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

Michael Sweeney, CEO of United States Aviation Underwriters, retired at the end of December, but will continue as chairman until April 30. David McKay, company president COO, succeeds him as CEO.
Mark Paolucci, Cessna’s senior v-p of sales, has retired after 32 years with the company. The Wichita airframer has split his responsibilities and promoted Tim White from regional v-p of U.S. sales to v-p of sales for the Americas. Trevor Esling, previously regional v-p international sales, was named v-p of sales, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia.
Dassault Falcon has promoted Paul Floreck from v-p of sales for Eastern U.S. and Canada to senior v-p for U.S. and Canadian sales. He replaces Jeff Habib, who accepted a partnership in a new investment firm.
Alabama-based aviation engineering and integration provider WestWind Technologies has named William Jolly as president and CEO. Before this appointment he was president and CEO of Tyonek Manufacturing Group, as well as president of TFAB Ground Systems.
Argus International has announced a pair of promotions. Kathy Tyler, previously director of sales, has been named v-p of sales, while Steve Witowski has been promoted from director of business aviation safety systems for the company’s Professional Resources In System Management (Prism) subsidiary, to v-p of the division.
Gulfstream has made several management changes. Troy Miller, a 20-year air force veteran and a Gulfstream V pilot for Corporate Jets, was named regional v-p for military and special-mission sales. Roy Ng, most recently director of business development for Hong Kong-based Metrojet Limited, was tapped as regional manager, international sales for Hong Kong, mainland China, Macau and Taiwan. 
The Savannah airframer also named Randy Bolinger, previously president and creative director of communications firm AMPT Associates, as director of marketing services. Aubry Mayse was promoted from senior manager of planning and distribution for product support materials to director of the division. Jeff Patterson, most recently West Star Aviation’s Dassault Falcon technical sales manager, was selected as senior regional sales manager for product support sales in the central U.S.
Piper Aircraft has made several modifications to its executive staff. Drew McEwen, previously director of sales for the Americas, is the new head of global sales and business development, while Lisa Giessert, formerly director of sales administration order and delivery, will become head of sales administration and customer support. The Florida-based airframer also hired Michael Dow, most recently director of manufacturing engineering and tooling at Aurora Flight Sciences, as director and general manager of manufacturing services, and promoted Albert (Jack) Mill from director of engineering for the <a href="http://www.ainonline.com/?q=aviation-news/2011-10-24/piperjet-altaire-program-suspended-indefinitely">recently shelved Altaire jet program</a> to director and general manager of engineering services.
Fractional provider Flight Options has named Adam Tibbitts to the newly created position of regional sales director for the Rocky Mountain division. 
MRO specialist West Star Aviation announced several staff changes at its Grand Junction, Colo. facility. Ken Rice, previously Gulfstream/Learjet program manager, has been promoted to director of maintenance. He was succeeded by T.J. Jaeger, most recently a Learjet team leader, while Jason Blust was promoted from Learjet lead mechanic to Learjet team leader. The company also named John Hayes as general manager at its Dallas Love Field facility. Most recently, he was director of maintenance with Business Jet Access. 
David Surley, most recently head of customer services and route development at London Oxford Airport, has been named senior business development manager at the UK’s Cambridge Airport.
Universal Avionics has promoted Michelle James to the newly created position of director of marketing and communications. Most recently she was relationship marketing manager for the Arizona-based company’s marketing division.
Mike Piscatella, formerly senior v-p of business development at Hartzell Aerospace parent company Tailwind Technologies, has announced his retirement.
Greenwich AeroGroup announced that Warren Persavich, most recently senior v-p of parts distribution, will lead its NASAM electronics subsidiary, following the retirement of its founder, president and CEO Aki Sato. He is succeeded by Robert Bial, president of the company’s Professional Aircraft Accessories subsidiary, who will continue in that role as well. 
New Jersey-based Meridian Air Charter has promoted Andrew Ladouceur from director of charter sales to v-p of charter sales and client services. 
Flexjet has named Gino Jooyan, previously with Air Rutter International, as the company’s new Southwest Coast fractional sales director. 
