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

Bruno Spagnolini has been named CEO of AgustaWestland. He was promoted from his role as the company’s COO.
Alenia Aeronautica has appointed Amedeo Caporaletti as the company’s chairman. He succeeds Giorgio Brazzelli, who will take on another role within the Finmeccanica group.
New York-based private aviation provider ExcelAire has promoted David Rimmer from executive v-p to president of the company.
Czech Republic-based aviation services provider ABS Jets has promoted Jitka Bretova from finance director to CFO.
Embraer has promoted Clint Clouatre, previously senior marketing manager for the company’s North American executive jets division, to v-p of marketing for Embraer Executive Jets. The Brazilian airframer also named Jim Beckstein v-p of its newly created pre-owned executive jets sales department. Most recently, he was director of aircraft sales and management at Cessna Finance.
David Balser, most recently v-p of Nexus Flight Operations Services, was selected as v-p of customer excellence in Hawker Beechcraft’s global customer support division. The Wichita OEM also announced two new appointments to its global sales team in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region. Usman Mastan, most recently director of aircraft sales at Empire Aviation Group, was named regional sales director, Middle East and North Africa, while Anatoly Parkhomchuk, previously business development manager at Ocean Sky Aviation, was tapped as regional sales director for Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Texas-based aircraft services provider King Aerospace Commercial has appointed Rob Tomenendal, most recently director of business development for Gore Design Completions, v-p of sales and marketing for its large-aircraft completions and modifications division.
Claude Chidiac has joined Esterline CMC Electronics as v-p of customer support and strategic development. Most recently, he was v-p of business development for business aviation at StandardAero.
Jet Aviation has promoted David Ricklin from director of purchasing and logistics and deputy managing director of the company’s maintenance and FBO facility in Geneva, to v-p and general manager of Jet Aviation Geneva.
Michael Sattler, formerly senior v-p of maintenance at Jet Aviation in Basel, has been named to succeed Beat Höhener as v-p of European maintenance and refurbishment provider Ruag Business Aviation. Höhener will serve as acting v-p of strategy and development for Ruag Holding.
Connecticut-based aviation services provider Key Air has named Mark Dennen senior v-p and CFO. Previously he was the senior v-p of finance for TAG Aviation.
TrueNorth Avionics announced that Thomas Marrocco, previously with Mxi Technologies, has joined the company as v-p of worldwide sales.
Gulfstream has appointed Jenny Rogers, previously Northeast sales director for Hawker Beechcraft, a sales director in the company’s North American sales, East division. She replaces Geoff Nye, who is retiring.
Ed Iacobucci, founder of defunct air-taxi provider DayJet, has been named chairman and CEO of data management start-up VirtualWorks.
Dassault has promoted Jean Kayanakis, previously
v-p of Falcon worldwide spares, to general manager of Dassault Falcon Service, succeeding Yves Gueyffier. Ron Matysik, most recently a senior service engineer, was named manager of service engineering.
W.E. Poe, v-p of business operations for Delta Private Jets, will retire from the company this summer, ending a 36-year career in the corporate aviation industry.
Aviation communications solution provider Satcom Direct has named Mike Opheim its new v-p of business aviation sales. Most recently he was director of eastern region aftermarket sales at Rockwell Collins.
Canadian helicopter support provider Heli-One has appointed Larry Alexandre, most recently CEO of Safran subsidiary Sagem Avionics, as president. He succeeds Neil Calvert, who retired.Solairus Aviation has expanded its charter sales team with the addition of Oliver Wolcott as v-p of business development and Mark Hill, a charter sales account executive.UK-based private aviation services provider Ocean Sky has made two additions to its executive staff. Samantha Clouder, most recently NetJets v-p of sales in the UK, was named sales and business development director, while Janus Kamradt was tasked with leading the company’s aircraft sales and management business. Previously he was senior v-p for international sales at Global Jet Concept.
Rotorcraft maintenance specialist Uniflight has appointed David Horton general manager for the company’s Grand Prairie, Texas operations. Most recently he was president and general manager of Schweizer Aircraft.
