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The Hartzell Propeller leadership team is tasked with keeping Hartzell at the forefront of innovation and excellence. Here are the key leaders of our organization.
President
As President of Hartzell Propeller, JJ is responsible for all operating elements of the business, including the development and execution of Hartzell’s strategy.
JJ began at Hartzell in 2011 as the company’s Controller and steadily assumed more responsibilities in leading the company, including managing the day-to-day business team in addition to marketing and brand-building efforts. JJ was promoted to President of Hartzell Propeller in January 2020. Prior to Hartzell Propeller, he spent 10 years as a finance manager at Proctor & Gamble. He is on the Communications Committee and a board member of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association.
A 2001 Cum Laude graduate of the University of Notre Dame, JJ serves his community as vice president of the Miami County Partners for Animal Welfare and president of the Troy High School Soccer Parents Association. He is also past president of the United Way of Miami County and the Miami County Humane Society.
Executive Vice President
As Executive Vice President, Burt is responsible for leading the Quality, Supply Chain, FAA ODA, mergers and acquisitions, and MRO activities.
Burt joined Hartzell in June 1995 as the Manager of Special Processes. He became Director of Special Processes and Regulatory Compliance in 2000, adding quality assurance and supply chain oversight to his role in 2002. He was named Vice President of Regulatory Systems and Strategic Sourcing in 2011, a role he held until 2021, when he became Executive Vice President and added oversight for the heated products and MRO businesses.
Throughout his tenure with Hartzell, Burt has had the opportunity to hold many senior leadership roles, including Quality, Manufacturing, Special Processes, FAA Relations, Plant Engineering, Nondestructive Testing, M & A, Health & Wellness, Medical Plan Design, Environmental, and Health & Safety. As a result of his broad experience at Hartzell, he has developed specific skills in lean manufacturing and waste reduction, facilitation, process control, regulatory compliance, and business strategy.
Burt holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Chemical & Materials Engineering from the University of Dayton. He is an instrumented-rated private pilot with over 1000 hours of pilot in command and a member of AOPA and EAA.
Vice President, Human Resources
Heidi is responsible for strategic compensation and benefits, talent development, hiring, employee relations, and the full gamut of human resources responsibilities for all companies in the Hartzell Aviation family of businesses. She joined the Hartzell team in 2008. Prior to her role at Hartzell, Heidi spent several years as an independent HR consultant following 12 years at Honda of America Manufacturing, where she held various Human Resource roles.
A graduate of Miami University, Oxford, she earned a BS in Business with a double major in Human Resources and Marketing. Heidi is active in the community and currently serves as Secretary of the Dayton Children’s Hospital Foundation Board, and is also on the Advisory Committee for OneFifteen, as well as the board for The Centered Foundation.
Vice President, Sales and Marketing
As Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Jon guides the sales team on a growth mindset to adapt to changing market conditions, positioning the business for unprecedented expansion into new emerging markets.
Prior to joining Hartzell Propeller in 2021, Jon was instrumental in delivering growth at Shell Aviation, representing the AeroShell product line in the Americas region. He began his aviation career as a Charter Services Manager with Executive Jet Management and grew into a Director role at NetJets.
Jon graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in Aviation Management, and he is a Commercial-rated pilot with over 1,000 hours of pilot in command.
Vice President, Engineering & Flight Safety
Doug is responsible for leading Hartzell’s Engineering and Flight Safety organizations. He joined Hartzell in 2022 after working at GE Aviation for 21 years. During his tenure with GE, Doug held numerous engineering management jobs. These included roles in jet engine design, analysis, vibration, certification, and testing.
Doug holds an MBA from Xavier University as well as a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from The Ohio State University.
Vice President, Operations
Jason is responsible for propeller assembly, parts, and heated product operations. These include production, maintenance, manufacturing engineering, as well as environmental health and safety.
Prior to joining the Hartzell team in 2022, Jason gathered a wealth of knowledge in manufacturing from companies including Ingersoll Rand and Meritor/Cummins. He began his career as a manufacturing engineer, then maintenance and operations leadership.
Jason holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Ferris State University in Michigan and an MBA from Winthrop University in South Carolina.
Vice President, Manufacturing Technology and Composite
Brian is responsible for driving innovation, improving manufacturing processes, and leading Hartzell’s carbon fiber composite propeller manufacturing team.
Brian joined Hartzell in 1998 and operated CNC equipment in the machine shop before transitioning to an application engineering role in manufacturing services in 2004. Since then, Brian has held several key roles in manufacturing devoted to continuous improvement initiatives and on-time delivery. Prior to Hartzell, Brian spent 13 years in the Dayton metropolitan area focusing on the design and building of special machines and progressive stamping dies.
Brian is an active member of the Dayton Region Manufacturers Association and supports the Upper Valley Career Center’s Manufacturing & Machining Program.
