A lifelong aviation enthusiast who joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in 2007, Curt came to&nbsp;the publication&nbsp;from the broadcast industry where he was a national science and technology television reporter and producer. He writes on the FBO field, aviation finance, and sustainable aviation and occasionally contributes to&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;sister publication&nbsp;Business Jet Traveler. Curt was a member of the AINtv reporting staff that won the 2008 Aerospace Journalist of the Year award for Best Airshow Daily. That same year, he was a finalist for another AJOYA award. He earned an AJOYA for Best Business Aviation Submission in 2018 and was a finalist in that category in 2021. He received the National Air Transportation Association’s&nbsp; Aviation Journalist Award in 2012 and won a Pegasus Sapphire Business Aviation Award for outstanding journalism in 2021.
Before joining AIN, Curt worked with&nbsp;Consumer Reports’ television division, CRTV, and for several local television news staffs. An honors graduate of the State University of New York at Stony Brook, he earned a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Boston University in 1995. Curt lives in New York State with his wife and two young sons.

Senior Editor

Curt Epstein

John Garrison Jr., previously president of Textron’s industrial segment, was named president and CEO of subsidiary Bell Helicopter, replacing Richard “Dick” Millman, who is retiring after 43 years with Textron. 
Hawker Beechcraft has named Shawn Vick its executive v-p. Most recently he served as president and CEO of Landmark Aviation. The company also appointed Dan Frahm, formerly v-p sales and marketing for Elliott Aviation, as service sales manager for the Great Lakes Region.
Cessna has named Brad Thress v-p for customer service. Previously he served as v-p for component operation under the integrated supply chain group. The airframer also promoted Tracy Robinson from director for paint/interior operations to v-p for quality. 
Sukhoi Civil Aircraft (SCAC) has elected Leonid Komm, United Aircraft’s v-p for program and development management, as chairman. Vladimir Prisyazhnyuk was promoted from senior v-p and technical director to SCAC president, replacing Victor Soubbotin, who was appointed deputy director general for commercial aircraft programs.
Brian Delauter, formerly the federal security director at Georgia’s Savannah International Airport, has been selected to serve as the Transportation Security Administration’s acting general manager for the general aviation branch.
Actor and pilot Harrison Ford will be stepping down as honorary chairman of the Experimental Aircraft Association’s Young Eagles program later this year. He plans to take a more prominent role helping those in Washington understand GA issues.
Pennsylvania-based parts supply, repair and overhaul specialist Triumph Group has made several leadership changes. Jeffry Frisby has been promoted from group president of the aerospace systems division to company president and COO. Current president and CEO Richard Ill was appointed chairman and will remain CEO. David Kornblatt has been promoted from senior v-p to executive v-p and will remain the company’s CFO.
Gregory Yeldon has been promoted from v-p and CFO to president of Canadian avionics maker Esterline CMC Electronics. He has been serving as interim president since November.
Cirrus Aircraft has promoted Patrick Waddick from executive v-p of operations to executive v-p and COO. 
Itasca, Ill.-based airborne communications provider Aircell announced that current chairman of the board Ron LeMay will switch positions with president and CEO Jack Blumenstein.
Robert Baugniet, Gulfstream’s director of corporate communications, will be retiring after eight years with the company, effective October 9. During his watch, the Savannah airframer introduced seven new aircraft, unveiled several major product enhancements, attended more than 50 international business aviation airshows, and celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first flight of the Gulfstream I. A former v-p of communications with engine maker Rolls-Royce, Baugniet also served 38 years active duty and reserve in the Canadian Navy, rising to the rank of Commodore. Gulfstream also promoted three of its corporate flight operations pilots. Scott Evans has moved from chief pilot for advanced programs midsize cabin to chief pilot for demonstration. Bud Fidrych is now chief pilot for large-cabin demonstration, replacing Neil Vernon, who was appointed director for demonstration and corporate flight operations. Adam Spitler transitioned from training captain to chief pilot for airborne product support.
Doug Brantner, formerly v-p for Hawker Beechcraft Services, has joined Andover, Kan.-based general aviation consultancy firm Groom Aviation as a partner.
Private aviation provider CitationShares has retained Ken Emerick as a consultant to its supplemental lift program. Most recently he was the executive director of worldwide travel services at General Motors and was chairman of NBAA from 2004 to 2007.