Michael Hirschberg was named executive director of the American Helicopter Society. Before this appointment he was a principal aerospace engineer at Centra Technology.
Paul Jackson, most recently v-p of trading at Royal Aero Services, has been appointed chief trading officer at Aero Capital Solutions. Texas-based aviation services provider TacAir has added Matt Davis, previously v-p of aviation marketing for FlightAware, as director of business development.King Air modification specialist Blackhawk announced that Jon Adams, founder of Summit AeroEngineering, has joined the company as director of STC projects, administrative designated engineering representative. Micky Bitcon, previously Hawker Beechcraft’s director of finance, has been named the Texas-based company’s CFO.
Maintenance program provider JSSI promoted Haydee Ramirez from European inside sales associate, business development to director of business development for Africa. The company also announced that it has hired Max Dolsdorf, previously an engine shop supervisor at Jet Aviation, as a European technical services representative.
Dallas-based FBO Business Jet Center has appointed Jamie Rose as chief brand manager. Previously she was executive flight solutions manager for sister company Business Jet Access.Andrea Bahr, most recently with Orion Jet Center, has joined Fort Lauderdale-based FBO Banyan Air Service as customer support manager.Arizona-based MRO specialist StandardAero has named Rob Fox regional sales director of the company’s business aviation sector.Matthew Wright, previously an FBO manager and regional manager of maintenance operations with Atlantic Aviation, was named general manager of Landmark Aviation’s Scottsdale, Ariz. location.Greenwich AeroGroup named Mike Slattery to its interior product management team. He had been leading interiors and completion efforts at its Western Aircraft subsidiary.West Star Aviation has appointed Kurt Sutterer, the recently retired president of Midcoast Aviation, to its board of directors. The MRO provider also appointed Dale Appleby technical sales manager.Private aviation provider National Jets announced that George Martinez will take over the company’s sales and marketing departments in addition to his role as director of flight programs. Flight coordinators Seth Thompson and Patrick Frawley have been promoted to manager of flight programs and manager of sales and marketing, respectively, for the Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based company.Phillips 66 Aviation has promoted several team members. R.G. Still, former director of branded sales for general aviation, has been appointed manager of wholesale sales mid-continent, global marketing for Conoco Phillips. He is replaced by Rick Duste, the company’s former director of programs development for general aviation. Rosemary Leone, previously business improver for general aviation, succeeds Duste.The three founders of UK-based aviation consultancy Oriens Advisors have restructured their company with the following titles: Edwin Brenninkmeyer has taken the role of CEO, while Michael Ricks was named COO. The position of chairman was filled by Archie Garden, who was recently appointed airport director at Cambridge Airport.Wichita-based business and regional aircraft parts supplier GlobalParts.aero has named four new sales representatives. Chris Allison and Bryan Hickey, formerly with Avgroup, will serve the southeast U.S., while Teri Lang, most recently with Honeywell International, will cover the southwest. Don Demuth will handle the West Coast.NVG cockpit modifications specialist Aero Dynamix has named Tonka Hufford operations manager for project development. Most recently he was president of RSG Aviation.
Comlux Aviation Services has promoted Gary Newport to the position of program manager. He succeeds Gordon Miller, who retired after 36 years with the company.
Tucson, Ariz.-based Universal Avionics has named Charles Carroll marketing manager for the U.S. Southeast region. Previously he owned and managed his own avionics modification firm.
David Mittleman has joined Avfuel as district sales manager for the U.S. North Central region. Before this appointment, he was the v-p of sales and marketing for Garsite/Progress.
Kimberly Herrell has rejoined San Diego-based charter provider Schubach Aviation as its director of charter sales.
BBA Aviation Engine Repair and Overhaul subsidiary Dallas Airmotive has named Francis Lee general manager of its regional turbine center in Singapore, which will open next year.

People in Aviation: July 2011

Bruno Spagnolini has been named CEO of AgustaWestland.

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