What We Do
Bye Aerospace is applying innovative zero CO2 electric propulsion systems to its airplanes. We also develop and integrate structural and mechanical systems along with aerodynamic advances to design, build our market aerospace products that offer significant economic benefits and increases in performance to aerospace markets. Our primary project is the all-electric “eFlyer” general aviation aircraft, which will dramatically reduce ops-cost and eliminate CO2.
The Home of Innovation
Projects
Bye Aerospace has two electric aircraft projects with the first and most important 2-seat “eFlyer 2” well underway in the FAA 14 CFR 23 aircraft certification process. These two projects range from ready-to-purchase to R&D stage. We encourage you to learn more about our projects and determine how you can get involved with propelling the future.
George E. Bye
Founder and CEO of Bye Aerospace
“The Father of Today’s Electric Aviation Industry”
The eFlyer family of all electric aircraft is set to replace the aged legacy fleet of fixed wing generation aviation aircraft.
As a modern-day Renaissance Man and Visionary, George Bye is an active proponent of the aviation industry. He has two decades of experience as an Engineer, Entrepreneur and Executive who conceives, designs, and develops all-electric manned and drone aircraft.
George strives to innovate and pioneer new approaches and technologies to present new concepts to aviation audiences in various venues around the country as well as synergize new technologies that create extraordinary performance and value to the market.
As a pilot in the Air Force, he flew many missions during Desert Shield and Desert Storm and then trained other fighter pilots. He is an ATP-rated pilot with over 4,000 flying hours. After leaving the military, he set about designing out-of-the-box aircraft, some ideas birthed on a restaurant napkin.
George Bye’s gift is to creatively propose and test truly novel technology as market opportunities. He loves to balance engineering services with electric internal development, research of advanced concepts with vision and passion. But most of all, he aspires to persuade people to embrace hard work to realize the potential benefits of a revitalized aviation industry for us and future generations.
Bye has authored numerous articles for industry journals and publications and holds a Bachelor of Science in Engineering from the University of Washington.
George Bye is the Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Bye Aerospace and is the creative innovator behind the all-electric eFlyer General Aviation Aircraft which evolved from earlier work and the smaller solar-electric Silent Falcon UAV. George Bye’s vision of a family of new electric aircraft is now becoming reality and he has become “the father of today’s electric aviation industry.”
How else does one become a Renaissance Man except by having well-rounded parents.
Growing up in the northwest, George’s father taught him sports, building projects, and good old hard work. He helped mow the lawn, wash the car, build a deck onto the family home, and even learned to build an electric motor from scratch. He joined the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts where he and his father climbed mountains together.
Explorations also involved riding his red Sting Ray bike all over town and visiting Grandma’s house out in the country, where he got to ride horses and play chess. He spent many an hour building Lego airplanes and then ‘flew’ them across the living room on string, straight into the fireplace mantel landing zone.
George’s mom taught him the love of design, arts, music (including ten years of violin lessons) but George really loved baseball. Starting at a very young age, his father and George, would play catch for hours in the front yard of the house in Corvallis, Oregon. He played baseball through his senior year of high school and became a Tri-County All-Star. George also enjoyed basketball and football in junior high and high school.
The love of flight took root at a very young age. His mother and father bought a Piper airplane when he was just a youngster. It was very unusual in the 1960’s, but Marilyn, his mother, learned to fly and received her pilot’s license. They went flying often and this is where he began dreaming of becoming an Air Force pilot one day. He watched with fascination the growing space program and developments of new supersonic jets. By the time he reached high school, he had decided on his path, his destiny, and with great clarity set about achieving it with great determination.
George Bye’s Military Career
Engineering School at UW and USAF ROTC:
George attended the University of Washington in Seattle 1976-1980. In addition to his engineering studies, he received a USAF pilot ROTC scholarship and rose through the cadet ranks. He graduated having achieved the rank of Cadet Colonel and ROTC Wing Commander and distinguished graduate. Upon graduation in June of 1980, he earned both his Engineering degree and became a USAF 2nd Lieutenant. As an ROTC Distinguished Graduate, George was offered the selection of his pilot training base, choosing Williams AFB in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona.
Undergraduate Pilot Training:
George started USAF active duty and commenced Undergraduate Pilot Training in early 1981. There, he flew the subsonic and capable Cessna T-37 and later, the supersonic Northrop T-38 – an experience in which he both excelled and relished. George earned his USAF pilot wings in March of 1982 and as a UPT Distinguished Graduate selected the strategic Lockheed C-141 jet transport at McChord AFB, near Seattle.
T-38s at ENJJPT:
After a successful tour in C-141’s at McChord AFB, his commander offered him the prestigious opportunity to fly T-38’s at the new NATO undergraduate pilot training program called “Euro-NATO-Joint-Jet-Pilot-Training” or “ENJJPT” in Wichita Falls, Texas. The unique program was ‘fighter-pilot-only’ oriented in its training syllabus, combining many aspects of USAF UPT with fighter pilot flying skills – heavily emphasizing formation and tactical flight training and adding 2 additional, advanced “check rides” for the European NATO pilot candidates. Successful graduates from ENJJPT were selected to fly the most advanced jet fighters of the “Cold War” era. As George progressed from 1983 through his 5-year tour at ENJJPT, he trained student pilots in the supersonic T-38. He also became an Applied Aerodynamics Instructor and updated the aerodynamics course text. Later, George advanced to Chief of the T-38 Academics Branch. He also began to instruct fellow pilots that were transitioning to their new instructor pilot duties at ENJJPT, the pilot instructor training (“PIT”) program. George completed his ENJJPT tour with 1,000 flight hours in the supersonic T-38, a formative experience that would later be important to his future aerospace career.
Desert Storm:
In 1989, George returned to McChord AFB and the C-141 in a reserve squadron but was soon very active in worldwide missions to Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, with special contingency operations in Panama, Peru, and El Salvador. In 1990, Desert Shield (later “Desert Storm”) commenced, and George was among the first re-called to active duty, to spend much of the war deployed flying missions into the Middle East from AFB bases in Europe. The Desert Storm mission tempo was extreme, with 1,000 C-141 flying hours in a single year. Following Desert Storm, George flew missions supporting US Contingency Ops in Somalia, finally leaving the Air Force in 1993 with almost 4,000 flight hours and a passion for aerospace.
Senior Leadership Team
Paul McAuliffe
Executive Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
Mr. McAuliffe has been active in finance and capital markets for 35 years. He was a Principal at Morgan Stanley, Managing Director at CS First Boston and Managing Director at Smith Barney before becoming Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Apartment Investment and Management Company (AIV) in 1999. While in investment banking, Mr. McAuliffe worked on a wide variety and volume of corporate, property and securities transactions including the IPO of AIV in 1994. As AIV CFO, Mr. McAuliffe was responsible for much of the day-to-day operations of Apartment Investment with his greatest focus on financial activities. Finance and planning, capital markets, accounting and financial reporting as well as investor/lender relations were his areas of responsibility. Mr. McAuliffe earned his B.A. in History from Columbia University and his M.B.A. in Finance from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia.
