New board member, officers at Aerospace Alliance

The Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance has a new president, vice president and member at large on its board of directors. Here’s the organization’s news release:


Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance Announces New Officers to Board of Directors

BELLEVUE, WA – October 23, 2013 – Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance, a non-profit aerospace organization dedicated to promoting the growth and success of the aerospace industry in the Northwest, announced its new board following its Annual Meeting to elect directors and officers on September 24, 2013. The PNAA board has a new president, vice president and one new member at large.

JC Hall, Esterline Hytek Finishes, was elected Chairman and will replace Kevin Steck of EADS Composites Atlantic. Bob Uptagrafft, Impact Washington, was elected Vice Chairman and will replace Bill King, SubRosa Aero. Both Steck and King will remain on the board. John Graham, of Redmond-based Fulcrum Associates, was re-elected secretary and Tom Sanger, Moss Adams LLP., was re-elected treasurer. PNAA welcomed aerospace analyst Michel Merluzeau, G2 Solutions, as a new board member. Merluzeau will replace aerospace analyst Scott Hamilton who stepped off the board in May.

“We are pleased that JC and Bob have stepped forward to carry PNAA’s leadership torch. Their aerospace experience and proven business leadership, as well as their experience as PNAA committee chairs, will serve our organization well,” said PNAA Executive Director Melanie Jordan. “In addition, we welcome Michel Merluzeau to our board of directors. Serving on the board of a thriving non-profit like PNAA requires dedication, time, and a commitment to the industry. We are incredibly grateful to Michel for committing his time and talents to strengthening our organization. His experience and industry insights will have a tremendous impact on our organization and the Northwest aerospace industry.”

PNAA’s board consists of: Chairman JC Hall, Esterline Hytek Finishes; Vice Chairman Bob Uptagrafft, Impact Washington; Secretary John Graham, Fulcrum Associates; Treasurer Tom Sanger, Moss Adams LLP; Tom Brosius, Orion Aerospace, Ted Croft, Pyrotek; Bill King, SubRosa LLC; John Monroe, Economic Alliance Snohomish County; Jim Sheehan, Technical Aero; Kevin Steck, EADS Composites Atlantic; Rick Taylor, Altek and Michel Merluzeau, G2 Solutions.

JC Hall is the Sales Manager for Esterline Hytek Finishes. Hytek Finishes is the largest independent supplier of specialized metal finishing, plating, anodizing and organic coating services in the Pacific Northwest and one of the largest in North America. In addition to his duties at Hytek, Mr. Hall serves on the Board of Directors of the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance and is a member of the Air Transport Research International Forum (ATRIF). His forty years in aerospace includes past service as Executive Director of the Washington Aerospace Alliance and almost 30 years of military service with the US Air Force and US Navy flying the F-4 Phantom, F-101 Voodoo, F-111, and EA-6B Prowler.

Bob Uptagrafft is a Senior Project Manager and Aerospace Specialist for Impact Washington and PNAA’s Public Policy Chair. A graduate of the UW Executive Development Program, his career spans over 25 years in technology and aerospace manufacturing. His expertise includes Strategic Planning, Corporate Growth Strategies, Change Management, and Executive Coaching.

John Graham has been a board member of the PNAA since 2006. He is president of Redmond based Fulcrum Associates. He has 35 years of experience in manufacturing and quality management. He has directed several teams through implementation of Quality Management Systems in aerospace, medical, and professional services industries. He has an extensive background in various engineering disciplines including research &development, design, test, manufacturing, and quality engineering. John is approved as an instructor for ANAB and IATCA AS9100 Lead Auditor training and teaches aerospace and ISO related courses at Bellevue Community College.

Tom Sanger has been a board member of the PNAA since 2005 and has been attending the conference for years. Tom is a Partner at Moss Adams LLP, where he started public accounting in 1994. He is a Partner in the Tax Specialty Group which is a group of 70+ professionals that provide tax services that serve all clients throughout the firm. These services include Cost Segregation, Research Credit, Other Federal Incentives and Credits, State and Local Taxes, Transfer Pricing, Federal Tax Controversy, and Comp and Benefits. Tom is in charge of the firm’s Federal Credits and Incentives Group overseeing the Research Credit, Cost Segregation and Other Federal Credits and Incentives groups. These groups are structured to serve middle market clients in saving tax through various federal incentives and credits.

Michel Merluzeau is the Managing Partner at G2 Solutions. Prior to joining G2 Solutions, Michel spent over ten years at Frost &Sullivan’s Silicon Valley headquarters in California as analyst and then Director for Airborne Systems research. In addition, he spent three years at the Frost &Sullivan European headquarters in London, England, directing a core group of consultants and analysts. Michel’s projects ranged from complex end-user surveys to new product launch strategies, regional market entry programs, and acquisition strategies. Furthermore, Michel has been involved in numerous forecasting and analysis projects for civilian and military markets including fighter, transport, regional and business aircraft as well as helicopter markets. A graduate of the University of Provence in France, Michel is also a regular speaker at the Speednews Defense Supplier conference, Frost &Sullivan Competitive Intelligence conferences, and several Avionics magazine conferences.

About PNAA: The Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance (PNAA) is a non-profit organization that has been promoting the growth and success of the aerospace industry in the Northwest for over 11 years. Its primary purpose is to assist members in being globally competitive. This is accomplished through frequent educational and networking events and informing members and participants of important industry changes and business opportunities.

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