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Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi ('89, DB) was appointed the new minister of education for the United Arab Emirates. Prior to his appointment, he served in several educational posts, including chairing the board of trustees for the Institute of Applied Technology and the Abu Dhabi Center for Technical and Vocational Education and Training.
Jon Slangerup ('81, WW), a member of the Embry-Riddle Board of Trustees and former FedEx Canada president, was appointed CEO for the Port of Long Beach, Calif. He has 34 years of corporate leadership experience and for the past 20 years has served as a president, CEO and/or director of both public and private companies.
Marlene Wessel ('13, PC), who is also an ERAU-Worldwide student, competed in the 2014 Air Race Classic, a four-day transcontinental flight competition for female pilots held June 16-21. Wessel, who was co-pilot for the Prescott Campus team, placed fourth in the collegiate category and 10th overall.
Greg Richman ('02, DB) was appointed president of the new private jet charter company, Skyjet. Skyjet was launched by Directional Aviation. Richman, who was managing director of Sentient Jet Charter, will lead Skyjet from the company’s headquarters in New York City.
Abdulrahaman Al-Busaidy ('80, DB) was appointed chief operating officer of Oman Air, effective July 1. The airline’s commercial, network planning, and strategy and business development divisions will report to Al-Busaidy.
Col. William L. Thigpen ('03, WW) was named the new commander of the 316th Cavalry Brigade at Fort Benning, Ga. Thigpen arrived at Fort Benning after studying at the National War College at Fort Lesley McNair in Washington, D.C. Before attending the college, Thigpen served at the Pentagon as an aide to the vice chief of staff of the Army.
Jason Shrier ('99, DB) was promoted to general manager of Helicopter Specialties Inc. (HSI), in Janeville, Wis. He came to HSI in 2001 as an avionics technician and has been director of maintenance since 2007.
Kim Ellis ('00, WW) is the newest manager for the Riverside Municipal Airport, operated by the City of Riverside, Calif. Ellis has 26 years of experience in Southern California aviation and has been involved in airport management since 1988, most recently in the Training/Emergency Management Section of Los Angeles International Airport’s Operations Division.
Army Reserve Maj. Stephen Messenger ('00, DB) won the annual Maj. Gen. James M. Wright Distinguished Master Logistician Award from the Department of Logistics and Resource Operations of the Command and General Staff College this month. The award recognizes the top logistician in each graduating class.
Embry-Riddle's sports information director at the Daytona Beach Campus, Alison Smalling ('96, '98, DB), was named the 2013-14 Sun Conference Sports Information Director of the Year in the inaugural presentation for the award. Smalling was chosen for the honor by the league's sports information personnel and will now advance to the NAIA SID of the Year ballot.
Maj. Gen. Anthony Rock ('95, WW) was promoted to three-star general in the United States Air Force. He received his third star at a June 19 promotion ceremony at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. .
Gregory Migirditch Jr. ('03, '04, DB) and his wife, Kristy, welcomed a daughter, Samantha Avery, into the world on Dec., 20, 2013. Gregory works as an air traffic controller at the Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center. The family resides in Collierville, Tenn.
Gerald Evans ('99, WW) is employed as a supervisory immigration services officer with the United States Citizenship & Immigration Services in Tampa, Fla. He also is an adjunct instructor for Everglades University, teaching undergraduate and graduate aviation students. He and his wife, Jelena Evans, and three children reside in the Tampa area.
James “Jim” Bartlett (’82, DB) is currently a 767 First Officer at Delta Airlines. His daughter, Emily, 14, recently graduated from elementary school and is looking forward to attending high school in the fall. They reside in New Hampshire.
Retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Ralph O. Irwin (’77, '87, WW) re-retired in September 2012, after being recalled back to active duty for two years as a special operations pilot assigned to U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, Fla. He first retired nearly 20 years ago.