Bio
Tom Bowen
Chief Engineer
Tom Bowen is a 35-year aviation professional with experience at all levels of the General Aviation industry; from the shop floor, the cockpit, and the contracts negotiating table to the Executive Suite. Tom is comfortable with all aspects of product development, production operations, engineering, testing, product integrity processes, FAA certification, organization of trade shows and aircraft sales, as well as giving public presentations and press conferences. Tom will take the Sun Flyer project to the next level and through FAR-23 certification .Tom and his wife have been married for over 35 years and they have four daughters, two son-in-law’s and a black lab named Coal.
Bio
Diane Simard
Director & Executive Vice President
Diane M. Simard, recently named one of the inaugural “National Top 100 Business Women to Watch” by Bizwomen.com, is Executive Vice President and on the Board of Directors of Bye Aerospace. Her focus areas are media, government and investor relations, corporate governance and strategy. A passionate advocate for entrepreneurship, Ms. Simard is an angel investor in six other emerging-technology companies, ranging from information technology to medical devices to cybersecurity. A survivor of advanced Stage III breast cancer, she is also the founder of the Center for Oncology Psychology Excellence (COPE) at the University of Denver, the first specialty in the country to train psychology students at the graduate level how to effectively counsel cancer patients, survivors and caregivers.Previously, she was Director of Community Relations and co-owner of IITC, an information technology services company. During her tenure, she helped the company achieve over 400% revenue growth before it was acquired for $36 million. Before joining IITC, Ms. Simard was Vice President of Marketing for a financial services company where she directed a proposal staff that secured almost $100 million in contracts to collect defaulted student loans. Past recognition of her business leadership includes being named the 2016 Outstanding Woman in Business-Technology by the Denver Business Journal, winner of the Bob Cardenas Award for her support of veterans and the military, the 2017 honoree for the Ray of Hope Cancer Foundation, Aurora Chamber woman of the Year and Girl Scouts Woman of Distinction. Ms. Simard graduated Magna Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Nebraska-Kearney. She recently authored a book, The Unlikely Gift of Breast Cancer, an authentic, informative and humorous memoir aimed to inspire business women, successful leaders and driven individuals who think they know who they are before a diagnosis of cancer leads them to discover their true selves.
Bio
John Knudsen
General Counsel & Executive Vice President
John Knudsen has over 40 years of Aviation legal and corporate general counsel experience. With a combination of government, private practice and corporate General Counsel practice, developing deep experience in all facets of Aviation litigation and insurance, FAA Regulatory and Compliance as well as Corporate and General legal matters. He is currently the Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Bye Aerospace, Inc. where he manages all internal corporate legal matters; FAA certification and compliance; insurance and risk management; as well as all government relations for the company. He maintains currency in private Colorado aviation law practice. Prior to private and corporate practice, he spent 5 years as Trial Attorney with the Federal Aviation Administration and Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. representing FAA in numerous cases brought against the Agency and employees under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), five of which were successfully tried to defense verdicts. He represented the FAA in three major airline crash investigation hearings before the National Transportation Safety Board and assisted in representation on numerous general Agency legal matters. He was the co-founder, President, and General Counsel with Adam Aircraft and was a partner with a specialized Aviation Law Firm in Denver, CO practicing in major airline and commercial operator aviation insurance defense litigation, aircraft transactional matters, FAA enforcement defense, regulatory and certification matters as well as general corporate law and civil litigation. Mr. Knudsen received a B.S. degree in Business and Accounting from the University of Colorado (1974) and a J.D. from the University of Puget Sound (Seattle University) School of Law (1987). While attending Law School, he was a Captain for a small commuter airline operating in the Seattle, WA area. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Knudsen spent seven years as a pilot in the U.S. Navy flying the A-6 Intruder and numerous other aircraft including the A-4 Skyhawk, T-2C Buckeye and T-34. He has logged more than 150 aircraft carrier landings. He continued his service in the U.S. Navy Reserves flying the P-3 Orion and retired in 1994 at the rank of Lt. Commander. He is an ATP rated pilot with Lear Jet and Citation SP type ratings and has logged over 3800 flight hours.
Bio
Tom Calgaard
Sr. Vice President of Strategy and Business Development
Mr. Calgaard has a diverse background in engineering, strategy, program management, business development, commercialization, and venture capital. Leading the strategy and business development for Bye Aerospace, Mr. Calgaard is responsible for growing the company. Before joining Bye Aerospace, Mr. Calgaard spent 12 years at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, where he held various leadership positions in engineering, strategy, and business development. Mr. Calgaard holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Iowa State University, a M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Southern California, and an MBA with a focus in Finance and Venture Capital from the University of Colorado Denver.
Bio
Christina Herren
Vice President Human Resources and Administrative Operations
Ms. Herren is our Vice President of Human Resources and Administrative Operations and brings with her over 25 years of human resources and administrative experience. Before joining Bye Aerospace, she was the Director of Administration for a childcare software startup, where she was a key contributor to establishing and streamlining processes and procedures. Known as a ‘fixer’, Ms. Herren is skilled in identifying inefficiencies and taking corrective action that results in recognized profit and heightened morale. She is responsible for human resources, facilities, safety and administration at Bye Aerospace. She also has extensive experience in the commercial aviation industry, and is quite comfortable with the general aviation and experimental aircraft world. A proud graduate of Arizona State University, she holds a BA in Business. When not at work, Ms. Herren enjoys spending time with her husband, daughter, son, and two pups.
Bio
Christopher Schulte
Vice President of Quality and Supply Chain
Chris Schulte has over 17 years of aerospace and aviation experience including roles in maintenance, manufacturing, and quality assurance. Chris started his aerospace career in the Air Force as an F-15 and F-16 crew chief and was stationed all over the world. Next, Chris worked as a quality engineer for an aerospace component manufacturer, Dukes Aerospace. In his most recent role, Chris was an Aviation Safety Inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration and was responsible for ensuring regulatory compliance for aerospace manufacturers and also performed airworthiness inspections on standard and experimental aircraft, including unmanned aircraft systems. Chris is currently an FAA Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR) and enjoys supporting the general aviation community, especially amateur aircraft builders. Chris graduated from the University of Minnesota with a B.S. in Manufacturing Management. Chris enjoys anything outdoors and spending time with his wife, son, and daughters.
