Story ID: 003 People
People in Aviation
By: Kait Wilson
Caption: A recent look at aviation industry related changes in leadership roles and job titles as well as those recognized with awards and honors.
Word Count: 1464
JetNet appointed Derek Swaim as president. Swaim, who has more than 20 years of experience executing corporate acquisitions, mergers, and growth equity investments, has previously served with Silversmith Capital Partners Validity, Harris Williams, and Goldman Sachs.

Signature Aviation appointed Mike Eshoo as CFO. Eshoo previously spent 20 years holding financial and leadership roles within GE Power and GE Aviation, most recently as senior v-p and CFO for GE Gas Power.

FlyExclusive named Brent Smith CFO. Smith has nearly 25 years of industry expertise, previously serving in CFO roles with Air Methods, Crossmark, and NetJets.

Will Dent was named chief marketing officer by aircraft management company Elevate Holdings. After serving as a helicopter crew chief in the U.S. Army for seven years, Dent spent 13 years at Gulfstream Aerospace, led his own company, Dently and most recently was president and chief technology officer for AeroParts Now.

Laura Heltebran, chief legal officer at Wheels Up Experience, has been appointed to the advisory board of Women Leading Travel & Hospitality. Heltebran has more than 30 years of experience in the technology, travel, and aviation industries.

GPMS appointed Tom Benson to its board of directors. Benson, who has 25 years hardware, software, and data experience, most recently the chief strategy officer at Camp Systems and before that served as executive v-p and general manager at Amstat. GPMS also hired John Byus to serve as director of sales for the Americas. Byus has more than 40 years of rotorcraft and aviation industry experience and most recently served for 15 years as a sales/key account manager with Airbus Helicopters.

Zela Aviation hired Eleni Charitou as a charter and marketing executive and Markos Kallias as business developer and ACMI executive. Charitou has more than 20 years in the aviation industry, including Air France, Falcon Aviation Services, HH Private Office Abu Dhabi, and Etihad Airways. Kallias has previously worked for Jet2, Flightworx, and also the UK Civil Aviation Authority.

Will Fulton was appointed by Skyryse as v-p of product and marketing. Fulton joins the company from Airbus Helicopters, where he served as head of marketing for North America.

JetHQ appointed Mauro Rosso to serve as v-p of sales—Europe. Rosso previously worked for major airlines including Alitalia and Swiss International Air Lines., as well as  held sales positions at Jet Aviation and most recently Textron Aviation in Zurich, Switzerland.

Shane Ellis was promoted by Summit Aviation to executive v-p of aircraft sales. Ellis joined Summit in May and before that had served as v-p of sales for Hawker Beechcraft/Textron Aviation and had worked with Piaggio Aero.

Jet Linx hired Colby Creger and Matthew St. Clair to serve as vice presidents of regional aircraft management sales. Creger previously served as a regional sales director for Textron Aviation. St. Clair previously worked at Textron and Clay Lacy Aviation.

Fredrik Bergman was appointed by Savback Helicopters as commercial director. Bergman has more than 35 years of service in the Swedish air force, most recently as head of test and evaluation at Swedish Defence Material Administration.

West Star appointed Vince Ruscitti as program manager for government affairs. Ruscitti has more than 38 years of experience in the aviation industry and also has active U.S. government secret clearance. Additionally, West Star has promoted Dan Milholland to senior project manager at its Grand Junction, Colorado facility. Milholland has worked for West Star for more than 24 years, starting as a technician for Learjet, then moving to Citation, and eventually to a senior team lead position in aircraft services.

Avidyne promoted Bill Thompson to director of business aviation. Thompson joined Avidyne in 2020 with more than 25 years of experience in avionics integration and certification, including with Textron Aviation and Signature TechnicAir.

Damping Technologies hired Laurent Vacher as business development manager. Vacher has a background in aviation marketing.

FlyExclusive named Byron Silkett-Irvine senior director of safety. Silkett-Irvine brings more than 15 years of aviation experience having previously served as senior manager of regulatory standards for Spirit Airlines and as a director of maintenance for the U.S. Air Force.

