Executive Jet Management named Norah Lenardic v-p of management sales and client services, overseeing the U.S. Midwest. She has more than 25 years of experience in Part 91 and Part 135 operations. Patti Sullivan and Dave Richter were named v-p of management sales and client services, focusing on the northeastern U.S. Sullivan previously was employed by Key Bank as national sales manager for corporate aircraft finance and as an aviation finance specialist at Textron Financial, DaimlerChrysler Capital and Aviation Resource Group. Richter joined the company from an aircraft brokerage firm and previously worked for Cessna’s CitationAir division.
Bell Helicopter named Matthew Hasik executive v-p of commercial business. He succeeds Danny Maldonado, who has been appointed president and CEO of Textron Financial. Barry Kohler was named executive v-p of customer service and support, replacing Eric Cardinali, who now leads global operations for Textron’s Kautex division. Raymond Leduc succeeds Kohler as president of Bell Helicopter Textron Canada. John Klopfer will return to Bell as v-p of commercial business finance. Patrick Moulay was promoted to v-p of global sales and marketing. Larry Roberts was named v-p of sales and marketing for the Bell 525 Relentless program.
Gulfstream promoted Mark Kohler to v-p of advanced aircraft programs, with responsibilities for the development, certification and entry into service of the G500 and G600. He has held a variety of positions with Gulfstream since 1992. The company also promoted Caroline Keller to deputy general counsel.
FlightSafety International promoted Brian Goodsite to manager of its Cessna maintenance learning center in Wichita. He joined FlightSafety in 2005 as an instructor and was later promoted to supervisor of maintenance training.
Honeywell promoted Justin Ryan to president of BendixKing. Ryan joined Honeywell in 2006 as a strategic marketing executive and has spent the last five years as v-p of the Airbus business segment.
Ni Jiliang was promoted to general manager of Ameco Beijing, replacing Hu Yuliang. Ni joined Ameco Beijing in 1988 after graduating from college. He has held various positions with the company, including engineering department manager, engine services subdivision manager and executive director of operation.
FirstFlight promoted Mark Margeson to president. He has worked at the company in various leadership roles during the past 12 years. The company also named Greg Himoff v-p of sales. He was most recently v-p of sales and general manager for Universal Jet Aviation’s Teterboro Airport facility.
United Technologies promoted Gregory Hayes to president and CEO. He replaces Louis Chenevert, who retired. Hayes was most recently senior v-p and CFO.
The General Aviation Manufacturers Association elected Joe Brown, president of Hartzell Propeller, as chairman. Previously he was vice chairman of the board and chairman of the policy and legal issues committee. Aaron Hilkemann, president and CEO of Duncan Aviation, was named vice chairman. He will continue to serve as chairman of the airworthiness and maintenance policy committee.
Jim Rankin was named president and CEO of Columbia Helicopters. He was most recently president and CEO of Air Wisconsin.
The Helicopter Association International named Charles Visconage manager of marketing. He was most recently the communications and marketing manager for the Institute for Public-Private Partnerships.
Rick Townsend was named v-p of business development, aircraft maintenance and refurbishment for Bizjet International.
Alan DePeters, founder of Key Air, has returned to the company as president and CEO.
On Air Dining named Robin Southwell chairman. Previously he led Airbus Group UK.
Priester Aviation named Greg Kinsella v-p of business development. He was previously president and CEO of Key Air and is currently vice chairman of the Air Charter Safety Foundation.
Mike Marie has joined Sandel Avionics as North American sales representative. He has held various avionics roles with Ryan International, Avidyne and DAC International.
The Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems named Brian Wynne president and CEO. He previously held a senior leadership role at the Intelligent Transportation Society of America and was CEO of the Association for Automatic Identification and Mobility.
John Harpool joined U.S. Bank Multi Service Aviation as national sales manager. He previously served as director of sales and marketing for Air Training International.
Go Rentals named Bruce Woodrell area manager in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., overseeing two airports and focusing on long-term growth for the East Coast market. He joined the company from Banyan Air Service.
Steve Gulvin joined start-up EVS Aviation with responsibility for sales, marketing and strategic planning. He was most recently director of sales for Signature Flight Support Europe, Middle East and Africa.
Dallas Aeronautical Services appointed Vince Doherty northeast regional manager.
United Rotorcraft named Bob Youngreen account manager within the global sales and marketing department and Everett Horst director of operations at the Decatur, Texas location. Youngreen was aftermarket sales manager for MD Helicopters and director of maintenance for Omniflight Helicopters. Horst co-founded Premier Aviation and Heritage Aviation.