Bio
Kerry Manning
Vice President of Engineering for Advanced Concepts Division
As a Mechanical Engineer Kerry has 20 years of experience leading designs from a blank sheet of paper through production. 13 years of those years were in new aircraft design starting as a new grad at Adam aircraft where he quickly rose to lead engineer taking the A500 through FAR 23 certification and becoming a DER in the process. For 7 years he led the design of new utility scale solar energy plants and energy storage systems, with particular focus on advanced lean manufacturing systems to realize significant cost savings on multi-billion dollar projects and was granted numerous patents. In 2009 Kerry started his own consulting company focused on electric vehicles and technologies where he designed and built numerous electric car and aircraft prototypes, the most notable being the electric race truck that he has driven to several land speed world records. Kerry was at Boom Supersonic for 5 years as the lead architect for the conceptual design for both the XB1 demonstrator and Overture commercial aircrafts before joining Bye Aerospace to lead the design on the mechanical systems of the eFlyer 2 electric aircraft in 2020.
Bio
Brad Busse
Director
Brad Busse is the Vice Chairman of the board of Bye Aerospace and has been the President of Busse Ventures since March 2014. Previously, he was an investment banker, who specialized in Media, Telecom & Technology, for almost 30 years. Most recently, he was Co-Head of the U.S. Communications, Media & Entertainment ("CME") Group for RBC Capital Markets, where he was responsible for the management and strategic development of the CME Group's business, which included mergers and acquisitions, equity and debt capital formation and financial advisory engagements. Prior to RBC, he was the President of Daniels & Associates, which was an investment bank that specialized in Media, Telecom & Technology prior to be acquired by RBC in January 2007. He began his professional career at Arthur Anderson & Co. in 1980 and, subsequently, became a financial manager for a $1 billion energy concern prior to joining Daniels & Associates.
Bio
Dale Egan
Business Counsel
Mr. Egan is a shareholder with the law firm von Briesen & Roper in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and previously Associate General Counsel within Emerson Electric's mergers and acquisitions law group in St. Louis, Missouri. Before that he was Global General Counsel for American Appraisal, a 120-year old financial services firm operating in 26 countries. Mr. Egan is a Director and volunteer pilot for The Woody Williams Medal of Honor Foundation, where he has presented veteran initiatives at the White House. He co-founded ValorCorps, a company dedicated to placing veterans into civilian technology positions after leaving the service. Mr. Egan has a bachelor's degree in corporate finance from the University of St. Thomas and a law degree from Marquette University, with a concentration in corporate and intellectual property law. His aviation passions include grass runways, Twin Bonanzas, Navions and backcountry seaplane flying.
Bio
Howard Janzen
Director
Howard Janzen has served as CEO and Chairman for several communications and energy companies. He was the CEO of Cool Planet Energy Systems, which CNBC ranked as a “Top 25 Disruptor of 2014” alongside SpaceX and Uber. He has served as CEO for One Communications, the U.S.’s largest privately held multi-regional service provider for businesses; as President of Sprint Business Solutions leading a $12 billion global operation, as President of Sprint’s Global Markets Group responsible for an $8 billion long distance business, as President, CEO and Chairman of Williams Communications Group where he led the company in completing a nearly $7 billion fiber optics network and completed the largest IPO in the telecom industry at that time with peak market capitalization of $30 billion. Janzen earned Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in metallurgical engineering from The Colorado School of Mines and is a licensed Professional Engineer. He completed the Harvard Business School Program for Management Development. Janzen is an active instrument rated pilot with over 7,900 hours of flying time. He has flown his airplane around the world and to 65 countries. Janzen serves on the Boards of Bye Aerospace, GTT, Vocera Communications, the Colorado School of Mines Foundation and The Cancer Prevention Initiative where he serves as Chairman. He is a Commissioner and Chairman Emeritus for GIIC, the Global Information Infrastructure Commission and a member of the advisory board for Denver University’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology. He is a board member and past Chairman of the TBM Owners and Pilots Association.
Bio
Frank Steeves
Director
Mr. Steeves is portfolio company General Counsel for KKR, a New York based private equity firm and an Adjunct Professor of Law at Washington University Law School in St. Louis, Missouri. He is also an author and frequent lecturer both in the US and internationally on the impact of globalization on business law development. Previously Mr. Steeves was Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary for Emerson Electric Company, where he managed Emerson's legal operations in more than 150 countries. Prior to Emerson, he was Vice Chairman of the Milwaukee Law Firm, von Briesen and Roper. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Metajure Inc. of Seattle, Washington, and many not-for-profit organizations, including the St. Louis Opera Company. In an earlier life, Mr. Steeves led the efforts to construct a 137 foot non-for-profit semester at sea sailed vessel, which is now the official Flagship of the State of Wisconsin. Mr. Steeves has been interested in aviation since he took his first flying lesson more than 35 years ago. He is currently owns and regularly flies a Lake Renegade amphibious aircraft.
Bio
Craig Fuller
Director
Craig Fuller served on the board of AEAC, the board of Redbird Flight Simulations, the board of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and formerly served on the Management Advisory Council for the FAA. He was formerly the President and CEO of AOPA from January 2009 until September 2013. He was only the fourth person to hold this position since AOPA was founded in 1939. He brought to that position a career that includes senior public affairs positions in business, association leadership, and executive positions in the federal government, including eight years of service in the White House from 1981 to 1989. As AOPA president, Craig Fuller led the largest and most influential aviation organization in the world. AOPA membership has grown to more than 400,000, a number that represents more than two thirds of all certificated pilots in the United States. With a staff of more than 200 professionals and operations in two states and the District of Columbia, AOPA provides a wide variety of services to its members worldwide.No stranger to politics and Capitol Hill, Fuller moves through the halls of Congress and the administration in Washington as often as he visits airports and pilots around the country. He was the chairman of AOPA’s Political Action Committee, an important role to ensure that elected officials who defend general aviation receive support from the pilot community. Additionally, he testifies and engages in other forums at the national and state level to represent the interests of general aviation. In addition to the role of communicating to and on behalf of the membership, Fuller spends time reaching out to broader audiences who benefit from but do not fully understand the role general aviation plays in the lives of millions of Americans. Whether recruiting new pilots or just helping business leaders and others understand how general aviation works for them, Fuller is a vocal ambassador for the advantages of general aviation. While most of the role of AOPA President involves work inside the United States, Fuller was also elected and served as president of the International Council of Aircraft Owner and Pilot Associations, representing 66 national AOPA organizations with more than 470,000 pilot members around the world. His responsibilities at AOPA include serving as the publisher of AOPA Pilot, the world’s largest and most influential aviation publication. For all of this, Craig Fuller draws on his Washington, D.C., experience as assistant to President Reagan for Cabinet Affairs (1981 -1985) and chief of staff to Vice President Bush (1985 - 1989). His business positions have included service as president or vice chairman of leading public affairs firms. His association experience includes service on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and Executive Committee and leading a health care association as president and CEO for more than six years. Fuller is a frequent speaker on aviation, advocacy, and leadership topics throughout the United States.