Training provider FlightSafety International has promoted Danny Robayo from director of training at its Teterboro, N.J. learning center to assistant manager of the facility.
Robert Sumwalt was confirmed for a second five-year term as an NTSB member. 
Steven Schell has joined Landmark Aviation as general manager of its Norfolk International Airport FBO. Most recently, he held the same post at Atlantic Aviation’s Burbank, Calif. facility.
Phoenix Heliparts in Mesa, Ariz., has named Paul Pfaffenberger, previously with Southwest Turbines, as engineering program manager. The helicopter MRO specialist also appointed Chris Murvine as lead inspector and director of training. Most recently he was senior maintenance instructor for MD Helicopters.
Dallas-based engine MRO specialist Prime Turbines has hired John O’Brien as sales and service manager. Previously he worked as a sales executive for Skyservice Business Aviation.
Ricardo Carvalho, currently v-p of aviation services provider Southern Cross Aviation, has been appointed head of the company’s aircraft sales for Brazil. The Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based firm also named Sarah Park as its new marketing director.
California-based aviation services provider JetFlite International has hired two new maintenance managers at its Farmingdale-Republic Airport location in New York. Joe Cupaiolo, previously was a crew chief at Excel Airways, and Adam Delhotal, who worked for JetBlue Airways as an aircraft technician, have stepped into the maintenance manager roles.
Maintenance program provider Jet Support Services (JSSI) has hired Ed Baliff as a product line specialist and Zane Cox as a technical advisor. Both were previously with Rolls-Royce.
François André has been chosen as manager of Le Castellet International Airport in the south of France. Previously he managed nearby La Môle St. Tropez Airport.
Czech Republic-based private aviation provider ABS Jets has promoted Jiri Hrna from sales manager to senior key account manager.
American Eurocopter has named two new members to its marketing team. Kris DeSoto was tapped as regional marketing manager for the Northeast region, while Glenn Murray was selected for the same role in the Midwest. Both were previously regional sales managers for Bell Helicopter.
Joey Crawford, most recently with Crownair, has joined Carlsbad, Calif. FBO Jet Source as chief inspector for the aircraft maintenance and avionics department.
Canadian MRO provider Vector Aerospace has promoted Brian Thompson, formerly president of Vector Aerospace Engine Services-Atlantic division (Vaesa), to senior v-p of the company’s global engine services unit. He was succeeded by Jeff Poirier, previously Vaesa v-p of customer and technical services.
Tallahassee, Fla.-based aviation services provider Flightline Technical Services has added Joe Garcia and Joe Volker as to its staff as aviation technicians. 
Bud Ackerman has joined California-based aviation services provider Axis Jet’s aircraft sales team.
Trevor King, previously with Signature Flight Support’s FBO at London Luton Airport, has joined London Stansted Airport-based Inflite The Jet Centre as the FBO’s director of business development.
Tennessee-based business aviation consultancy Gray Stone Advisors has added two staff members. Richard Stone, previously president, CFO and controller for the Sea Ray Boat Group, was named senior advisor for leadership and finance. Jay Povlin, formerly senior v-p at Brunswick, was selected as senior advisor, marketing and analytics.
Helicopter Association International has named Jessica Kuney as its shows and expositions coordinator.
Flight-planning application developer Enflight announced the appointment of chairman Dr. Robert Glorioso and v-p of marketing John Gitelman to its executive team.
Jeff Bosque, the former president of Associated Air Center, has joined Jet Works Air Center to establish a large-cabin advisory board.
Bizav consultancy Oriens Advisors has added Horst Brockmueller, chairman and managing partner of Catalyst Equity Partners, to its team as an investment and business aviation expert.
Kris Cannon, TWC Aviation’s director of safety and security, has been appointed to NBAA’s Security Council. 

Final Flight
<a name="_GoBack" id="_GoBack"></a>J. Lynn Helms, 86, a former FAA Administrator, died December 11 at his Westport, Conn. home. He led the FAA from April 1981 to January 1984, managing the agency through the August 1981 strike that caused President Ronald Reagan to fire 11,000 air traffic controllers. Helms led Piper Aircraft Co., as president and CEO from 1974 to 1980 and served as chairman of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. A member of the U.S. Marine Corps, he became a Navy test pilot and retired as a lieutenant colonel.

People in Aviation: January 2012

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