David Groen,
Chairman, President & CEO

David Groen, the cofounder of Groen Brothers Aviation with his late brother, Jay, has served as its President & CEO for the past fifteen years. Following the death of Jay Groen in October of 2006, David was elected to the additional position of Chairman of the Board of Directors.

David and Jay founded the Company in 1986 with the goal of re-discovering and developing the science of autorotative flight used by gyroplanes and gyrodynes. By 2001 they had grown GBA’s staff to more than 130 people, they had flown the world’s first turbine-powered gyroplane, the GBA Hawk 4, and were proceeding toward FAA commercial certification of that aircraft. The same year, however, the impact of the severe economic down turn of the “Tech Sector” crash, and subsequently 9/11, necessitated that management reassess its strategy to insure survival. In order to conserve the Company, David curtailed the certification program and reduced the work force by more than 100 people through a painful layoff, but he retained the resources necessary to continue to move the Company’s science forward.

David’s continuing emphasis on exploiting the huge potential of the technology of autorotative flight gained quick recognition. As early as 2002, the Aerospace Industries Association in their summer Executive Report of that year stated that, “What the Wright Brothers did for the airplane 100 years ago, the Groen Brothers are doing for the gyroplane today.” By that time, under David’s direction, the Company had initiated the development of its light gyroplane, the SparrowHawk, which has established new safety and performance standards for both personal and public use of this type of aircraft.

In 2005 the Company was awarded a very significant contract from the U.S. Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop a demonstrator gyrodyne rotorcraft. The principle use of this aircraft, named by DARPA as the Heliplane, is to serve in a Combat Search & Rescue (CSAR) role. The contract resulted from the concerted efforts of both Jay and David to convince Washington decision-makers of the power and versatility of GBA’s technology. The Heliplane will take full advantage of this technology, allowing vertical takeoff and landing, a top speed twice that of current helicopters and an impressive payload and range. The application of GBA’s technology has a broad range of important military and commercial applications that the Company intends to exploit. As the third element in the Company’s growth plan, David’s ever continuing efforts in funding the renewal of the Hawk 4 certification program resulted in a signed Memorandum of Understanding on December 14, 2006, between GBA and the Government of Aragon, Spain. The MOU to calls for the formation of a Joint Venture to complete FAA certification, production, marketing, and delivery of GBA’s Hawk 5 Gyroplane, a five place turboprop vertical takeoff and landing aircraft based upon GBA’s original Hawk 4 design.

As a result of these initiatives, under David’s leadership the Company has now grown the company back to more than 80 full time and part time employees divided between its Salt Lake City, Utah and Buckeye, Arizona facilities.

Immediately prior to forming Groen Brothers Aviation, David Groen was a founding partner and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Seagull Recycling Company. Previously, he has held numerous executive positions in the helicopter industry with Sales and Marketing, Safety Officer, Branch Manager, and Chief Pilot responsibilities.

Having extensive military and commercial experience in helicopters, Mr. Groen has logged over 7,000 hours in rotor-wing and fixed-wing aircraft. Mr. Groen received his Certificate of Graduation in 1970 from the U.S. Army Warrant Officer Flight Training School, was awarded Army Aviator Wings and promoted to the rank of Warrant Officer. As a combat helicopter pilot and Aircraft Commander in Vietnam, he flew hundreds of combat sorties. He is qualified as a pilot in most American and French helicopters, and has attended Aerospatiale factory schools.

Over the years, Mr. Groen’s numerous commercial helicopter missions have involved such work as EMS (emergency medical service hospital air ambulance), power line construction and patrol, topographical survey, USGS map making, wildlife management, predator control, herd management, back country tour guides, heli-skiing, forest fire fighting, long line seismic oil exploration, and wildcat on-shore and off-shore oil drilling operations.

These years of commercial flying, added to his tenure serving in management positions within the rotor-wing industry, have given Mr. Groen a wealth of management and leadership experience in a variety of relevant fields. David Groen is co-author, along with his brother Jay, of a best selling novel entitled “Huey”.

Robin H.H. Wilson,
Executive Vice President and
Head of Business Development

As Head of Business Development, Robin Wilson plays a major role in introducing the aviation industry to Groen Brothers Aviation’s new products, as the company expands its product line. His Executive VP role allows Mr. Wilson to impart to the company the benefits of his leadership and management wisdom gained during 40 years of executive management experience in the transportation industry.

Among his leadership positions, Mr. Wilson served for 17 years at Trans World Airlines (TWA) ending his first period with TWA as Senior Vice President, Operations, responsible for managing an annual budget of $2 billion; Subsequently, as the President of the Long Island Railroad, his positive impact on the operation of that railroad and on the economy of Long Island, earned him an induction into the New York Hall of Fame. Succeeding positions included: President, Chief Operating Officer and Director of Western Airlines, Inc.; President, CEO and Director of Burlington Air Express; and Chief Technical Officer of Guinness Peak Aviation (GPA), then the world’s largest aircraft leasing company.

