New Trustees at Embry-Riddle

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Aviation Leaders David Robertson and Louis Seno Named to Embry-Riddle Board of Trustees

Five Senior Trustees Retire from the Board

Daytona Beach, Fla., April 20, 2009 -- David L. Robertson, a director of the Michigan Aerospace Foundation, and Louis C. Seno Jr., president of Jet Support Services Inc., have been named to Embry-Riddle’s Board of Trustees. The appointments came at the Board’s March 27 meeting.

At the same time, five long-time trustees retired from the Board as a result of term limit restrictions: Jim Kolbe, Jim O’Connor, Raymond Sigafoos, David Slick Sr., and Tom Staed. Each gave the University 20 or more years of invaluable service.

“The addition of David Robertson and Lou Seno to the Embry-Riddle Board of Trustees adds even more strength and business acumen to the group,” said Jim Henderson, chairman of the Board. “These two highly accomplished men know the University well and are dedicated to its continued success on every level.”

The Michigan Aerospace Foundation, which Robertson helps guide, is the parent body of an air museum and is involved in starting charter schools with a technology focus. Previously, Robertson held several positions at Spirit Airlines, including chief pilot, director of flight safety, director of operations, and director of training.

A professional pilot for more than 30 years, Robertson’s experience has ranged from gliders, air ambulances, scenic tours, and on-demand charters to aerial applications, firefighting, and jet airliners. He has held such positions as captain, instructor, and check airman at four domestic and international airlines, with additional responsibilities in personnel, flight safety, and federal safety and health compliance. Currently Robertson is involved with the FAA FOQA (Flight Operational Quality Assurance) Demonstration Project, which is collecting and analyzing flight data recordings to improve the safety of flight operations, air traffic control procedures, and aircraft and airport design and maintenance.

Robertson is a member of the Advisory Council of Embry-Riddle’s Center for Aerospace Safety/Security Education. The David L. and S. Harry Robertson Flight Simulation Center at the University’s Prescott, Ariz., campus is named for Robertson and his father, who has been an Embry-Riddle trustee since 1991. Both men have been generous benefactors to Embry-Riddle in the form of scholarships, capital funding, and specific project funding.

The second new trustee, Lou Seno, has been a member of the President’s Advisory Board at Embry-Riddle since 2001.

Seno was one of the founders of Jet Support Services Inc., became its president in January 2009, and serves on its Board of Directors. JSSI is the world’s largest independent provider of comprehensive maintenance financing and support programs for business aircraft and turbine-powered helicopters. As president, Seno is responsible for worldwide strategic planning, business development, and global sales and marketing.

Before establishing JSSI, Seno had a career in corporate aircraft financing and leasing that spanned nearly three decades. As senior vice president of aircraft programs for GE Commercial Finance Corporate Aircraft, he oversaw a global business aircraft portfolio with assets totaling more than $12 billion. He has worked extensively with the domestic and international markets and is credited with structuring the first operating lease of a business aircraft in the People’s Republic of China.

Seno holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate along with a Cessna Citation Jet type rating and has accrued more than 6,000 hours of flying time in numerous piston and turbine aircraft.

As Embry-Riddle gains two new trustees, it says farewell to the following five trustees:

The Honorable Jim Kolbe, former U.S. Representative (R-Ariz.), was elected to the Board in 1978. Most recently he was a member of the Development and Finance committees.

Jim O’Connor, retired president of Pratt & Whitney, was elected to the Board in 1986 and served as chairman from 1995 to 2006. He was a member of the Committee on Trustees and of the Executive and Flight Safety & Education committees.

Raymond Sigafoos, CPA, was elected to the Board in 1981. He served as vice chair of the Finance Committee and was a member of the Audit and Student Life committees.

David Slick Sr., president of Command Medical Products Inc., was elected to the Board in 1989. He was the chair of the Facilities and Capital Planning Committee and a member of the Development and International Affairs committees.

Tom Staed, president and CEO of Staed Family Associates, was elected to the Board in 1978. He was a member of the Audit and Development committees.

“The University is very grateful to our retiring trustees for their long years of dedicated service to our institution,” said John P. Johnson, Embry-Riddle president. “Their contributions have been important in shaping the University into the highly respected educational institution it is today, and they will be greatly missed.”

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the world’s largest, fully accredited university specializing in aviation and aerospace, offers more than 30 degree programs in its colleges of Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business, and Engineering, educating more than 34,000 students annually in undergraduate and graduate programs. Doctoral programs in aviation and in engineering physics are pending approval by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) for the University to offer programs at the doctoral level. Embry-Riddle educates students at residential campuses in Prescott, Ariz., and Daytona Beach, Fla., through the Worldwide Campus at more than 130 campus centers in the United States, Europe, Canada, and the Middle East, and through online learning. For more information, visit www.embryriddle.edu.