"Howie" began his aviation career as a civilian trained pilot while growing up in southwest Pennsylvania. His first flight lesson was at age 13 and he has been enjoying every moment in the air since. After building experience in a variety of corporate aircraft he was employed by a Regional Airline flying 30-seat aircraft. Then, after a stint serving as the Chief Pilot of Numetrics/84 Lumber he began an airline career in 1990. During his tenure at the world's largest airline he flew the Boeing 727, 737, 757, 767, 777, Airbus A-300-600R, Fokker 100 and McDonnell Douglas MD-80 Aircraft. He was recruited into the training department as a Captain/Check Airman on MD-80 aircraft. Later he transitioned to training pilots on the 757 and 767 and then ended his 28-year career as a Check Airman on the Boeing 777. Howie is a Captain and Instructor on all company aircraft. Additionally, he is an FAA certified Airframe and Power-plant Mechanic.
Howie concurrently maintained a career in business. In 1994 he made an equity investment in an Olds/Cadillac/GMC Truck franchise. He was named the dealer and was responsible for all day-to-day management activities. Concurrently, he has provided consulting, management and aircraft acquisition/sales services to a wide variety of individuals, private concerns and public corporations. He has personally owned numerous piston and turbine aircraft. He has overseen dozens of aircraft transactions, from small singles through business jets. In addition to managing the day-to day affairs of Chairman he acts as a conduit between the Private Equity community and business aviation.
Roxanne is responsible for all day-to-day scheduling of trips, aircraft and crews while simultaneously maintaining compliance with TSA mandates. Additionally, her duties include management of all receivables and payables as well as administering the company DOT Drug and Alcohol testing program. Roxanne is a native of Squirrel Hill, PA – Pittsburgh, PA. Her father owned and operated a well-known Supper Club, The Ankara. After graduating St. Francis Academy as Salutatorian, Roxanne won a scholarship to Carnegie Mellon University where she graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business and Resource Management. Her graduate studies included earning certifications in child development, education, and Information technology primarily from the University of Pittsburgh.
Post graduation she served as a Teacher in Mt. Lebanon School District. Later, she began a long career in Peters Township School District as a teacher of students and staff eventually migrating into a position as Manager of IT resources for the School District. In this position her duties included implementing and supporting scheduling and grading software for the school system. Roxanne officially retired from this position in 2008, but continued serving as an outside contractor to the school district until moving to the DFW Metroplex in 2011. Roxanne was married to her husband, Howard, for over 49 years until he lost a long battle with Parkinson’s disease in 2017.
"RD" was commissioned in the US Air Force (AF) in 1978 and served proudly for 31 years both on active duty and in the Air Force Reserves. Following Pilot Training at Reese AFB, TX, he flew the RF-4C, F-5A, F-4D, F-4E, F-16A and the T-38. His favorite flying assignments included F-5 Fighter Instructor Pilot at Korat Royal Thai Air Base (1983), in the Reserves at Bergstrom AFB, TX (1985-1993), and his last flying assignment at the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program, Sheppard AFB, TX (2000-2001). RD had the honor to hold two flying Squadron Commander positions in the AETC Reserve Associate Instructor program - one at Vance AFB, OK and one at Sheppard AFB, TX. Post 9/11, Colonel Johnson held several Headquarters leadership positions retiring from the AF in June 2009 as the 701st Combat Operations Squadron Commander where his operational mission assignment was as an Air and Space Operations Director on the 7th AF Battle Staff at Osan Air Base, Republic of South Korea.
RD started an airline career with American Airlines (AA) in late 1984. He retired after 35 years, Sep 2019, as a Captain/Check Airman conducting International line and simulator training at the AA training headquarters in Dallas-Ft Worth. While at AA, Captain Johnson has flown the Boeing 727, 757, 767, 737 and the McDonnell Douglas MD-80. Additionally, he has served in the positions of Human Factors Instructor/Program Developer, Fleet Captain and the Fleet Training Manager. He is a former "Go Team Member" assisting in the unlikely event of an accident, has served on the High Altitude Upset Committee, ran industry seminars and conducted several accident/incident investigations for the airline.
Captain Johnson has extensive relations with the FAA from his management and Check Airman background at the airline as well as from serving as a part-time consultant. As the Director of Safety Management Systems and Director of Operations for a Part 142 Aviation Training School he oversaw 5 different aircraft types: Airbus 320, MD-80, B-727, B-737, B-757/767. Today he enhances those FAA relationships as Chairman’s Part 135 Chief Pilot with the North Texas FSDO.
RD has flown over 16,000 safe hours in 30+ aircraft and currently flies the CJ3+ and King Air. His education includes a BS from the United States Air Force Academy and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. RD is a former USAF Safety Board President, plus a graduate/instructor in Aviation Safety for the USC Viterbi Aviation Safety and Security Program. RD joined Chairman as a Director of Safety in 2015. In October of 2019 he also assumed the duties of Chief Pilot. In this role he will assist the organization utilizing his safety background and airline DNA in delivering a super safe, consistent and reliable product to our clients.
After training to earn his FAA Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic's ratings John joined several small firms executing maintenance on a variety of aircraft, large and small. Next he spent several years at ATP, a large flight training concern where he earned his inspection authorization.
We are proud to say John joined Chairman in the summer of 2015. He oversees all of our maintenance as well as assisting clients in the maintenance of singles through stand up cabin business jets. Not satisfied with the status quo John has also achieved his Pilots Certificate complete with multi-engine rating. He is qualified to fly our Beech King Air and Citation X.
Bryan is a Commercial, Multi-Engine, Instrument pilot, Type Rated in the Lear 45, Textron Cessna CJ3+ and maintains a qualification in our King Air. He currently serves as a Captain in our King Air B-200 and co-pilot in our CJ3+. Additionally, he is a Certified Flight Instructor. Bryan spent 21 years as a KC-130 Loadmaster in the United States Marine Corps. His military service included two deployments to the Middle East. Before joining Chairman, he flew the Pilatus PC12 based out of Dallas Love Field (KDAL). Bryan serves as the President of the Fort Worth Flying Club. Bryan is married to Trisha and has three grown children and four grandchildren.
Emily Horton has spent her whole life around planes: commercial at a younger age and more recently within the private aviation space. She has started her journey to become a pilot, which has expanded her understanding of all the behind-the-scenes operations involved in flying. As part of the Chairman team, she aims to help clients discover the best that private aviation has to offer.
After spending three years as an engineer in the energy, nuclear power, and infrastructure industries, she is squarely focused on understanding and transforming the transportation industry as a whole. With her keen interest in transportation, Emily is also a management consultant where she continues to hone her experience on the business operations side.
Emily holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Notre Dame and always aspires to live up to her dad’s longtime nickname for her, Fly.
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