Story ID: 003
People in Aviation March 2025
By: Jessica Reed
Caption: Chris Rocheleau is acting FAA administrator,  Éric Trappier CEO of Dassault.
Word Count: 1584
President Trump officially appointed former NBAA COO Chris Rocheleau as the acting administrator of the FAA. Rocheleau had spent 22 years with the FAA in various roles, rising to the position of deputy associate administrator for aviation safety before joining NBAA in 2022. He also served as FAA deputy assistant administrator for policy, international affairs, and environment and chief of staff, among others.
On January 9, Éric Trappier began his new role as CEO of French industrial group Dassault, which includes Falcon and Mirage manufacturer Dassault Aviation, as well as IT specialist Dassault Systèmes and real estate division Immobilière Dassault. Trappier replaces Charles Edelstenne, who has led Groupe Industriel Marcel Dassault since 2018, while retaining his existing position as CEO of Dassault Aviation. Trappier has spent his entire career with Dassault, having joined the company soon after graduating with an engineering degree from France’s Telecom SudParis university in 1983. He became the head of Dassault Aviation in 2013, taking over from Edelstenne, as well as holding the position of chairman of the company’s U.S. subsidiary, Dassault Falcon Jet.
The U.S. Senate on January 28 confirmed the nomination of former U.S. congressman Sean Duffy to become secretary of transportation. The Senate Commerce Committee had unanimously approved Duffy’s nomination the week prior, clearing a path for one of the smoother confirmations in the White House administration.
The U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I) selected Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) to chair its aviation subcommittee. In that role, Nehls succeeds former Rep. Garret Graves (R-Louisiana), who retired at the end of his congressional term last year. A former law enforcement officer, Nehls has served in Congress since 2021. Nehls will steer new aviation policy and oversee the implementation of the many measures of the FAA reauthorization bill that was passed last year. 
Gulfstream Aerospace announced strategic leadership changes to strengthen its enterprise supply chain and customer support operations. Derek Zimmerman was appointed senior v-p of enterprise supply chain, a newly established role aimed at enhancing procurement, inventory management, logistics, warehousing, repair and overhaul, distribution, and spare parts operations. Zimmerman joined Gulfstream in 2011 and has held leadership positions in product support and customer service, most recently serving as president of customer support. In parallel, Lor Izzard was named senior v-p of Gulfstream customer support. Izzard, a member of the Gulfstream team since 1999, will oversee sales support, service center operations, government programs, and field support. Previously, he served as v-p of field support, leveraging his engineering background to deliver service solutions. These appointments coincide with the retirement of Dennis Stuligross, senior v-p of program management, quality, and supply chain, who is stepping down in March after more than 30 years with Gulfstream. Stuligross played a pivotal role in the certification of the G700 and held leadership positions across completions, manufacturing, and operations.
Richard Layson was named COO at Modern Aviation. Layson has more than two decades of aviation industry experience and most recently served as v-p of operations for Jet Aviation.
Luke Bessler has taken on the role of executive director of sales of Bravo Territory at GlobalAir. Bessler previously completed an internship at the company and has also worked at Central Kentucky Regional Airport, where he refueled and serviced general aviation and private aircraft.
Rep. Mike Ezell (R-Mississippi) was selected as the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s vice chairman for the 119th Congress, serving alongside chairman Sam Graves. “During my time on this committee, I have seen a strong focus on initiatives that drive our economy and strengthen our communities, such as streamlining regulatory processes to improve natural disaster response,” Ezell said.
Jeff Lake, previously CEO and president of Duncan Aviation, named Mike Minchow the company’s new president. Lake will continue as CEO. Minchow has worked for the company since 1993 and most recently served as COO of Duncan’s MRO facility in Lincoln, Nebraska. Kasey Harwick, v-p of aircraft services and quality, was promoted to executive v-p and COO of the Lincoln facility. Harwick has been with the company since 1999.
Leah Alexander, who works in aircraft sales and acquisitions at Duncan Aviation, relocated from the UK to Chicago in mid-February to expand the company’s client base in the area. Alexander has provided coverage for the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region since early 2023.
Ben Munson took over as president of air charter operator Contour Aviation. He founded consultancy Embark Aviation, which has provided services to Countour since 2017, and previously served as CEO of Seaborne Airlines.
