Reno, Nevada, March 2012 – Aerion Corporation announced today that Doug Nichols, the company’s chief financial officer, will serve as chief operating officer with immediate effect. In this capacity, Nichols is responsible for all operating, financial, business development and marketing activities of Aerion, including partnerships and industrial collaborations related to development of the world’s first supersonic business jet (SBJ).
“Doug’s new role as chief operating officer will allow Aerion to fully leverage his three decades of strategic aviation industry experience, as well as drive day-to-day operations,” said Robert M. Bass, chairman of Aerion and president of Keystone Group, LP. “This move is a natural progression in the maturation of Aerion, as the company intensifies discussions with potential partners for SBJ development, conducts transonic consulting through its Aerion Technologies subsidiary, and enters the next phase of natural laminar flow research and testing with NASA.”
Doug Nichols is a former senior executive of The Boeing Company where he held numerous financial, operating, and corporate development positions. In his nearly 30 years with Boeing, he gained extensive experience in the operational and financial management of aircraft programs, market evaluation and product development, supply base management, support logistics, and marketing and sales. Nichols earned his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Puget Sound.
Doug Nichols succeeds Michael Henderson, who following his tenure as COO remains Aerion’s principal scientist and a director of the company.
About Aerion
Aerion Corporation of Reno, Nevada, was formed from an advanced engineering group in 2002 to reintroduce commercial supersonic flight. Aerion continues research the group began more than 20 years ago, with the current focus on the design of a practical and efficient supersonic business jet employing patented natural laminar flow technology. More information can be found at www.aerioncorp.com <http://www.aerioncorp.com/> .
Aerion’s board includes: Robert M. Bass, chairman of Aerion and president of investment group Keystone Group, LP; Brian E. Barents, vice chairman of Aerion and former president and CEO of Galaxy Aerospace and Learjet; Dr. Richard R. Tracy, who has pioneered the supersonic natural laminar wing concept and serves as Aerion’s chief technology officer; Michael L. Henderson, Aerion’s principal scientist and Boeing’s former program manager for high-speed civil transport; Robert Morse, a partner at Oak Hill Capital Management; and James Stewart, CEO of Mubadala Aerospace MRO Network. John Holding, previously Bombardier Aerospace’s executive vice president, Integrated Product Definition and Planning, is senior advisor to the company.
