Avinode promoted Annika Abraham to managing director Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia. Abraham served with Avinode for six years as CFO and has held financial roles at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Nordea and Volvo Business Services.

Olivier Savin was appointed vice president of customer support and services for Safran Nacelles. Savin, who most recently was vice president for the Safran/Honeywell joint venture EGTS International, has served with the Safran Group since 1992, holding multiple management roles for engine programs at CFM International, as well as several other subsidiaries in the areas of maintenance, repair, spares and after-sales service.

Robert Rufli joined Pentastar Aviation as vice president of flight operations and director of operations. Rufli has 35 years of aviation industry experience, including serving as senior v-p and director of flight operations for Landmark Aviation’s management and charter business. He also held senior roles with Aerodynamics and PDQ Air Service.

Elliott Aviation hired Mike Ménard as vice president of operations at its Moline, Ill. facility. Ménard has 20 years of business aviation experience, previously holding leadership roles with StandardAero, Dassault Aircraft Services and most recently Ace Precision Machining.

Dave Stewart was appointed vice president and general manager of the Flying Colours facility in St. Louis, Mo. Stewart, who spent a decade at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, began his work at Flying Colours as a lean manufacturing consultant for the Peterborough, Ontario location in 2008 and later became director of operations.

Global Jet Capital appointed Violet Kwek sales director for Greater China and North Asia, based in Hong Kong. Kwek, who most recently was deputy head of corporate banking for China Minsheng Banking in Hong Kong, has also served with Standard Chartered Bank.

Amy Yang, regional marketing and events manager in Asia-Pacific for VistaJet, has joined the Asian Business Aviation Association’s (AsBAA) Board of Governors to help steer the association’s marketing and public relations efforts. Yang brings 10 years of aviation marketing and communications experience to the role.

Eastern Aviation Fuels added Josh Pusser to its sales team. Pusser, who will cover the Mid-Atlantic, has worked in the industry since he was 12, when he began by pumping fuel and washing aircraft at a local airport, and has since obtained his pilot and A&P mechaniccertificate, served in the U.S. Air Force and most recently was an FBO manager for Warren Aviation.

Duncan Aviation named Jason Burhoop project manager for its Lincoln, Nebraska location. Burhoop has served with Duncan Aviation since 1999, beginning as an engine technician, and most recently was engine team leader. The company also named Nate Darlington paint department manager at its facility in Battle Creek, Mich. Darlington has served with Duncan for 16 years as a completions sales representative.

West Star Aviation appointed Dana Varney satellite manager for its location at Lone Star Executive Airport in Conroe, Texas. Varney has 22 years of industry experience, holding the roles of maintenance manager and accountable manager for Mayo Aviation.

Ross Aviation named Tim Goulet general manager of Ross Aviation Thermal (KTRM). Goulet brings 34 years of aviation industry experience to his new role, most recently serving as business development manager for Universal Weather and Aviation in Palm Springs.

Robert Brega has joined C&L Aviation Group as regional sales manager. Brega has 17 years of experience in MRO management, and most recently served as a Northeast regional manager for Duncan Aviation.

PPG named Daniel Bencun global platform business director for aerospace coatings and a member of PPG’s aerospace global leadership team. Bencun joined PPG in 2013 as aerospace coatings market segment manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa and before that managed the specialty coatings business in France for Becker Industrie SAS.

Mike Marie joined Universal Avionics as regional sales manager for the Central U.S. Marie brings 25 years of aviation experience to his new role, previously serving with Sandel Avionics, DAC International, Avidyne and Ryan International.

Argus International named Jeff Nix regional sales manager for the Central U.S. Nix began his aviation career in the 1990s at Comair and later held roles with Delta Private Jets and CAE, where he most recently was national sales director.

 Awards and Honors

The British Business and General Aviation Association (BBGA) presented Andrew Walters, owner and chairman of London Biggin Hill Airport, with its annual Michael Wheatley Award for Outstanding Services to the general aviation industry. Walters was recognized during the association’s recent 43rd annual conference.

BBGA chairman Marwan Khalek praised Walters’ industry advocacy efforts. “At a time when airport access is one of our biggest issues, it is good to have a friend who owns and looks after such valuable infrastructure and who has such an active interest in our association,” Khalek said.

