Leadership

Our management team has the experience and expertise to successfully execute on our business plan. Our Board of Directors and Advisory Board add deep insights across a broad range of business verticals.

Executive Leadership

Hugh McElroy

  • Title: Executive Chairman & CEO
  • Key Functional Areas Covered: Board of Directors and Operational Leadership.
  • Past positions, successes and/or unique qualities: President/ CEO (most recent 25 yrs.) in global middle market publicly traded and privately held corporations. (Ex: Dallas Airmotive, UNC, BBA, Signature) Functional and operational leadership (prior 19 yrs.) in large corporate conglomerates (Ex: AVCO Lycoming and General Electric). Founded and operated 6 small businesses. Bachelor’s degree, College of Arts & Sciences, Fairfield University. Leadership & Executive Management Emory University Goizueta Business School and Duke University Fuqua School of Management. Engineering studies at Bridgeport Engineering Institute. Former FAA Airframe & Powerplant Certification, Designated Engineering Representative (DER), and Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR). Member Private Director’s Association. Aerospace Advisor.

Dr. Jeff Chimenti, MD

  • Title: Vice Chairman
  • Key Functional Areas Covered: Board member and Chairman Alternate
  • Past positions, successes and/or unique qualities: Co- Founder AMW, Technology Inventor, business leader, Otolaryngology specialist, human physiology, and surgeon. Founding partner of Texas ENT Specialists.  He graduated cum laude from Baylor University. Graduated from the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and fulfilled his internship and residency at UTMB in Galveston Tx. Dr. Chimenti is a Diplomate of the American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and a Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. He has served on the Credentials & Professional Ethics Committee at Memorial Hermann and the Woodlands Hospital.

Jesse Marcel

  • Title: Director, Chief Design Officer
  • Key Functional Areas Covered: Board member, Product Development
  • Past positions, successes and/or unique qualities: Co-founder AMW, Technology inventor and designer of vehicles in transportation. Understudy at laboratories of Jeff Holter, the creator of the Holter Monitor. Studied physics, chemistry, and biology. Bachelor’s degree University of Montana in economics and finance. Studied Aerospace Engineering at Montana State University. Is a published author, filmmaker, and executive producer.

David Natan

  • Title: CFO Consultant
  • Key Functional Areas Covered: Finance, FP&A, Accounting
  • Past positions, successes and /or unique qualities: Has served as CFO of five listed Nasdaq and AMEX companies during his career. Current consulting practice areas of expertise include mergers and acquisitions, SEC filings, corporate finance, due diligence and financial reporting. Currently serves as a director on two Nasdaq companies, Titan Pharmaceuticals and Sunshine Biopharma.Educational background: Boston University Bachelor’s degree accounting and economics, CPA (inactive)

Deborah Wells

  • Title: Chief Operating Officer
  • Key Functional Areas Covered: Operations
  • Past Positions, successes, and/or unique qualities: Executive experience and operational leadership roles in aviation turbine engine fixed and rotor wing manufacturing, MRO operations, and OEM experience in the HVAC sector. More than 20 years’ executive level experience within United Technologies companies which she helped grow through strategic innovations and continuous improvement.

Alton Johnson

  • Title: VP, Asset Management
  • Key Functional Areas Covered: Asset Management and Supply Chain organization
  • Past Positions, successes, and/or unique qualities: Responsible for asset management strategy, planning, and execution of a complex supply chain including logistics and trade compliance in civilian and military customer environments. 20+ years military experience with US Army Aviation in expanding and increasing levels of responsibility. 20+ years civilian experience in commercial and business aviation sectors leading Supply Chain in an operational footprint spanning 14 global company locations holding $100m+ in assets with $450M in annual purchasing transactions. Extensive experience in global logistics, import-export compliance, international civilian aircraft regulatory requirements, purchasing governance and US/ International contracting. Oversaw supply chain programs for GE, Premier Turbines, ONTIC and Dallas Airmotive. Graduate of Embry Riddle University. FAA Airframe and Powerplant certification. Executive Leadership education at Duke University.

