Kevin Ketterer's father has been in the aircraft maintenance industry since the late 1970s. "Growing up in Minneapolis, MN, I really enjoyed visiting the numerous Northwest Airlines shops and hangars, particularly seeing the Boeing 747s in the full work stands. They used to have a “bring your child to work” program that made real difference in my career path."
Ketterer attended Northland Community and Technical College in Thief River Falls. MN. He says that right out of A&P school "I learned the ropes from the more experienced mechanics I worked with. I feel fortunate to have worked with several talented professionals, who were always happy to share what they have learned over the years."
He started his career as a line mechanic at Ryan International Airlines in Minneapolis, and quickly transitioned to the position of 727 flight mechanic. Post 9/11 he relocated to STL, ATL, DFW, and MCO working charter/DOD contracts. In 2004 the company was struggling to stay afloat and he decided to take a chance on a very young airline: JetBlue Airways. In 2013 he was promoted to maintenance supervisor which was a great learning experience. He also worked at Allegiant as a maintenance supervisor, and then AAR Miami as a shift manager. Presently he is the vice president of maintenance/119 director of maintenance for a Part 121 carrier, Via Airlines in Orlando, FL.
Ketterer has received the FAA AMT Ruby Award in 2004 and 2007 and the Diamond Award in 2015. He has attended specialty training classes from Airbus, Boeing, International Aero Engine, numerous Honeywell classes, and many others.
Nominated by Amos Vizer, Chairman, Via Airlines: "Kevin joined Via Airlines as the director of maintenance for our EMB120 fleet. As part of this job, he needed to work closely with other managers in the organization as well as FAA staff to assure compliance with regulations, safe operation, and reliable fleet. Kevin quickly earned the respect of the FAA and fellow managers by working very long hours, attention to detail, and forward thinking solution-oriented approach. This feedback was brought to my attention with the recommendation to promote Kevin to vice president of technical operations of the whole organization. This position requires a very unique skill set as the VP of Technical Operations runs maintenance, engineering, planning, long-term strategic planning, and has a direct effect on the airline's success. This is a position that is rarely held by a person as young as Kevin. Not only that, Kevin is doing a good job; he has excelled beyond any level of expectation by significantly improving fleet reliability, reducing cost by almost 25 percent, improved safety, clear communication, and stronger relationships with the FAA. There is no one else I have ever encountered that has made an impact as Kevin has, not even people 20 years older. Kevin has proved that talent, dedication, desire to learn, and hard work are the valuable tools a person needs to make a true effect on an airline and the whole industry.
His career goal: "To continue to be an advocate of both safety and integrity, and to continue to learn, network, and grow professionally."