Bettina Fetzer was appointed to Bombardier’s board of directors. Fetzer serves as v-p of digital and communications at Mercedes‐Benz. The company also announced the departures of Ji-Xun Foo and Eric Sprunk, who have transitioned out of the board of directors for personal reasons and had served on the board since 2022 and 2021, respectively.
The Air Charter Safety Foundation appointed attorney Ron Brower as its legal counsel. Brower founded RBAvLaw and has more than 28 years of experience in the aviation sector, including senior legal and advisory roles at Executive Jet Management, FlyExclusive, NetJets, Northwest Airlines, and Wheels Up.
Bill Richards, previously Falcon project manager at West Star Aviation’s facility in East Alton, Illinois, was promoted to regional sales manager for the U.S. Midwest. Richards has more than 27 years of experience in aviation, including working for Garrett Aviation in Springfield, Illinois.
Balan Varma was hired by FCG OPS as its business development manager in India. Varma’s 30-plus years of experience include working for Air Works India Engineering, Quikjet Cargo Airlines, and Air Deccan.
DAS Aviation hired JP Epps as regional sales manager for the U.S. Southeast. Epps previously worked at Embraer Executive Jets as an aftermarket sales executive and at Constant Aviation/Flexjet as an aftermarket sales manager.
Cam Bolton-Wilson was hired as v-p of Chapman Freeborn’s humanitarian and government division in the Americas. Bolton-Wilson served as a commando in the UK’s Royal Marines for six years and has 18 additional years of experience in the defense and humanitarian sectors.
Titan Aviation Fuels tapped Kathy Moss as v-p of global business development effective in March 2025. Her prior experience includes serving as v-p of FBO sales programs and the Air Elite FBO network at World Fuel Services.
Jennifer Kempsey transferred from C&L Aviation Services to C&L Aerospace, where she serves as a regional sales manager. Kempsey, who has two decades of experience working in aviation, in her new role will focus on Cessna Citation Sovereign and XLS platforms, as well as Bombardier Challenger 604s, Hawkers, and Beechjets.
The Lee County Port Authority appointed Steven Roque as deputy executive director of aviation and COO, leading more than 300 employees at Southwest Florida International Airport and Page Field in Fort Myers, Florida. Roque was previously the assistant v-p of infrastructure maintenance at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
Flightstar hired Jon Young for an avionics sales and support role. Young’s previous experience in avionics, which spans more than three decades, includes a focus on installations, troubleshooting, and customer service.
Jessica McClintock was hired as v-p of leasing at Sky Harbour Group. McClintock previously worked at FuelerLinx for 11 years as v-p of global account management.
United States Aviation Underwriters (USAU), the manager of the United States Aircraft Insurance Group (USAIG), announced the retirement of Kerry Porter, senior v-p and director of claims, after a more than 35-year tenure. Glenn Vallach took over as senior v-p and director of claims. Vallach previously worked for a defense law firm in New York City as an aviation litigation and trial attorney and has been with USAIG since 2012.
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) revealed its 2025 Executive Committee leadership team, elected during GAMA’s fall board meeting. Henry Brooks, president of the power and controls division at Collins Aerospace, will assume the role of chair of the board. Brooks previously served as the U.S.-based industry group's vice chair and chaired the Security Issues Committee. Ron Draper, president and CEO of Textron Aviation, will take over as vice chair. Draper previously served as chair of GAMA's Flight Operations Policy Committee. Chuck Wiplinger, president and CEO of Wipaire, will transition to immediate past chair after serving as GAMA’s 2024 chair. Wiplinger has also led the Policy and Legal Issues Committee and the Technical Policy Committee. Several appointments were announced for GAMA’s policy committees. Tony Brancato, president of business aviation at StandardAero, will continue as chair of the Airworthiness and Maintenance Policy Committee. JJ Frigge, president of Hartzell Propeller, will chair the Communications Committee. Kyle Clark, founder and CEO of Beta Technologies, and Oliver Reinhardt, chief risk and certification officer at Volocopter, will co-chair the Electric Propulsion and Innovation Committee.
Awards and Honors
The FAA awarded Ray Segarra, master technician at Flexjet, the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award. Segarra served as a crew chief mechanic for the U.S. Army, and he has also worked for Sikorsky Aircraft and Raco Helicopters.
Charles Etter was recognized by NBAA with its Silk Scarf Award. Etter was a staff scientist and technical fellow at Gulfstream Aerospace who recently retired from the company. He joined Gulfstream in 1996 and contributed to educating industry stakeholders about sustainable aviation fuel.