Chris Pratt

  • Title: Director, Marketing & Communications
  • Key Functional Areas Covered: Marketing, Research, Communications
  • Past Positions, successes, and/or unique qualities: Senior level positions with major aircraft OEMs, MRO centers and global service organizations (Ex: Bombardier, Gulfstream Aerospace, Cessna Aircraft Company, BBA Aviation), and agency side account management (Ex: Beech Aircraft (Raytheon), Emerson Process Management, Exxon Avitat, Texas Instruments). Conducted market research to define new Beechcraft Hawker 4000 business jet, North American introductions of IAI Astra business jet and MBB BK-117 (now Airbus EC-135/EC-145) twin-turbine helicopter. Bachelor degrees with honors from University of Miami (Florida) in Business Management and Loyola University (New Orleans) in Mass Communications. Holds Private Pilot license with multiple ratings and FAA Repairman Certificate. Builder and current pilot of a Van’s RV-8 two-seat, single engine aircraft for sport flying.

Advisory Board

Harvey Siegel

  • Title: Chairman, Advisory Board
  • Key Functional Areas Covered: Corporate Advisory Leadership, general business.
  • Past positions, successes and/or unique qualities: Developer of commercial, medical, sport venues and mixed-use real estate – Chairman and CEO Bristol Development Corp. Private pilot, racecar driver, owner and developer of Virginia International Raceway and New Jersey Motorsports park – Thunderbolt Raceway.

Peter Talleri

  • Title: Government and Military Contracts Advisor
  • Key Functional Areas Covered: Government and Defense Industrial contracting.
  • Past positions, successes and/or unique qualities: USMC Maj. Gen (Ret.), Sr Staff positions in US Central Command, Senior IT, logistics and Operational Planning. Strategic Advisor through Talleri Associates to Stellar Solutions, HDT Global and Blackberry. Board director at Clarion University Foundation and DiviUP.

Dan Panoz

  • Title: Design and Engineering Advisor
  • Key Functional Areas Covered: Vehicular design, composite and metal fabrication, and aero dynamics
  • Past positions, successes and/or unique qualities: Owner of a world class racecar and custom sports car design and builder – Panoz Automobile Company. Holdings include Diablo Grande Winery and Resort, Elan Natural Waters, Fountainhead Development Corp and Van Diemen International.

William Harford

  • Title: Aviation Marketing Advisor
  • Key Functional Areas Covered: Aviation Business and airline Marketing.
  • Past positions, successes and/or unique qualities: CEO and founder the Harford Group, CRO Cessna Citation Air, SVP Commercial America British Airways, Cessna Sr. Executive in major airline and aircraft fleets.

Rob Corrao

  • Title: Technology and Financial Advisor
  • Key Functional Areas Covered: Private Equity, IT services, Research, and Intelligence
  • Past positions, successes and/or unique qualities: CEO (LAC Group), client services, investor relations, business development. CEO Wilson Allen, Chairman and founder of the Asher Foundation, President of Results Impact.

Frank Stanton

  • Title: Advisor in Energy, Transportation and Systems
  • Key Functional Areas Covered: Intermodal Transportation Engineering, Power Distribution, Control Systems
  • Past Positions, successes and/or unique qualities: Consultant to local, state and federal governments on projects ranging from Brightline West High Speed train project to connect Los Angeles County and Las Vegas; after Super Storm Sandy directed the restoration of NYC DEP pumping system throughout New York City; extension of Houston Metro light rail system and integration of its traffic management system; led the implementation of Perimeter Intrusion and Detection Integrated security systems in ground transportation including around airports such as Phoenix Sky Harbor and New York airports; implementation of a Fog Detection and Warning System in Fresno, CA. Mr. Stanton is an experienced licensed commercial pilot with instrument ratings in multi-engine aircraft.