Bio
Alexandre Couvelaire
Senior Vice President
Alexandre Couvelaire, is a well-known leader in general aviation, especially in Europe. In 1962, he founded Euralair, a small charter company at Le Bourget that grew into an FBO, MRO, air-charter and scheduled air carrier operating out of De Gaulle. At Euralair, he pioneered two-crew Boeing 737 operations in France and placed the first order for a Boeing 777. He also formed the first fractional ownership cooperate in France. In the mid-1980s Mr. Couvelaire acquired Mooney Aircraft Corporation, leading new innovative, development and propulsion programs.
Bio
Rod Zastrow
Director
Rod Zastrow is a 26-year USAF retired colonel currently COO & President of Spartan Air Academy Iraq, LLC, having led Spartan's business development efforts that led to winning three contracts establishing the Iraq Air Academy, a historic US-Iraq Foreign Military Sale program. He designed, deployed, established and now leads the Academy and its team of 125+ Spartan and subcontractor personnel. He has designed and implemented cutting edge pilot training and maintenance training programs. Rod was a F-15 fighter pilot having graduated from the USAF Fighter Weapons School and having flown numerous combat missions with the Royal Saudi Air Force in Operation DESERT STORM. He spent most of his career in international and combat-related posts and served in five command or vice command posts. He has helped Spartan affiliates win and managed numerous international general aviation related contracts. Adept at innovating entry-level general aviation and military pilot training programs through prime minister level negotiations, Rod has a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, an MBA (Aviation), and an MA in Strategic Studies.
BioOur Team
Matt McLaurin
Program Manager
Mr. Matt McLaurin is the Program Manager at Bye Aerospace managing various electric and hybrid aircraft programs. He is a retired US Navy Captain with experience in program management, systems engineering, contracting and test and evaluation. Mr. McLaurin oversaw programs for F-18 and F-15 at Boeing St. Louis, F-35 at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Japan, national security space systems at Lockheed Martin Space Systems and MQ-4 Triton with Northrop Grumman. He is a graduate of the US Naval Test Pilot School and as a Naval Flight Officer has over 3,000 flight hours in 20 different type/model military aircraft including EP-3, P-3, C-12, and F/A-18. Mr. McLaurin holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy as well as a M.S. in Aeronautical Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. Additionally, he holds a M.S. in Engineering Systems Management from St. Mary’s University.
Bio
Jim Forrester
Director of Design Engineering
Mr. Forrester has an Aeronautical and Aerospace BS degree from Ohio State University and has 32 years of aerospace industry experience as a Design Engineer, Design Leader and as a Design/CAD process improvement Subject Matter Expert. His early aerospace experiences were with airframe manufacturing and assembly processes and resolving design challenges arising in those areas. At GE Aviation he designed and led teams in the design of highly technically challenging complex turbomachinery components and sub-systems. Developing these designs from Concept, through Detail, prototype manufacturing, assembly, test and certification, earning 20 patents along the way. Later, he led a global team that developed a top-down Design/CAD template turbofan that improved design productivity, NPI cycle time and product quality. At Siemens PLM he leveraged these experiences and led a consulting team that guided customers to improve their Design/CAD processes using top-down Design/CAD template methodologies. He also served as Siemens PLM Design SME, providing input on product capability and behavior enhancements, with a specialization in the aerospace industry. At Bye Aerospace, Mr. Forrester is leveraging his career trajectory experience to develop the Design Engineering team, critical processes and PLM enablement to facilitate the development of Bye’s prime product projects and engineering services.
Bio
Darryl Robinson-Young
Product Definition Manager
Darryl Robinson-Young is the Product Definition Manager at Bye Aerospace. During his 35 years of experience in Mechanical Design, Darryl has worked on DOD Satellite Systems and several transportation industry projects such as; Traffic Control Systems, Tractors, Luxury Railroad Cars, Luxury Boeing Business Jets, and an advanced jet project with George Bye called “The Javelin”. Darryl’s work-life balance is very important to him. He thoroughly enjoys sports, mountain life, spends many weekends and vacations exploring the great outdoors river fishing and RV camping with his wife.
Bio
Milan Patel
Aircraft Systems Electrical Engineer
Mr. Patel is our Aircraft Systems Electrical Engineer with 10 years of electrical engineering experience. He spent 5 years at Eaton Corporation, where he specialized in aerospace motion control systems. Mr. Patel has worked on the Airbus A380, Boeing 787, and several commercial, business and military aircrafts. He has been involved in new product development and introduction of low-medium power switching technologies for motor drivers and actuators. Mr. Patel holds a Bachelors of Engineering in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from London South Bank University. He recently emigrated to the United States from London. He thoroughly enjoys watching sports, especially the English Premier League.
Bio
David Henderson
Electrical Vehicle Systems Engineer
David Henderson has a M.S. in Mechanical Engineering and 14 years of electric vehicle and battery design experience. As an expert in electric vehicle architecture, thermal design and high voltage DC battery systems he has ample experience with design of electric propulsion systems for both hybrid and pure electric vehicles. Mr. Henderson enjoys skiing, snowboarding, and exploring with his family in Colorado.
Bio
Parijaat Malik
Senior Mechanical Systems Engineer
Parijaat Malik is a recent graduate with an M.S. in Aerospace Engineering from University of Colorado, Boulder and also holds a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering. He has experience in Systems Engineering, Design and Drafting through projects he has been a part of at the graduate level. He is currently a part of the Design and Systems Engineering effort at Bye Aerospace.
Bio
Burke Lowrey
Principal Electrical Engineer
As Electrical Engineer, Burke Lowrey brings 25 years’ experience in various technologies. Experience includes Oil and Gas Automation and SCADA Systems, laboratory Equipment, GPS Tracking, MEMS, Gyro and magnetic sensors and a variety of wireless technologies. Burke has his MS from Colorado School of Mines in Engineering and Technology Management. BS from University of Colorado, Boulder in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Prior to college enlisted in the NAVY Nuclear Power Program as a Machinist Mate and proudly served and awarded medals for Desert Shield, Freedom Kuwait and Desert Storm. Burke also holds a Patent for Oil and Gas application for 3D magnetometer use in plunger detection.
Bio
Michael Gray
PLM IT Specialist
Michael has been in the engineering field for the past 7 years since obtaining his BS in Mechanical Engineering from MSOE. He has worked on many aerospace design projects for Boeing (commercial and military jets), NASA (Space Launch Systems), Lockheed (F-22 Raptor) and Bell Helicopter (525 Relentless program). He has just recently completed his Private Pilot’s License (VFR) flying a Cessna 172. Being originally from Seattle, WA, he really enjoys the mountains. In his spare time he enjoys flying over the Rocky Mountains, exploring new outdoor adventures, traveling, fishing, camping, and spending time with family and friends.
