Story ID: 003
People In Aviation
By: AIN Staff
Caption: A look at changes in job titles in the aviation industry, awards presentations, and the accomplishments of those who have passed on.
Word Count: 1274
Textron named company executive Kriya Shortt to head its eAviation division as president and CEO, effective August 31. Shortt is succeeding company veteran Rob Scholl, who is moving over to lead Textron Specialized Vehicles—which includes brands such as E-Z-GO, Arctic Cat, Jacobsen, and Cushman—as president and CEO. Currently senior v-p of global parts and distribution at Textron Aviation, Shortt has spent 27 years with the Wichita airframer, also holding the roles of president at Able Aerospace and McCauley Propeller and as senior v-p of customer service, as well as international sales. Scholl has led Textron’s eAviation group since it was established as an individual business segment in 2022 and has held several senior leadership positions at Textron Aviation, including as senior v-p of global sales and flight operations and v-p of parts and programs, as well as marketing.
Bart Reijnen was appointed president of Airbus Helicopters's U.S. subsidiary, Airbus Helicopters Inc., and head of its North American region. He succeeds Romain Trapp, who has held the position since 2019 and will now be Airbus Helicopters’s executive v-p for customer support and services and a member of the company’s executive committee. Reijnen previously has served as CEO of Satair, an Airbus Services company, and head of material services in Airbus Customer Services.
Jon Clarke is Precision Aviation Group (PAG)’s new president of MRO services. Before joining PAG, Clarke was v-p and general manager of Professional Aircraft Accessories in Titusville, Florida.
Megha Bhatia is now chief marketing officer and chief strategy officer at Jet Support Services, Inc. (JSSI), where she is leading JSSI's customer support and marketing organizations. Bhatia previously served as v-p of sales and marketing at Rolls-Royce's business aviation organization and oversaw its CorporateCare Enhanced aftermarket program. JSSI also appointed Ben Hockenberg as COO, to lead its technical services team, maintenance software operations, and JSSI Parts & Leasing. Hockenberg joined JSSI in 2020 as president of JSSI Parts & Leasing.
Boom Supersonic named Scott Powell senior v-p of Symphony, the propulsion system for Boom’s Overture supersonic passenger aircraft. Before joining Boom, Powell spent 38 years at Boeing, including four years as the engineering propulsion leader for the 787 Dreamliner.
Embraer has appointed Carlos Naufel as the company’s v-p of services and support, effective Sept. 1. Naufel, formerly technical director of Azul Linhas Aéreas, succeeds Johann Bordais, who was appointed Eve Air Mobility CEO.
Robbie Bourke has joined the Clermont Group in Singapore as head of aerospace. Prior to joining the Clermont Group, Bourke spent more than six years as v-p and partner at Oliver Wyman, a management consulting firm.
Jackson Jet Center in Phoenix has promoted Carrie Campbell to v-p of FBO operations, David Smith to v-p of charter and aircraft management, and Erica Shull to v-p of aircraft maintenance and parts. Campbell moved from her position as general manager of the company’s Phoenix facility. Smith was the company’s charter director before his promotion. Shull had served as v-p of operations.
The Aerospace Industries Association (AIA) has hired Di Reimold as v-p of civil aviation. Reimold comes to AIA from her previous position as deputy v-p of the FAA’s flight program operations where she was a senior leader in the Air Traffic Organization, responsible for all aspects of the agency’s flight inspection program.
Jet Linx appointed Mark Fischer and Chris Curtin as v-ps of regional aircraft management sales. Fischer has more than 25 years of experience in aviation and previously served in various avionics sales management positions with Collins Aerospace, Gulfstream, and Greenwich AeroGroup. Curtin’s prior experience includes executive v-p roles at Talon Air and ExcelAire/Hawthorne Global Aviation Services.
Karina Tarnowska has been named airport manager for North Las Vegas Airport (KVGT) by the Clark County Department of Aviation. She will be responsible for the safe and efficient operations of KVGT and Perkins Field in Overton. Previously, Tarnowska had been program manager for Air Elite, where she managed a global network of 84 FBO locations.
JetAviva, an aircraft sales and acquisition firm, hired two new sales directors. Mark Saxton, who has over 30 years of aviation expertise, will focus on super-midsize aircraft. Mark Stear, who was previously executive director of the Embraer Jet Operators Association, will handle Citation CJ1/+ and CJ2/+ jets.
Steven Trowell was appointed v-p of technical for asset management and trading firm EirTrade Aviation. He previously held the roles of hangar manager and accountable manager with EirTrade Aviation Maintenance.
Leah Alexander, who handles aircraft sales and acquisitions for Duncan Aviation, has relocated from Chicago to England’s south coast to expand the company’s client base in Europe and the Middle East. She joined Tim Barber as part of Duncan Aviation’s aircraft sales and acquisitions team in the UK.
ACASS, a Montreal-based business aviation support services firm, has promoted Abdel Sukkar to charter sales executive. His previous position at ACASS was aircraft management coordinator.
Mayman Aerospace has appointed Manu Sharma as chief engineer, to lead development of its range of VTOL aircraft. Sharma comes to Mayman from Virgin Orbit, where he served as chief engineer of flight sciences.
Colin Smith has joined Heli-One as its new head of growth and strategy, with responsibility for developing and executing the company’s business strategy in helicopter maintenance and support services. Prior to this, Smith was a strategy and business consultant with Combine Strategy Group Services.
Janette Licastrino has accepted the position of director of sales, for Embassair in Opa-Locka, Florida. She was previously client relations sales manager at Million Air.
AOne Parts & Logistics hired Marcus Cortez to serve in the newly created position of continuous improvement commander and Zackery Heslep as a buyer/trader. Cortez has more than 27 years of experience in the industry having held various roles with airlines, MROs, and parts distribution organizations including in inventory control, logistics, operations, purchasing, and quality. Heslep has a prior background in customer service and sales across several industries.
Skyllence promoted Kestutis Abarius to head of sports charter sales. Abarius joined Skyllence in 2021 as an aircraft charter broker and has prior experience as a sales development manager with KlasJet. 
Final Flight
John Balsiger, who was NBAA’s first regional representative in the U.S. Midwest, passed away on August 11 in Oklahoma City. He was 85 years old. Balsiger joined the association in 1999 as part of the original lineup of regional representatives, serving the industry in a nine-state territory that spanned from Oklahoma to Ohio.
He held that role for a decade, retiring in 2009. But his aviation career had spanned more than five decades, beginning in 1964 at Spirit of St. Louis Airport in Missouri. There, he served as v-p of customer service. Balsiger later joined Mark Aero but ultimately moved to Midcoast Aviation, where he held multiple roles and spent the bulk of his career before he came on board with NBAA, the association noted.
“John took the meaning of the word ‘representative’ to heart, as both an effective listener and a tireless industry champion,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. “He will be greatly missed by all those who were fortunate enough to work with him, and at this sad moment, our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife Nola Beth, his family, and many friends.”
Upon retirement, Balsiger, who was a certified cowboy and Western memorabilia collector and trader, focused on his art gallery, Old West Collectables.