Matt Tuohy was named director of Jacksonville University’s Davis Aviation Center. He was most recently director of managed solutions and veterans program lead with Incepture.
Jim Weaver joined Advanced Aircrew Academy as director of instructional design. He was most recently director of operations at Flight Options.
NBAA named James Buchanan and Rick Mrkacek to its Certified Aviation Manager Governing Board. Buchanan, who was named chairman, is director of flight operations and administration for AT&T. Mrkacek, who was named secretary/treasurer, is flight operations manager at Country Financial.
Mark Larsen, senior manager of safety and flight operations at NBAA, was named to the board of governors of the Air Charter Safety Foundation.
Michael Volpe joined Argus as regional manager for the eastern U.S. and eastern Canada. He was most recently v-p of client relations at Jet Aviation and has held positions with Eastern Airlines and Alitalia Airlines.
Cello Aviation named Sophie Smith deputy operations manager.
Banyan Air Service named Robert Van Riper as manager of HondaJet sales for the southeast U.S.
Christian Schobert was promoted to turboprop sales account manager for Western Aircraft. He was most recently lead technician on the company’s turboprop team.
DAC International named Jennifer Sullivan east coast regional sales manager. She was previously southeastern U.S. sales manager for Contractors Register.
Muhammad Shakeel was named Pakistan manager for Euro Jet Intercontinental.
Ken Hylander was named board chairman of the Flight Safety Foundation. Hylander, a former Delta Air Lines executive, has been serving as chair-elect since November 2013.
Inmarsat named Mary McMillan v-p of aviation safety and operational services. She was most recently senior v-p for aerospace safety and environment at Tetra Tech AMT.
Christian Venuto was named charter sales executive at GrandView Aviation. She was previously a SEO content writer for Groove, a creative marketing company in Baltimore, and an aeronautical information specialist for Lockheed Martin.
Neil Engerran was named manager of staffing services for EMEA and Asia for Jet Professionals.
Meredith Siegfried, Nordam CEO, was appointed to the board of directors of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
Janine Iannarelli, founder and president of Par Avion, has been appointed to the Texas Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee.
James Kilmetis joined Private Jet Services as business development executive. Previously he worked for Air Charter Service. o
Awards and Honors
Avfuel awarded the 2014 Avtrip Scholarship to Ryan Knopf, who will receive $2,000 for continuing aviation education of his choice. Knopf, a Challenger 300 charter pilot, plans to apply the award toward completion of his bachelor’s degree in aviation administration at Utah Valley University.
John Alvarez, special operations and missions, assessment and development director for Commuter Air Technology and a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, was inducted into the Air Commando Hall of Fame. The Air Commando Association is an organization for retired and active duty Special Operations Forces personnel.
Dr. Simon Mitchell was awarded The British Helicopter Association’s Eric Brown award. The award is given to the individual considered to have made the greatest and most significant contribution to the British helicopter industry during the past year. Mitchell is a director of Starspeed and visiting fellow at Cranfield Safety and Accident Investigation Centre. He has been a helicopter pilot for more than 27 years, a career that has included stints as a commercial pilot flying for the offshore oil and gas industry and onshore with the London Metropolitan Police Service.
Jerry Johnson, a former chief pilot at PlaneSense, was presented with the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award from the FAA. The award recognizes pilots who have contributed and maintained safe flight operations for 50 or more consecutive years. Johnson started his career as a Marine Corps A-4 attack pilot in Vietnam. Later, he flew O-1 Bird Dogs in a close air support tour. After leaving the military, Johnson joined Northwest Airlines and retired as a 747 captain after 34 years. He joined Alpha Flying, which later became PlaneSense, where he served as chief pilot. He finished his career working flying for a non-government contractor in Africa.
Richmond Nettey, associate dean at Kent State University’s College of Applied Engineering, Sustainability and Technology, has received the University Aviation Association’s William A. Wheatley Award. The award is presented to a professional educator who is involved in the University Aviation Association and has made significant contributions to aerospace education over the course of at least 10 years. Nettey received the award for his work at Kent state and on aviation committees at the National Research Council and the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C.
Final Flights
Jean-Paul Bechat, former CEO of French engine manufacturer Snecma and later of parent company Safran, has died. Bechat, who graduated from France’s Ecole Polytechnique, started his career with the group as a production engineer in 1965. He led Snecma from 1996 to 2005, at which time Snecma merged with Sagem to create Safran, a new group Bechat led until 2007.
Tyler Francis, president of Francis Aviation, was killed in the crash of a single-engine airplane at Las Cruces International Airport, N.M. on November 24. He was 29.
