Piper Aircraft, Inc. President and CEO Kevin Gould has stepped down from his role with the manufacturer.
Piper has announced that, effective immediately, Geoffrey Berger, Managing Director of Imprimis' (the corporate finance and investment management firm that acquired Piper in 2009) Brunei operations will serve as interim CEO. Berger will serve in that role while Piper launches a global search for an executive to lead the company.
CAPTION: Kevin J Gould served as Piper President and CEO for just over 12 months. (Piper Aircraft, Inc.)
Gould joined Piper in 2005 as Vice President, Operations and overhauled the company's manufacturing operations, improving both cost and quality performance. Promoted to CEO in June 2009, he was instrumental in facilitating the transition of ownership from the prior private equity firm to Imprimis.
Commenting on the management change, the Chairman of Piper's Board of Directors and Managing Partner of Imprimis, Stephen W. Berger, said:
“Kevin's leadership served Piper well over the past five years,” Chairman of Piper's Board of Directors and Managing Partner of Imprimis, Stephen W. Berger, said. “As CEO, Kevin launched a number of important strategic undertakings including forming Piper Asia with their newly established base of operations in Brunei, strengthening a solid product line and launching new products including development of the PiperJet.
"Kevin Gould has been a strong and valued member of the Piper team and we know we will benefit from his counsel in the future.”
Gould said he was proud of his achievements at Piper.
“I am proud of improving Piper's production operations, building a top notch leadership team, and getting the PiperJet program on a fast track,” he said. “Piper's next phase of growth will come from intense development of international markets, especially in Asia Pacific. I am very optimistic about Piper's future in the world's aviation industry."
The change at the top comes at a time when Piper is proactively working to reassert itself in the GA market, with particular emphasis on the Asia Pacific region, including Australia, through the establishment of Brunei-based Piper Aircraft Asia. While Piper has yet to give a reason for Gould’s sudden departure, for what it’s now worth Australian Flying had the pleasure of meeting the man at the recent opening ceremony of the new Australian Airline Pilot Academy campus at Wagga Wagga.
And while on the subject of Piper, the manufacturer has just contracted Italy’s Mecaer Aviation Group to design and manufacture the landing gear system for the PiperJet. Berger also hinted that further important PiperJet announcements will be made before year’s end.