International promoted Clinton Strong to manager of the company’s Unmanned Systems Training Centers in Wichita and Las Vegas. Strong joined the training specialist in 2008 as a Citation Excel instructor and has held positions with increasing responsibility, most recently assistant center manager of the Wichita East facility.

American Aero FTW appointed Angela Thurmond as general manager. Thurmond, who joined American Aero in June 2017, most recently was assistant general manager for the Meacham International Airport-based FBO.

Cutter Aviation named James Boswell manager of charter sales for its charter and flight management department in Phoenix. Boswell brings a background in aircraft parts sales and distribution, along with Part 121 and 135 operations, to his new role.

Duncan Aviation appointed Mark Kahle manager of its avionics install/line services department in Battle Creek, Michigan. Kahle joined Duncan Aviation in 1998 and most recently was certification coordinator and team leader at its Lincoln, Nebraska facility. In addition, Jose Costas joined Duncan Aviation’s aircraft sales and acquisitions team with responsibility for the EMEA and Asia-Pacific regions. Costas previously served with Embraer for nearly 19 years, including as regional v-p sales for Europe, Africa, and the Middle East for Embraer Executive Jets. The company also named Joshua Chischilly-Keyonnie manager of its Scottsdale, Arizona satellite avionics shop in Arizona. Chischilly-Keyonnie is an 18-year company veteran, joining the Scottsdale shop in 2001 as an avionics technician and later becoming a crew leader. Further, Tim Kelly is moving to the position of regional sales manager for the Great Lakes region. Most recently regional avionics sales manager, Kelly joined Duncan in May 2018 and has more than 30 years of aviation experience with Honeywell and predecessor companies. And, Duncan named Ryan Blake as the new Gulfstream airframe sales and services representative in Provo, Utah., Blake joined Duncan in November 2018.

West Star Aviation appointed Mark Crotty program manager for Embraer at its East Alton facility. Crotty previously was director of operations for Constant Aviation and also has served at Hawker Beechcraft Services.

Don Milum joined Universal Avionics as regional sales manager for the Midwestern U.S. Based in Kansas City, Milum has more than 20 years of aviation experience, holding positions with Honeywell, Textron, StandardAero, and Spirit Aeronautics.

Charlie Carroll was appointed avionics sales manager for C&L Aviation Group. Carroll has more than 35 years of experience, previously holding roles as director of sales for Precision Aircraft Services and as marketing manager for Universal Avionics.

JetBrokers hired Jen Amundsen as the company’s King Air specialist. Amundsen brings a 20-year background in aviation sales, marketing, and management experience, and more than a decade of King Air experience, including with Commuter Air Technology.

GlobalJet Services named Chris Phillips Learjet program manager. Phillips has more than 30 years of aviation industry experience, previously holding roles of director of maintenance, repair station manager, and maintenance instructor.

Coptersafety hired Gerardo Donatelli as a full-time flight instructor. Donatelli has 22 years of experience in numerous rotorcraft in military, HEMS, offshore and SAR operations with companies such as Westar Aviation and Abu Dhabi Aviation.

FlightSafety International promoted David Dyche to assistant manager in the Tucson, Arizona center. Dyche, who has 40 years of aviation experience, joined FlightSafety in 2005 as an instructor for the Bombardier Learjet 45 in Tucson and most recently was director of training.

The International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) named Katherine Hilst operations manager for the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) program.

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association hired Pamela Cooksey as senior account executive. Cooksey has 30 years of experience beginning in 1989 at the Central Trust Company in Canton, Ohio, where she focused on small piston-aircraft financing; she later helped start the first Aircraft Department for FirstMerit Bank in Akron, Ohio; and most recently was with Scope Aircraft Finance in Columbus, Ohio.

Awards and Honors

The Citation Jet Pilots Owner Pilot Association (CJP) named four recipients for the 2019 Bob Hoover Presidential Scholarships: Brandon Baber, a junior at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) Daytona; Jacob Cook, a junior at ERAU Daytona; Matthew Gailey, a junior at ERAU Prescott; and Otto Maytag, a sophomore at ERAU Prescott. The scholarship, which provides $25,000 toward the winners' aviation-related studies at ERAU as well as networking opportunities, is presented in partnership between the CJP Safety and Education Foundation and the Bob Hoover Legacy Foundation.

Warren Kroeppel, chief operating officer for FBO chain Sheltair, was presented with the William F. Shea Award by the New York State Aviation Management Association, in recognition of his leadership and significant contributions to the state’s aviation community. Before joining the aviation services provider in 2012, he spent 35 years in commercial aviation and airport management, including stints as deputy general manager of John F. Kennedy International Airport, and general manager of La Guardia Airport.

Final Flights:

William "Bill" R. Weaver, a more than 40-year aviation industry veteran and former co-owner of Million Air White Plains in New York, died on April 12. He was 66.

A commercial pilot and former Air National Guard mechanic, Weaver and Mike Mason grew up around the FBO and flight school at Westchester County Airport (HPN) that was owned by their fathers, and in 1983 purchased the business from them. In 2007 they announced a rebranding of their Westair FBO to Million Air, along with an expansion. Weaver also served the industry as a volunteer on the board of the Westchester Aviation Association and as a member of the Patient Air Lift Services (PALS) charity.

Dorothy “Dar” White, whose business aviation career spanned more than 30 years and involved roles at a number of established charter and management businesses, died on April 15. She was 63.

White most recently had run her own business, Global Charter Solutions, which provided air charter services for a range of clients. She also had become deeply involved in the St. Louis-area business aviation community, holding several roles with Greater St. Louis Business Aviation Association, including serving on the board of its educational foundation.

Originally from New Jersey, White began her aviation career as a dispatcher for an air cargo company based in St. Louis. From there, she held positions ranging from charter sales representative, regional sales director, and vice president for companies that included The Air Charter Group, Jet Aviation Business Jets, Priester Aviation, Sentient Jet, Signature Flight Support, and Pentastar, among others.