Laurie Zahniser was hired by JetHQ as manager of market research. Zahniser joins JetHQ after 25 years with JetNet, where she was a research manager.

Metro Aviation hired Roxanne Fawson in a newly created role as customer communication center compliance manager. Fawson previously was a 911 dispatcher for 15 years and for 14 years with the University of Utah’s AirMed program,

Spirit Aeronautics hired Greg Diognard as regional sales manager for the Southern U.S. Diognard previously served in the U.S. Air Force as a crew chief on the F-111E and has held roles with ATP/Flightdocs, StandardAero, and Landmark Aviation.

Awards and Honors

The National Air Transportation Association (NATA) will present its annual Industry Excellence Awards at this year’s Aviation Business Conference on November 3 in Miami, Florida. The Airport Executive Partnership Award will be presented to John Black, Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport Authority executive director. The Excellence in Pilot Training Award will be presented to Jeffrey Wolf, chief flight instructor at paragon flight training in Fort Myers, Florida. David Hernandez, line service manager with Mayo Aviation, will receive the NATA Safety 1st Certified Line Service Professional Award; Carla Keeney, customer service manager at Jet Access Indianapolis. will receive the NATA FBO Customer Service Representative Award, and Shae Helling, director of FBO operations and marketing at Bismarck Aero Center, will receive the NATA Future Leader Award.

The National Aeronautic Association (NAA) is awarding the 2022 Wesley L. McDonald Distinguished Statesman and Stateswoman of Aviation Award to Peter Bunce, Anthony Mazzolini, Captain Houston Mills, William Shea, Hazel Sig-Hester, and Cheryl Stearns. NAA recognizes these individuals “who, by their efforts over an extended period of years, have made contributions of significant value to aeronautics, and have reflected credit upon America and themselves."

 

Final Flights

Veteran business aviation marketing, communications, and publishing executive Gilbert Wolin died on September 5 at the age of 71.

Called a luminary in the industry, Wolin was the middle of three generations of aviation professionals. His business aviation career spanned some 50 years and involved roles with numerous companies, from leading sales and marketing at NetJets predecessor Executive Jet Aviation to serving as v-p of marketing at the Combs Gates/AMR Combs FBO chain and president of Denver-based charter/management company Mayo Aviation.

His career led him to a publisher’s role at Business & Commercial Aviation before he joined TAG Aviation USA as v-p of corporate communications. Wolin ultimately founded his own consultancy in 2009 and launched Business Aviation Advisor.

During this time, he remained a strong industry advocate. Along with the NATA board, he served on the Corporate Angel Network and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Association presidential advisory boards. He also was active with NBAA, the Massachusetts Airport Management Association, and the Business Aviation Professionals of New England.

Long-time business aviation executive Michael K. Moore, 78, died of natural causes at his home in Tucson, Arizona, on July 31.

He graduated from Columbia University in 1965 and subsequently attended Naval Aviation Flight Training, earning his U.S. Navy wings in 1966. He flew the P-3 Orion on active duty, as well as during his years in the Navy Reserves.

After active duty, Moore joined the business aviation industry when he went to work for FlightSafety International (FSI) at its LaGuardia headquarters in 1974. He then moved to Wichita, where he managed FSI’s Learjet Training Center.

Moore later held v-p of sales positions at Executive Air Fleet, Simuflite, and Learjet. In 2000, he joined TAG Aviation USA as senior v-p of sales and marketing. An accident in December 2008 caused him to retire early, but he since remained a passionate advocate for the business aviation community.

Priscilla (Pat) Blum, 97, who co-founded the Corporate Angel Network (CAN), has passed away. A licensed commercial pilot, Blum was diagnosed with breast cancer and needed treatment in New York City.  She realized how expensive and grueling it was for patients to travel long distances to travel for cancer treatment and partnered with Leonard Greene and Jay Weinberg in 1981 to develop an organization that would ask corporations to fly cancer patients on their aircraft. CAN has since flown more than 66,000 patient flights.

She has been recognized for her work over the years, including as the recipient of the National Aeronautic Association’s Katharine Wright Memorial Trophy as well as induction into the Women in Aviation International Pioneer Hall of Fame.
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