Kaplan, DeCrane

Richard "Dick" Kaplan is the new chief executive officer of DeCrane Aircraft Holdings, Columbus, Ohio, succeeding former CEO Jack DeCrane, who died on Dec. 29, 2005, following complications from lung cancer. DeCrane, 59, founded the company in 1989 and helped expand it into 12 manufacturing plants in North America. His wife, Barbara, three children and three grandchildren survive him. Kaplan initially worked as an adviser to DeCrane Aircraft before officially joining the company in 1999 as senior vice president, chief financial officer, secretary and treasurer. Visit www.decraneaircraft.com.

Stephen Fisher

Former U.S. Marine Corps helicopter pilot, Stephen Fisher, has taken the job of executive director of the Next Generation Air Transportation System Institute (NGATS). He will oversee daily operations in support of the Joint Planning and Development Office at the institute. Fisher was previously a senior account manager for Northrop Grumman’s Information Technology sector, an executive staff member at the National Military Command Center in the Pentagon and an FAA program director. Visit www.ncat.com.

Olsen, Corum

Israel Aircraft Industries subsidiary, Empire Aero Center of Rome, N.Y., has designated Brian Olsen as president and Tom Corum as vice president of operations. Olsen, who replaces Joseph Reinhertz, held a previous position as regional vice president for LMI Aerospace. Corum comes from JcAIR Test Systems, where he was vice president and business unit director. Visit www.empireacmro.com.

Elizabeth Iversen

Northrop Grumman has named Elizabeth Iversen as vice president of mission assurance at the company’s Electronic Systems sector in Baltimore. She reports to James Pitts, corporate vice president and president of Electronic Systems. Iversen comes from Johnson & Johnson, where she was vice president of worldwide process excellence. Visit www.northropgrumman.com.

David Lipari

Rogers Corp. has named David Lipari as marketing manager of its Advanced Circuit Materials division (ACMD) based in Chandler, Ariz. He will report to ACMD Vice President Frank Gillern. Lipari has worked as vice president of marketing/operations for Techloss Consultants of Buffalo Grove, Ill., and in international sales and marketing for Motorola. Visit www.rogerscorporation.com.

Thomas Hartwick

The board of directors of Aculight Corp. has selected Thomas Hartwick as its newest member. He has worked on a consulting basis for the Air Force Research Laboratory, Boeing and TRW, and has served on several corporate and government advisory boards. Visit www.aculight.com.

Rick Lee

Lynnwood, Wash.-based Crane Aerospace & Electronics has appointed Rick Lee as Aerospace Group vice president of people and organization development. He will work from the company’s office in Burbank, Calif. Formerly an executive director of human resources for worldwide operations at Mattel, Lee also held positions at Honeywell/Allied Signal, Pillsbury and United Technologies. Visit www.craneae.com.

Harvey Clough

Harvey Clough has been chosen as president of Janos Technology, Keene, N.H. He was previously president and chief operating officer of Energy Sciences, a machinery manufacturer based in Wilmington, Mass. He also has worked in the manufacturing, quality and engineering management divisions of GE Lighting. Visit www.janostech.com.

Anderson, Cantle

Craig Anderson takes over as chief executive officer of electronic components company Nallatech, replacing company founder Allan Cantle, who will remain as president with responsibility for strategy and business development. Anderson comes from Voxar, a healthcare information technology company, where he was chief operating officer and chief financial officer. He also has served as group financial controller for Kwik-Fit. Headquartered near Glasgow, U.K., Nallatech has U.S. offices in Baltimore. Visit www.nallatech.com.

Mark Ferrari

The Nordam Group, Tulsa, Okla., has appointed Mark Ferrari as vice president of sales and marketing for North American business aviation. He will report to Nordam president and chief operating officer, John Uczekaj. Ferrari comes from Honeywell, where he was most recently global director of aftermarket sales for its Commercial Electronics Systems division. Visit www.nordam.com.

William Landay

Rear Adm. William Landay has joined the Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, D.C. as chief of naval research. He succeeds Rear Adm. Jay Cohen. Landay previously served as the program executive officer for littoral and mine warfare at Naval Sea Systems Command. He will assume management responsibilities for the U.S. Navy’s and Marine Corps’ science and technology programs. Visit www.onr.navy.mil.

Steve Opel

L-3 Communications subsidiary, Interstate Electronics Corp., Anaheim, Calif., has appointed Steve Opel as senior program manager for the company’s U.S. Air Force-related programs. He will report to Vern Green, vice president of programs. Opel was previously a USAF colonel serving as the Materiel Command’s representative to the Air Mobility Command at Scott AFB, Ill. He also served as the chief of the Office of Defense Cooperation at the American Embassy in Australia. Visit www.iechome.com.

Receive the latest avionics news right to your inbox