Gulfstream Appointments
Gulfstream Aerospace, of Savannah, Ga., promoted L.D. Buerger to director, G650 Initial Phase Operations. In this role, Buerger is accountable for initial phase manufacturing, manufacturing engineering and planning, industrial engineering and tool design for the G650, which is scheduled to enter service in 2012. Most recently, Buerger was senior manager of G650 production operations. From 2007 to 2008, Buerger was Final Phase team manager at the Savannah Completion Center.
Before joining Gulfstream, Buerger was officer-in-charge in the 46th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, 46th Test Wing, at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
The company also promoted Christine Manka Williams to senior operations manager, Refurbishment. Williams will oversee the work performed in the trim, wood, finish and paint shops at the Gulfstream Savannah Service Center.
Williams is a 14-year Gulfstream employee. Most recently, she was assistant program manager for Gulfstream’s Military and Special Missions unit, where she led a team that designed and outfitted the interior of a Gulfstream G550 that serves as an atmospheric research aircraft.
Jeffrey O’Hara
Tel-Instrument Electronics, based in Carlstadt, N.J., named Jeffrey C. O’Hara CEO and president. O’Hara joined the company in 2005 as vice president of Operations and was promoted to president and chief operating officer in 2007.
Tel-Instrument manufactures avionics test and measurement systems for the global commercial air transport, general aviation and government/military aerospace and defense markets.
Bruce Cady
L-3 Avionics Systems, of Grand Rapids, Mich., appointed Bruce A. Cady senior aftermarket sales representative. Cady will be responsible for aftermarket sales in the western regions of the United States and Canada, as well as dealer partnerships and business development.
Prior to L-3, Cady was the director of sales operations for Piper Aircraft. He also held a business development position with weather data provider WSI.
Eric Henderson
Flight Display Systems, based in Alpharetta, Ga., named Eric Henderson mechanical engineer. He is responsible for the design and development of new products for the aviation market, and he will support the company’s existing products through technology advancements and product improvements.
Prior to joining Flight Display Systems, Henderson was a project manager and superintendent on several high-profile Atlanta construction projects.
Ron Soret
King Aerospace Commercial Corp., named Ron Soret president. He is responsible for King’s large aircraft completions and modifications, and its overall MRO and depot facilities and programs. Soret most recently was chief operating officer for Gore Design Completions in San Antonio. Previously, he served as vice president of operations for Associated Air Center. He has also held positions with The Dee Howard Company.
Greenwich MRO Team
Greenwich AeroGroup, of Wichita, Kan., has formed a MRO Product Management team.
Mark Fischer is director of MRO Avionics Products. He has more than 25 years of avionics experience with companies including Gulfstream, Westar and Rockwell Collins. Carl Lukas is director of MRO Interior & Completion Products. Previously, he had worked for Challenger Aviation Service, Bombardier Aerospace and Midcoast Aviation Savannah. Brian Rehberg is director of MRO Airframe Products. He most recently was vice president of aircraft service at Western Aircraft.
Werner Lieberherr
B/E Aerospace, Wellington, Fla., promoted Werner Lieberherr, currently senior vice president and general manager of the Commercial Aircraft Segment, to president and chief operating officer. He replaces Michael B. Baughan, who resigned.
Lieberherr joined the company in 2006. Prior to joining B/E Aerospace, he spent 15 years with ABB and Alstom Power.
RAA Board
The Regional Airline Association elected a new board for 2011. Jim Rankin, who is with Air Wisconsin, was elected chairman; Dan Garton, of American Eagle, is vice chairman; Keith Houk, of PSA Airlines, was elected treasurer; and Dan Wolf, of Cape Air, is secretary.
Nextant Appointments
Nextant Aerospace, of Cleveland, appointed Jay Heublein vice president of sales and marketing. Heublein leads the national sales force and also is responsible for executing the company’s marketing strategies. Most recently, he was vice president of sales and marketing for Flight Options, LLC.
The company also named Kevin Dillon vice president of operations at its Birmingham, Ala., facility. He is responsible for all operations, including maintenance, avionics, customer service and sales support. He most recently was managing director at Avantair. Before that, Dillon was the sales and acquisitions maintenance manager at Flight Options.
Jim McKenna
The Helicopter Association International (HAI) named Jim McKenna director of communications.
McKenna joins HAI from Mercury Nimbus, his communications consulting practice in Alexandria, Va. He previously held a variety of senior communications positions at Bell Helicopter in Fort Worth, Texas. Prior to joining Bell in 2008, he was editor-in-chief of Rotor & Wing Magazine.