Following TWA entering Chapter 11 Bankruptcy in 1992, he was asked to return to the airline to serve as Co-chief Executive. After TWA’s emergence from Chapter 11, he was appointed Vice Chairman with responsibility for the principal operating functions of the airline, resigning that position after the appointment of a new CEO. Before joining GBA he was a Partner and Director of SH&E, the international aviation consultants.

A native of Dublin, Ireland, Mr. Wilson received a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in Mechanical Sciences from Cambridge University in 1958 and later a Master of Business Administration degree with honors from Harvard University. He also was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws from Adelphi University, New York.

Mr. Wilson, with his respected reputation within the world-wide aviation/aerospace industry and long list of contacts established over his meritorious career, has worked with the late Jay Groen, as Jay initiated important contacts in governmental and aerospace industry sectors, and in broadening that impact on international scale. Thus Mr. Wilson will continue to represent GBA with established connections and cultivate new contacts in the Company’s efforts to further the success of autorotative flight.

Dennis P. Gauger,
Vice President of Finance,
Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
and Corporate Secretary/Treasurer

Dennis P. Gauger, CPA has over 26 years of experience as a financial executive, corporate troubleshooter and consultant, and accounting and auditing professional. His professional background includes 21 years of service in three offices of Deloitte & Touche, a “Big Four” international accounting firm, including 9 years as an accounting and auditing partner. As a Deloitte partner, Mr. Gauger directed domestic and international firm interactions with senior executive management, audit committees and boards of directors relating to audited financial statements, SEC accounting and reporting, initial public offerings, mergers and acquisitions, technical accounting issues, cost accounting, internal controls, employee benefit plans, corporate governance, financing and cash management, and operations.

Since leaving Deloitte, Mr. Gauger has successfully completed both short and long-term engagements as a corporate troubleshooter, “turn around” specialist, financial consultant and analyst, and chief financial officer for a variety of public and privately-owned companies. He has experience in a wide variety of industries, including manufacturing, high technology, software, Internet, retail and distribution, financial services, hospitality, mining, telecommunications and real estate.

Mr. Gauger has served as Chief Financial Officer for two other public companies, and is experienced in the compliance requirements of the Sarbanes - Oxley Act. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the states of Utah and Nevada and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Utah Association of Certified Public Accountants. He graduated with honors from Brigham Young University with a BS degree in accounting.

Nathan W. Drage,
Corporate Counsel

A member of the Utah and California Bar associations, Mr. Drage has represented the Company for over fifteen years. Mr. Drage obtained his Bachelors of Science in Finance from the University of Utah (1983) and his Juris Doctor from McGeorge School of Law (1987). Specializing in securities and corporate law, Mr. Drage is a member of the securities law and international law sections of the American Bar Association. While in private practice Mr. Drage has represented publicly and privately held corporate clients throughout the United States in various financing matters and state and federal securities compliance. Appointed by the Governor of Utah, he is the former Chairman of the Advisory Committee to the Utah Division of Corporations (1989-91) and former Utah Bar Association panel member for revisions to the Utah Business Corporation Act and the Utah Limited Partnership Act.

Mr. Drage currently serves on various committees of the American Bar Association, including the Committee on Federal Regulation of Securities, Subcommittee on Annual Review of Federal Securities Regulation, Subcommittee on Civil Litigation and SEC Enforcement Matters, Task Force on Future of Securities Regulation, and Subcommittee on Small Business Issuers. Mr. Drage is currently a contributing legal writer for Utah Business Magazine.

J J (Jaap) Van Der Westhuizen,
Vice President Engineering &
Chief Technical Officer

Mr. Van Der Westhuizen heads GBA’s technology development efforts as Vice President Engineering & Chief Technical Officer (CTO). He has leadership responsibility for GBA’s engineering teams, with oversight for the company’s aircraft development programs including the US Department of Defense DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Project Agency) Heliplane contract and the SparrowHawk and the Hawk series design efforts. He also has responsibility for the Company’s research and development programs for the use of autorotative flight for manned and unmanned flight. His superior engineering management skills has brought disciplined “out-of-the-box” thinking to the Company, enhancing significantly its understanding of autorotative flight.

His considerable experience in management covers functions such as manufacturing, program and project management, manufacturing engineering, marketing, sales, logistics, SAP and MIS. His career covers a long period in the aviation manufacturing industry where he held several important leadership positions at Denel Aviation of Johannesburg, South Africa. At both Denel, then called Simera, and at Atlas Aircraft Corporation, he was involved in organizational re-engineering that resulted in such significant improvements, leading to the awarding of important contracts to those organizations.