Bio
Jon McClellan
Manufacturing Engineer
As the Manufacturing Engineer, Jon McClellan brings 25 years of diverse aircraft maintenance and operations experience ranging from military, commercial, Part 145, UAV, to over a decade spent on various experimental aircraft. Jon is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force serving as a Dedicated Crew Chief on the West Coast A-10 Demo Team. He has held Quality Assurance and leadership roles while working for commercial airlines, Army, and Air Force units in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Experimental projects include the ATG Javelin, Adam Aircraft A700, Bye Energy Electric Cessna, Silent Falcon UAS and the assortment of current Bye Aerospace platforms. Jon studied aviation science at Eastern New Mexico University, and possesses an FAA Airframe and Powerplant license with an Inspection Authorization endorsement.
Bio
Daniel Hinson
Lead Composite Structures Engineer
Managing the Composite Structures group at Bye Aerospace, Daniel Hinson has been in aviation for 15 years specializing in Structural Design, Manufacturing and Repair of primary and secondary advanced composites structures. His experience stretches across multiple airframes from aerobatic aircraft, business jets, refueling tankers and Boeing’s 737/747/757/767/777 airframes. Daniel has successfully led start up programs through LRIP and into high rate manufacturing of composite jet engine components for military, commercial and business jets utilizing his extensive knowledge of Resin Transfer Molding and Closed Volume Molding for the F35-B and LEAP engines.
Bio
Scott Wilson
Lead Avionics & Low Voltage Systems Engineer
Scott Wilson is our lead of the Avionics and Low Voltage Electrical Systems team. Following graduation from the University of California-San Diego Scott held leadership positions designing avionics and electro-mechanical products for JP Instruments, Rockwell Collins and most recently designed a certified Heads-Up Display system for general aviation. Prior to joining Bye Aerospace Scott held an identical position with Mooney Aircraft in the development of the all-composite Mooney M10. A private pilot, and self admitted airplane geek, you're likely to find him scouring the grounds at Oshkosh, seeking out ways to incorporate aviation's latest and greatest into our family of aircraft.
Bio
Jake Barker
Composite Structures Engineer
Mr. Barker holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Colorado State University and brings 10 years of experience in design, analysis and manufacture of composite structures to the Bye Aerospace team. He has a diverse engineering background in Materials and Process Engineering, Mechanical Design, Structural Analysis, Manufacturing, and Product Development. At Composite Technology Development, he led product development teams creating innovative technologies for the defense and energy industries under DOD and DOE grants. At Verge Industries, he worked as a contract engineer in the production office at Anadarko Petroleum, developed composite sporting good products and setup composite manufacturing facilities. As a manufacturing engineer with Lockheed Martin Space Systems, he directed several complex composite structure assemblies for commercial and military satellites and civil space exploration missions. Outside of work, he enjoys outdoor activities and finds his flow mountain biking and skiing.
Bio
Matt Simons
Avionics Systems Engineer
Matt Simons is an Avionics Systems Engineer at Bye Aerospace. Matt holds a B.S. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Central Florida and brings over 10 years of experience in flight simulation, maintenance training, avionics, electrical system design, software development, and embedded systems. He has been highly involved with designing training devices for Boeing 767, Cessna Citation XLS+, Cirrus SR22, Bell 412, Sikorsky CH-53K, Sikorsky UH-60, and Abrams M1-A1. Matt also has experience with research and development projects including cockpit eye tracking for pilot training and simulated aircraft audio systems.
Bio
Tina Affield
Supply Chain Manager
Tina Affield is the Supply Chain Manager for Bye Aerospace. A skilled supply chain professional with nearly 3 decades of experience in the manufacturing industry, Tina’s specialties include inventory management, negotiation, contract review, supplier performance, lean manufacturing and ISO. In this role, Tina is responsible for high-quality, efficient and repeatable delivery of goods and services
Bio
William Whelan
CAE Engineer
Will Whelan is a structural simulations specialist with experience in analyzing composite structures and non-linear metallics. His experience comes from working on the Transition, a composite light sport roadable aircraft. Will has a passion for the latest technologies and materials, working to make products simpler but more robust. In his free time, he enjoys outdoor sports including climbing and skiing. Having recently moved from Boston, he is excited to learn about the area, and spend time exploring the Rocky Mountains.
Bio
Brian Woodlock
Composite Structures Engineer
Brian Woodlock has seven years of airframe design experience, primarily with rotary-wing aircraft at Bell Helicopter. His work with composite structures includes designing the flaperon control surfaces and contributing to the wing design for the V-280 Valor tiltrotor. He also contributed to the 505 Jet Ranger X program, designing the production configuration of cabin structures and supporting flight test as the aircraft neared certification. Brian has a BS in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Notre Dame and a Masters in Engineering Management from Duke University.
Bio
Charles Hill
Financial Analyst
Chuck Hill recently graduated with a M.S. degree in Global Management from Thunderbird School of Global Management and has his B.S. degree in Corporate Finance from Minnesota State University Mankato. He has over 8 years of experience in the defense and health industry specializing in finance, business development, and logistics. He also has his private pilots license from Spartan College of Aeronautics and technology and is an avid aviation enthusiast.
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Steve Almer
Electrical Engineer
Steve is a recent graduate from the University of North Dakota, where he studied electrical engineering with a focus in aerospace. As a Colorado native, he's thrilled to be back in his home state, working on the designs for the avionics and electrical systems on the eFlyer. He is also a flight instructor and commercially rated pilot, and is looking forward to teaching others to fly the aircraft he is helping to create. When not in the office he can usually be found flying around Centennial Airport, skating at the hockey rink, or skiing in the Rockies.
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Eric Anderson
Senior Aerospace Engineer
Eric has a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Texas A&M University. He has worked in the aerospace industry since 2016 working on various systems for both the commercial and defense sectors. He is currently part of the Design and Systems Engineering effort at Bye Aerospace. Outside of work Eric enjoys various outdoor activities, watching college football, and spending time with his family, friends, and two dogs.
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Dave Prescott
Mechanical Designer/Checker
Mr. David Prescott is the Product Definition Checker at Bye Aerospace. He has nearly 30 years of aerospace experience which includes mechanical design, propulsion, thermal blanket design, avionics harnessing, and checking across a wide range of products. Experience includes LEO and GEO satellites, launch vehicles, experimental and conceptual vehicles, the Cygnus cargo carrier, and the Vulcan Centaur V upper stage. Dave has a passion for spaceflight, outdoor adventures, reading, and spending time with his wife and their 3 sons.