ARG/US promoted Terry Webb from managing director of ARG/US Pros (partners and resources for operational safety) to v-p of ARG/US Pros.
Greenwich AeroGroup has named Ted Miller, previously head of Duncan Aviation’s paint, interior and avionics sales in Battle Creek, Mich., president of its avionics and instrument sales subsidiary, Matrix Aviation. 
St. Louis-based aviation services provider Sabreliner has announced a number of staff changes. Patrick Finneran Jr., previously executive advisor to the chairman, has been named to the newly created position of president and CEO of the corporation, Tom Arnold was promoted to v-p and corporate controller, and D.J. “Jim” Meier was appointed senior v-p, government and corporate aviation services. Pat Quinn was named to the new position of senior director for engineering and flight operations, and Jerry Wade was promoted to senior director for facilities and special projects. Rolfe Wagner was appointed director for planning and scheduling, while Beth Thomas was tapped for the newly created position of director for corporate aviation support. Gina Bey, who recently headed the company’s corporate aviation sales in the eastern U.S., now holds the new position of senior manager of sales support for corporate aircraft. 
Michael Opheim has been named sales manager for the Eastern region of North America for avionics and safety systems provider Avidyne. Most recently he was Rockwell Collins’s director of sales for the Eastern U.S. and Latin America.
San Antonio-based interiors specialist Gore Design Completions has promoted Ron Soret, formerly v-p of operations, to COO.
Huntsville, Ala.-based aviation engineering, manufacturing, logistics and integration provider WestWind Technologies has promoted Roger Tanner from hangar operations manager to business development manager for hangar operations. 
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Banyan Air Service has hired Chris Wray, formerly maintenance manager for Executive Jet Management, as its new Falcon crew leader.
Landing gear and fluid control supplier Circor International has appointed Michael Dill director for continuous improvement for its aerospace products group. Previously, he was a business unit director at Parker Hannifin. 
Maintenance program provider JSSI has named Ron Westwood, a former sales director of key accounts for Gulfstream, as its new director of business development for the Western U.S. Region. 
Brett Gardner, formerly a regional sales manager with MD Helicopter, has been named director of sales and marketing by Becker Flugfunk’s U.S. subsidiary, Becker Avionics. 
Scott Arnold has been appointed director of AirCare Solutions Group Interactive. He is currently director of sister company AirCare Crews, and an emergency procedures trainer with Facts Training.
Risk-services broker Willis Aerospace has hired Stephen Kisor, formerly an executive v-p with Aon, as executive v-p and head of the company’s Los Angeles office. 
MRO specialist King Aerospace has promoted Jim Thompson from project manager to general manager, and has hired Buddy Tobin, formerly president of BaySys West, as senior project manager.
Graham Stephenson, ExecuJet Group’s head of fixed-base operations, has retired after a career in European commercial and business aviation spanning more than half a century.
Nashville, Tenn.-based Business Aircraft Leasing has hired Randy Keith, previously a Citation area sales manager with Cessna, as an aircraft sales and acquisitions specialist.
Alpharetta, Ga.-based Flight Display Systems has hired three new engineers in its research and development group. Colleen Paine joins the company as a program engineer; Jonathan Pinson, product engineer; and Nick Caine, research and development engineer.
Australian maintenance and service provider Aeromil Pacific has promoted Jared Kirk to the position of engineering manager.
Retired Lockheed Martin executive Paul Schumacher has joined the strategic advisory council for Denver-based clean aviation energy solutions provider Bye Aerospace.
Cyntia Garcia has been appointed executive director for marketing and business development at Miami-based consultancy and brokerage InterFlight Global. She is a recent aviation and aerospace MBA graduate from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
The Corporate Angel Network (CAN), a non-profit group that arranges free flights to treatment for cancer patients using the empty seats on business aircraft, was the recipient of this year’s Outstanding Achievement in Public Benefit Flying Award from the National Aeronautic Association. CAN also received a donation of $25,000 from Chevron Global Aviation in support of the charity’s efforts on behalf

People in Aviation: September 2009

John Garrison Jr., previously president of Textron’s industrial segment, was named president and CEO of subsidiary Bell Helicopter, replacing

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