Story ID: 
Duncan Aviation Transitions Senior Leadership
By: Jerry Siebenmark
Caption: Among the changes at Duncan Aviation are transitions to a new president and chief operating officers in Nebraska and Utah.
Word Count: 311
Duncan Aviation on Wednesday announced a number of senior leadership changes that were called for in the MRO provider’s midyear leadership transition plan announced earlier this year. Previously Duncan’s COO in Lincoln, Nebraska, Jeff Lake assumes the role of president from Aaron Hilkemann, who is now serving as part-time CEO and chairman of Duncan’s board of advisors.

“I am very appreciative to have had the guidance of Aaron and the entire senior management team during my career at Duncan Aviation,” said Lake. “Working together with them for years and facing numerous challenges and celebrations prepared me to coordinate active discussion and develop ongoing strategy for our team members and customers. It is obvious that our industry has challenges, but I am confident that working together, Duncan Aviation and business aviation will find opportunities and solutions that will ultimately make us stronger and more resilient.”

Assuming Lake’s COO role in Lincoln is Mike Minchow, who has been with Duncan since 1993. At Duncan’s facility in Provo, Utah, executive v-p and COO Bill Prochazka has retired after 33 years with the company. Chad Doehring, a 26-year veteran of Duncan, has assumed Prochazka’s COO post in Provo.

Lastly, Ryan Huss fills the newly created role of director of sales, overseeing all of the company’s sales teams. Huss started at Duncan 19 years ago as an airframe technician.

“All of these changes have been in work for some time; the transitions were all planned and now it was time to implement them,” said chairman of Duncan’s board of directors, Todd Duncan. “I am excited for the future and am certain that with these new leaders at the helm, Duncan Aviation will continue to find success and support our customers’ needs with high-quality products and services for many years to come.”