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Nils Swanson
Mechanical Systems Engineer
Nils Swanson is our Mechanical Systems Engineer with 10 years of experience across aerospace, biomedical, and renewable energy industries. Earning his BS in Mechanical Engineering from University of Florida, he started his career designing PV systems with battery energy storage. At Rockwell Collins, Nils designed aircraft interiors with IFE for Boeing and Airbus programs. Outside of engineering, Nils enjoys playing guitar, snowboarding, and spending time with his dogs.
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Dee Anna Herring
Principal Designer
Dee Anna is originally from Michigan, where she worked in the automotive industry designing parts for Chrysler and General Motors. She then moved to the medical industry as a design supervisor and program manager for medical implants. In 2007, she moved to Utah to work in the aerospace industry as a Cad Engineer on A-10 subsystems and electrical systems at Hill Air Force Base. In October 2019, Dee Anna moved to Colorado to seek new opportunities. She is currently enrolled at Westminster College, working on a Business Degree. Dee Anna likes fishing, boating, art museums and working with people and animals.
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Dwight Fields
Principal Designer
Mr. Fields has travelled the country for over thirty years doing contract engineering work. He has worked in many different fields like aerospace, automotive, commercial, and even did some CAD teaching. Mr. Fields is a 32nd degree master mason and a member of the Scottish Rite in Denver. He is currently engaged, and they have no date planned yet. In his spare time, he likes to write, play tennis, golf, and go on walks. Since 2015 he has written four novels.
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Steven Ahern
Mechanical Systems Engineer
Steven Ahern graduated with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Alaska, Anchorage. He has a diverse background with Systems Engineering, Design and Analysis working with NASA while completing his bachelors and in the Oil & Gas Industry. Outside of work he enjoys sports and outdoor activities on his free time with family and friends.
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Mark Bassett
Lead Principal Mechanical Systems Engineer
Mark Bassett has over a decade of experience designing, building, and flying new technology aircraft from ultralight gliders to Mach 3 rocket planes. Some of his previous projects include the XB-1 supersonic demonstrator, the SpaceShipTwo suborbital space plane, its mothership WhiteKnightTwo, and others. His experience incudes integrating complex systems into aircraft, structural design and test, aerodynamic analysis, and flight testing. Mark holds a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Wichita State University, and a private pilot license.
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David Rawley
Manufacturing Engineer
As a Manufacturing Engineer, David Rawley enjoys and specializes in the challenging and dynamic environment of developing and bringing to market Composite Aircraft and Spacecraft. With over 19 years of hands-on fabrication, repair, structural testing, assembly and integration, experience, he has coordinated the planning and design for manufacture and assembly support and manufacture of over eight (8) new composite aircraft and spacecraft including the certification and production certification of a part 23 airframe. Aircraft and composites are his passion, especially Full Scale and RC sailplanes, he holds his private pilot license (SEL), loves the purity of sailplane flight and actively participates in FAI F3K discus launch RC glider competitions, and building and flying various free flight models in his free time.
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Allison Edward
Mechanical Systems Engineer
Allison Edward is an Aerospace/Thermal Engineer with experience in thermal management and analysis in Aerospace and Micro-electronic industries. Earning her B.S in Aerospace Engineering from India, published a paper and spent a large amount of time on alternate fuels for rocket propulsion for the Indian Government through the research facility at Karunya University. Following this she earned her M.S in Thermal management in Micro-Electronics through Pool Boiling at R.I.T and laid the foundation for replacement of water with eco-friendly refrigerants for cooling micro-electronics. She started her industrial career as a contractor at Coca-Cola and owned the gear pump design at the company and later transitioned to Boeing where she concentrated on CFD/thermal analysis for various programs and external stakeholders while driving design and certification decisions. She also participated in the design guide and best practices for CFD at Boeing. Outside of work, she loves to paint, plays the piano, and loves hiking.
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Adan Garcia
Composite Structures Engineer
Adan brings a diverse background to the Composites team having started his career as a Texas Band Director before transitioning to Engineering. Prior to joining Bye Aerospace, he worked as a design engineer for a Dallas area Civil Engineering Consulting firm. He holds a BS in Mechanical & Energy Engineering and a BM in Music from the University of North Texas. In his free time Adan enjoys spending time with his family, performing music, travelling, hiking, and cooking.
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Andrew Fendel
Aerodynamics Engineer
Our Aerodynamics Engineer, Andy, is a recent graduate from the University of Colorado Boulder. At Boulder, he completed both his B.S. and M.S. in Aerospace Engineering, with his Master’s Degree focused in fluids. Andy previously worked as an intern at Bye Aerospace during his college years, and he is beyond excited to be back advancing the aerodynamic design and analysis of the Bye family of aircraft. When not working, he can usually be found outdoors, either playing soccer, skiing, or exploring Denver area trails with his dog.
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Delfino Gonzalez
Supply Chain Buyer
Delfino is a Supply Chain Buyer at Bye Aerospace. He has 15 years of experience in procurement and has supported both commercial and government contracts. Delfino graduated from Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology with an A&P license. He started his career as an aircraft mechanic and then transitioned into procurement and supply chain management at Boeing. Outside of work he enjoys hiking, camping, and biking.
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Michael Zody
Electrical Simulation Engineer
Michael is a California native with over 5 years of experience in aviation. He joined the US Navy at 19 where he became an Aviation Electronics Technician, troubleshooting avionics systems on the SH-60B, MH-60R, and F/A-18 E/F platforms. After being honorably discharged, he attended the University of Washington and graduated with a B.S. in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering. Michael went on a 6-month backpacking trip after graduating from the UW where he motorbiked across Laos, learned how to scuba-dive in Thailand, and trekked to Everest Base Camp. Michael is enjoys snowboarding, hiking, playing drums, and exploring new places.
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Zach Parsons
Mechanical Systems Engineer
Zach Parsons is a mechanical engineer with diverse experience in the aerospace industry. He has worn many hats, which enables him to make well-informed decisions and anticipate consequences of new designs. Previous career highlights include designing and certifying lightweight secondary structures for the A350 and other fixed-wing airliners; working at a startup developing an autopilot STC for the R22 and R44 rotorcraft; and developing, testing, and qualifying safety-critical avionics to extreme environments for the New Shepard rocket. Zach holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE). When not hard at work, he can usually be found enjoying the outdoors through skiing, rock climbing, rafting, hiking, and road tripping with his wife, friends, and family.
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Jacob Johnson
Composite Structures Engineer
Jacob Johnson is a composite stress analysist new to the work force. He has a drive for revolutionary products and ideas as well as clean energy. Growing up in Colorado and attending school at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Jacob is eager and ready to apply his knowledge to the Bye Family. At Embry, Jacob completed his B.S in Aerospace Engineering with a focus in structural analysis and aerodynamics. Outside of work Jacob is most likely cooking, spending time with his friends and family, or rock climbing.