Walters, who began his career flying helicopters in the Army Air Corps, established his first business, International Messengers, in 1975, eventually establishing 36 offices worldwide. After selling the business to UPS, he formed Regional Airports in 1990 as a vehicle to acquire both London Southend and Biggin Hill airports. After turning around Southend Airport, Walters sold it to the Stobart Group in 2008 and focused on Biggin Hill. Today Biggin Hill is the UK’s third largest business airport and recently celebrated its 100th birthday.

NBAA named this year's International Operators Scholarship recipients. The scholarships are awarded to individuals pursuing professional development within business aviation careers, with a focus on international operations.

Justin Castagna, the operations and project manager for Aeroplex/Aerolease Group who is pursing the Project Management Professional credential and seeking additional professional training, received a $4,000 award. Alexis Evans, an aspiring business aviation professional, was awarded $3,500 to attend corporate flight attendant training by Susan C. Friedenberg.

Chipoya Sinyinza, who is working at Sun Quest Aviation in Johannesburg, South Africa, received a $3,500 award that will help provide flight time for his instrument rating. Jonathan Conod, a junior at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, will put his $3,000 scholarship toward an A&P license and a bachelor’s degree in aviation management. Dawson Morgan was awarded $2,000 to attend Western Michigan University with a focus on flight science and aviation management.

Twain Josephson, who works in aircraft management for Western Aircraft, plans to use her $2,000 award for training at NBAA and industry conferences.

FlightSafety International chairman, president and CEO Bruce Whitman was honored by the Medal of Honor Society for dynamic leadership as co-chairman and prior chairman of the Medal of Honor Foundation. The society presented the award during the Circle of Honor Dinner held at the New York Stock Exchange on March 23. The foundation, which consists exclusively of the living recipients of the Medal of Honor, was established to educate and inspire Americans about the values embodied in the Medal of Honor.

Whitman, whose career with FlightSafety spans 55 years, spent two summers with the U.S. Merchant Marine before he graduated from Trinity in 1955. After graduation he was commissioned as a lieutenant with the U.S. Air Force and earned ratings as a pilot, navigator and bombardier. He later served in the Strategic Air Command and became assistant to the commander at Homestead Air Force Base.

Retired Lt. Richard Cole, the last surviving veteran of the World War II Doolittle raid on Tokyo, was scheduled to join other World War II heroes during the Commemorative Air Force (CAF) Dixie Wing WWII Heritage Days April 22-23 at the CAF Dixie Wing Warbird Museum, Atlanta Regional Airport-Falcon Field. Cole, 102, was Jimmy Doolittle’s copilot during the 1942 Doolittle Raid. He was also a “Hump” pilot during the China-Burma-India campaign and a C-47 pilot and Air Commando during the invasion of Burma. His wartime experiences are recounted in the book Dick Cole’s War. 

The event was also to feature Betty Bishop, representing the thousands of “Rosie the Riveter” women who worked the production lines in the 1940s. Bishop helped build the P-63 Kingcobra that is part of the Dixie Wing Museum collection.

“As the number of WWII veterans diminishes each day, we are proud to invite several of them and allow the public to get acquainted and hear their stories,” said Dixie Wing Leader Jay Bess. The organization cited Veterans Administration estimates that fewer than 700,000 World War II veterans survive today.

Final Flights

Business aviation pioneer Charles “Chuck” McKinnon, who was the founder and long-time manager of IBM’s flight department, died March 30 in his hometown of Trussville, Ala. He was 101.

McKinnon learned to fly in a Waco biplane from an auto racetrack on a site that is now Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, according to NBAA. McKinnon washed and waxed aircraft for air racer Doug Davis in exchange for flight lessons.

After graduating from Georgia Tech in 1939, McKinnon continued his career as a pilot for United Airlines, which had won a contract to fly supplies to troops during World War II. In 1954, McKinnon joined IBM to found the flight department. He flew the company’s first business aircraft, an Aero Commander piston twin, and led the department until his retirement in 1977.

During his tenure he opened a satellite flight department at Le Bourget Airport in Paris in 1960, and a decade later worked to save the airport when Charles de Gaulle Airport began operations. He was also active with NBAA, serving as a representative on a committee to standardize cockpit instrumentation and aircraft flight-handling characteristics.

During his career, he flew four U.S. presidents, two kings and several astronauts. McKinnon was predeceased by his first wife of 66 years, Mary, in 2004; and his second wife, Janice K. Barden, founder of Aviation Personnel International.