EVERETT — The CEO of magniX, an Everett company involved in launching a fully electric commuter airplane, is leaving the company after four years.
In a tweet Thursday, Roei Ganzarski said “it is with a heavy heart that I share that after almost four years, I have decided to leave magniX and Eviation Aero.”
In addition to serving as CEO of magniX, Ganzarski is chairman of the board of directors of Eviation Aircraft in Arlington, which is building a nine-passenger, all-electric airplane.
magniX designs and builds electric motors to power aircraft. Eviation’s electric airplane is specifically designed around magniX’s electric propulsion system.
In a LinkedIn post, Ganzarski said, “Leaving this tremendous family is the hardest part of this decision. What an honor and a privilege I had to work with such amazing, talented, smart, and passionate people.
“I am so proud of what we were able to achieve during the last four years at magniX including to name a few: Developed multiple versatile all-electric full propulsion systems for commercially focused aircraft flights with Harbour Air eBeaver starting Dec. 2019 and continuing to fly for the last two years,” Ganzarski wrote.
“With my Eviation executive chairman hat on, we redesigned the Alice (Eviation) Aircraft to its final product version; signed up amazing launch customers like DHL; signed up charging customers like Clay Lacy Aviation; and now are in the final taxi stages before first flight.
“I have no doubt that the future of aviation is electric. It has to be for the sake of our children and grandchildren … I leave magniX and Eviation positioned to continue their leadership in the field,” he concluded.
However, Ganzarski did not specify why he was leaving or mention a depature date.
Known as Alice, Eviation’s plane has been undergoing taxi tests at Arlington Municipal Airport.
Eviation had hoped to conduct a flight of the airplane last year but that has not yet occurred.
When the maiden flight of the world’s first all-electric commuter airliner takes place, the event is expected to draw aviation experts, federal regulators, airline executives and media from around the world.
Last year, magniX received a $74 million grant from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to advance electric aircraft propulsion technology.
magniX also consolidated its Redmond headquarters and a research facility in Australia under one roof and relocated to a building near Paine Field. Eviation occupies three hangars at the Arlington airport.
Both magniX and Eviation are subsidiaries of the Clermont Group, a private investment firm based in Singapore.
Neither company has issued statement regarding Ganzarski’s departure.
Janice Podsada; jpodsada@heraldnet.com; 425-339-3097: Twitter @JanicePods.
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