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Brad Ward
Electrical Design Engineer
Brad has more than 20 years of electrical engineering experience, specifically in the aviation/aeronautical sector. Brad is happily married to Brandy and has two daughters. Livi is about to turn age 13 and is in the 7th grade. Declyn just turned five and is in preschool. Brad and his family are from Memphis, Tennessee. In his spare time, Brad likes to sing karaoke and take his youngest daughter to the park.
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Matthew McHugh
Quality Engineer
Matthew McHugh is the Quality Engineer at Bye Aerospace. He started his professional career in 2015 as a Quality Engineer at Lockheed Martin’s machining center in Camden, Arkansas. Matthew supported the PAC-3, MSE, and THAAD missile programs, along with the HIMARS launcher program. His responsibilities included quality floor support and Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) programming. After two years with Lockheed, Matthew pursued an opportunity as a Manufacturing Engineer at Rolls-Royce’s Advanced Turbine Center in Indianapolis, Indiana, to support the industrialization of the CastBond technology for production of the nozzle guide vane (NGV) on the UltraFan engine program. As the Measurement Process Owner, he specialized on developing the inspection processes using GOM 3D Blue Light optical metrology systems. Matthew graduated from Florida State University with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. He is an avid outdoors enthusiast and enjoys hiking, camping, and snowboarding. Matthew loves to grill and can also be found playing in a few different ice hockey leagues throughout the week.
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Becky Walker
Mechanical Systems Stress Analyst
Becky Walker has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Missouri University of Science & Technology. She has several years of experience in aerospace and aviation industries. Outside of work she enjoys cycling, scuba diving, and reading.
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Eric Braun
Sr. Mechanical Systems Engineer
Eric Braun has a wide range of experience in the aerospace industry, from detail part design to system level analysis and certification. He earned both an M.S. and B.S. in Aeronautics & Astronautics from the University of Washington. Outside of work, Eric enjoys hiking in the mountains and exploring the outdoors with his wife and their dogs.
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Samuel Stathis
Sr Structural Engineer
Sam holds a B.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering from Cal Poly Pomona and has a background in design, analysis, and manufacturing of mechanical assemblies and composite airframe structures, having worked on multiple variants of the long-endurance Vanilla UAV project at Platform Aerospace. At Platform, he led the effort to transform Vanilla from an experimental prototype aircraft into a manufacturable, marketable UAV, while also heading up the structural design of a VTOL version of the aircraft. Prior to his experience on Vanilla, he designed and performed analysis on life-support masks and helmets for fighter pilots at Gentex Corporation.
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MaryAnn Crawford
Executive Administrator, Office of the CEO
MaryAnn Crawford is the Executive Administrator for the Office of the CEO at Bye Aerospace. She brings over nine years of administrative experience to support Mr. George Bye and uses her strong organizational, project coordination, computer, and research skills to increase efficiency. She is responsible for arranging travel, logistics for speeches, and managing the schedule for Mr. Bye. Having a passion for community involvement, she serves on the Young Professionals Board for the Aurora Chamber of Commerce and is an advocate for Clothes to Kids of Denver by serving on the Community Action Council and on a fundraiser committee. Always an enthusiast of learning, she is applying that passion to gaining knowledge of the aerospace industry.
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Alexis Lincoln
Marketing / Social Media Manager & HR Administrator
While managing all marketing efforts and social media for Bye Aerospace, Alexis assists in the HR department. Her experience includes marketing and sales. Some of her responsibilities include managing the company websites, all social media accounts, and creating the original content used by Bye Aerospace. She also manages all of the marketing efforts for events, conferences, and tradeshows. Alexis enjoys snowboarding, fishing, wakeboarding, and spending time with friends and family in her free time.
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Brittney Laehr
Administrative Assistant & Office Manager
Brittney is the Administrative Assistant and Office Manager at Bye Aerospace providing administrative support to our executive team and manages our offices. She bolsters the team through her knowledge in office administration in the aviation industry, bringing several years of experience in high-level executive support, customer service, office and project management, travel and event coordination, and IT assistance. Her dedicated approach is warm and professional, and combined with her attention to detail and organizational skills help her succeed in meeting the teams’ needs and deadlines. Bye Aerospace has placed her in this role to help meet the demand for a streamlined experience for the executive staff and a more prolific operation overall. She is a Colorado-native with a passion for all things outdoors, but especially skiing, ice skating, camping, and hiking. She is learning to paint and loves animals too. A love for the outdoor world, aviation, and learning attracted her to Bye Aerospace where she can be part of a great team that will further her knowledge and experience.
BioStrategic Advisory Council
Pete Bunce
President and CEO, General Aviation Manufactures Association
Mr. Bunce is the President and CEO of the General Aviation Manufactures Association which is headquartered in Washington, D.C. with additional offices in Brussels, Belgium. He travels worldwide engaging regulators, policy makers and elected officials to promote general aviation and advance the interests of GAMA's international membership of 80 airframe, avionics, engine and component manufacturers, as well as the world's leading business aviation maintenance, repair and overall companies. Pete retired from the United States Air Force in March 2005, with his last assignment as the Director of the Air Force Congressional Budget and Appropriations Liaison. During his 26 year Air Force career, Mr. Bunce flew F-15s and A-10s, while commanding several large operational fighter units.
BioChad Asarch
Business Executive & Attorney
Mr. Asarch is a principal of Steele Properties (real estate development) and the Monroe Group (property management), which own and operate approximately 5,000 rental apartment units across the country. Mr. Asarch previously served as Senior Vice President of Apartment Investment and Management Company (AIMCO, NYSE--AIV), and holds a J.D. (magna cum laude and law review) from the University of Michigan.
BioMark Johnson
Business Executive & Innovator
Mark Johnson is a co-founder and Senior Partner of Innosight, a strategic innovation consulting and investing company with offices in Massachusetts, Singapore and Switzerland, which he co-founded with Harvard Business School professor Clayton M. Christensen. He has been a strategic advisor to both Global 1000 and start-up companies in a wide range of industries—including automotive, health care, aerospace/defense, enterprise IT, energy, and consumer packaged goods. He has advised Singapore’s government on innovation and entrepreneurship. Mr. Johnson’s most recent work has focused on helping companies envision and create new growth, manage transformation, and achieve renewal through business model innovation, and he is a frequent writer and speaker on these topics. He is the coauthor of the book "Dual Transformation: How to Reposition Today’s Business While Creating the Future". He is also the author of the best-selling book, "Seizing the White Space: Business Model Innovation for Growth and Renewal" and coauthor of the McKinsey award-winning Harvard Business Review article, “Reinventing Your Business Model.” In addition, Mr. Johnson has published articles in the Sloan Management Review, BusinessWeek, Advertising Age, and National Defense. Prior to co-founding Innosight, he was a consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, where he advised clients on managing innovation and implementing comprehensive change programs. Before that, he served as a nuclear power-trained surface warfare officer in the U.S. Navy. Mr. Johnson received an MBA from Harvard Business School, a master’s degree in civil engineering and engineering mechanics from Columbia.