Mr. Van Der Westhuizen was also a part time lecturer in general management at the University of South Africa School for Business Leadership for the Management Development Program.

Thomas E. Winn,
Vice President of Corporate Planning and Quality Assurance

Mr. Winn brings to GBA much experience in many aspects of planning and Quality Management. As President of Progressive Quality Services, he provided quality assessments for companies in several states. Prior to forming Progressive Quality Services, he has functioned as a Federal Aviation Administration Designated Airworthiness Representative (FAA DAR) for EDO Fiber Science and The Boeing Company. His experience also includes 20 years with Hercules Aerospace Inc. in a variety of roles relating to design and proofing of tooling to produce, accept and test various missiles and composite structures. He is a senior member of the American Society for Quality Control (ASQC) with over 25 years experience, and has complete ISO 9000 Lead Assessor training and holds IOS 9000 and Total Quality Management certificates. He has worked in industry in a variety of positions including Director of Quality Assurance and has participated in Total Quality Management (TQM) and in training management and improvement teams in ISO 9000, TQM, and statistical quality control. He has instructed Quality Engineering for the ASQC and is currently a Professor of Advanced Quality Engineering for Weber State University.

Al W. Waddill,
Vice President of Sales
Mr. Waddill has a strong background in sales, having spent his entire career in sales or sales management. This, combined with a lifelong interest in aviation, makes Mr. Waddill very well suited for his position as GBA Vice President of Sales. A licensed pilot since his seventeenth birthday, he was an active member of the United States Hang Gliding Association (USHGA) during its first ten years. He opened and operated two USHGA flight parks, taught hang gliding and organized national flying competitions.

For six years, Mr. Waddill published the premier magazine for the cellular telephone industry and sponsored national conferences annually. He was responsible for the national sales effort for the magazine’s advertisers and distribution, as well as the conference sponsors and attendees. Mr. Waddill earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from the University of Houston. He is a licensed stock broker, formerly with Dean Witter.

Dan Banks,
Customer Support Manager

Mr. Dan Banks began his aviation career in the US Navy serving two tours in Vietnam as a helicopter mechanic and a combat rescue aircrew member. After attending Utah State University, he received his Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic license (FAA A&P) and has worked on a large number of different helicopter and fixed wing aircraft in the United States and in Central and South America. He has worked in every area of helicopter maintenance and has held the positions of Chief Inspector, Director of Maintenance, and Director of Logistic Support. These positions have provided Mr. Banks with the breadth and depth of knowledge necessary to organize and provide customer support service.

As Customer Support Manager, Mr. Banks will receive the gyroplanes from assembly and prepare them for customer deliveries, provide technical publications for continued airworthiness, maintain relationships with owner and operators of Hawk gyroplanes, providing technical assistance as needed and liaison with the engineering group providing current fleet input.

The Late H. Jay Groen,
Founder and Chairman Emeritus

GBA was saddened in early October, 2006, to announce the passing of Chairman Jay Groen at his home in Washington DC. Jay battled cancer for almost two years, a challenge he faced with his characteristic directness, determination, and humor. Jay and his brother David co-founded GBA in 1986 to develop modern autorotative aircraft. Jay Groen was deeply committed to the company’s success and was instrumental in initiating important contacts in governmental and aerospace industry sectors. GBA was recently awarded a major research contract by the US Department of Defense to advance their rotor-wing technology.

Before Jay and his brother David formed GBA, they co-founded Seagull Recycling Company, an organization that developed an original supply of secondary paper fiber for sale to domestic and Far East markets. Prior to this business venture, he was the President of China West, Inc., a Washington D.C. based organization representing U.S. firms in the Peoples Republic of China.

Early in his career, Mr. Groen spent ten years as an Economist for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) doing original research on Asia, with a particular interest on the People’s Republic of China. As part of his responsibilities with the CIA, Mr. Groen prepared written and oral briefs for the White House staff and members of Congress, and lectured at the National War College. Mr. Groen served in the U.S. Air Force as a Chinese Linguist in both Vietnam and Asia, logging more than 100 combat missions in a special airborne intelligence function.
Mr. Groen’ held an M.A. in Economics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, a B.A. in Economics from the University of Utah and a Language Certificate in Mandarin Chinese from Yale University.

Mr. Groen co-authored, along with his brother David, a best selling book entitled Huey, a novel about a helicopter pilot’s experiences in the Vietnam War. A private pilot with a practical background in aeronautical design, Mr. Groen added much innovation to the Hawk series of Gyroplanes.

“Jay’s passing leaves a void within us all, but at the same time furthers our resolve to succeed in this endeavor to celebrate his dedication, devotion and persistence” said David Groen.