BioCarol Melton
CEO & Founder of Adeft Capital
Carol Melton, CEO and Founder of Adeft Capital. Adeft is a venture capital firm advising and investing in early-stage companies, as well as other U.S. and international business interests. Carol launched Adeft after more than 20 years in senior management at two global media and entertainment companies. She was a top 5 named executive officer at Time Warner Inc. when AT&T acquired the company in June 2018. She had previously served as the most senior level woman at the then-combined Viacom-CBS. She has deep C-suite experience with business & regulatory matters; expertise garnered from navigating through numerous government approval processes; and an extensive network of high-level cross-industry relationships. She serves on a number of public and non-profit boards and participates as a speaker and moderator at various domestic and international conferences related to media, technology and innovation.
BioMike Marcotte
Founder & CEO, Acumen Digital
Mike Marcotte is currently the founder and chief executive officer of Acumen Digital in Denver, Colorado. The company specializes in the technological innovation of leading-edge digital software technology with the specific intent of swiftly implementing Business to Customer applications. Since 1986, Marcotte has held various executive-level IT and operations positions including global chief information officer and chief digital officer of Echostar, general manager of hughes cloud services, and chief information officer of Slingbox. Mike Marcotte is an award-winning leader having received multiple accolades including Denver Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award and Engineering Excellence Awards from NASA and the United States Air Force. Mr. Marcotte is a recognized influencer in the Colorado technology community and thanks to his regular contributitions at Colorado Technology Association and Society for Information Management events.
BioMark Armstrong
Strategic Advisor
Mark is a software engineer and entrepreneur as well as a singer/songwriter and public speaker. Mark spent 25 years working in technology, writing software and delivering products and services for companies such as WebTV, Apple, Microsoft, Symantec and Electronic Arts. He and his wife, Wendy, have three children and reside in Cincinnati, Ohio. Mark is a corporate advisor to several hi-tech organizations and serves on numerous non-profit boards. He is a graduate of Stanford University with a degree in physics and is the younger son of Neil and Janet Armstrong.
BioCassie Lee
Co-Founder, Brooke Owens Fellowship
Cassie Kloberdanz Lee is a Strategic Advisor to Bye Aerospace, a world leader and innovator of electric and solar-electric aircraft, and a Co-Founder of the Brooke Owens Fellowship, a highly competitive internship and mentorship program designed to inspire and train exceptional undergraduate women seeking a career in aviation or space exploration. As a global activist for women in aerospace, Lee is a member of an international delegation brought together by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) and UN Women to ensure that the benefits of space reach women and girls and that women and girls play an active and equal role in space science, technology, innovation, and exploration. Lee served as the Chief Operating Officer of Earthrise Alliance, a philanthropic organization that derives value from Earth system data to create actionable knowledge to combat climate change. In addition, Lee was the Head of Space Programs at Vulcan Inc. where she led the development of innovative space solutions in support of Paul G. Allen’s Impact initiatives such as improving ocean health, addressing climate change and using data to save species at risk of extinction. Prior to her work at Vulcan, Lee was the Business Development Manager for Sierra Nevada Corporation’s Space Systems where she also held a variety of engineering roles on the Dream Chaser® orbital vehicle program and co-founded the Advanced Development Program. Lee has led Media and Public Relations for SpaceX and designed and taught a graduate-level course in Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She began her career as a Propulsion Engineer for NASA at Kennedy Space Center and the Marshall Space Flight Center. Lee holds a BA in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Iowa and MA in Journalism from the University of Colorado Boulder.
BioChrysanthe Gussis
Strategic Advisor
Gussis is an investor and advisor to early stage clean technology companies, debt financing expert, and former executive at SolarCity, with over two decades of finance, legal, operational and business strategy experience, shaping new industries and products, and scaling high volume, high growth businesses. She has specific expertise with businesses whose products reduce carbon emissions, helping shape their revenue and debt financing models, plus extensive relationships in the banking and clean economy sectors. In addition, Gussis serves on several corporate, government, non-profit and advisory boards, including board chair of NODE, a company delivering carbon negative homes that slide & click together for a lower-skilled, kit assembly. She is also an advisor and investor for Bellwether Coffee, a manufacturer of zero-emission commercial coffee roasters.
BioShari Goodstein
Strategic Advisor
Shari Goodstein is a real estate developer, venture capitalist, author and highly supportive of Bye Aerospace's family of all-electric eFlyer airplanes. Shari holds a BBA from George Washington University and a Masters in Real Estate Development. Her passions include everything equine and she is developing a revolutionary Equine Community. Shari is a first time author and is pleased to be publishing her first book "Dynasty Daughter." Shari is also a Chartered Market Technician (reading Financial charts based on patterens that show greed and fear). Shari is President of the Eastern Hudson Valley Horse Council. As a founding stockholder of the Bye Aerospace subsidiary company that created the original concept for eFlyer, she saw the vision and possibilities eFlyer would create. Based on her familiarity with flight training and charter operations, she realized the critical benefits the new all-electric technology would offer from the program's inception in 2014.
BioNadege Fourny
Strategic Advisor
Mrs. Fourny is currently Business Development & Strategic Partnerships Manager at Loon, an Alphabet Company. Nadège holds an MBA in Aerospace Management from Toulouse Business School, and a Master’s in Architecture and in Natural Hazards Management. A true believer in green-tech and passionate about everything that flies, she successfully redirected to technology after starting her career as an engineer in complex building and civil engineering programs. Endowed with an entrepreneur heart, she is an early stage investor and serves on several humanitarian relief groups and advisory boards. Her expertise focuses on the aviation and aerospace sectors, where she helps in designing successful business strategies and leading product offerings.
BioRobert Pack
Strategic Advisor
Robert is a retired school administrator with 35 years of experience working with young adults. He holds a B.S. from University of Michigan and a doctorate in education from the University of Arizona. In addition, he is a passionate environmentalist and investor in products that move the world toward zero-emissions. A private pilot since 1999 and electric car owner since 2011, he is also committed to helping in the transition of all forms of transportation to electrification. As the adult founder of a local Aviation Explorer Post for 14 to 21 year old students, Robert lead over 100 youth from Southern California to the annual week-long Oshkosh Airshow from 2017-19. An ambassador for all things electric, he is committed to educating youth about the benefits of evolving from an internal combustion engine to an electric-based world, including flight training with the eFlyer.
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