GMAA Elections 2008 Candidate Bios

Currently the Chief Pilot of Amerijet International, an airline providing jet cargo service to 38 communities in the Caribbean, Central and South America from the Miami International Airport. My aviation career started in 1959 when I began learning to fly. Since then and until now, most of energy has been with air carrier aviation as a flight crew member, instructor, and manager, except for the 2 years as an areal applicator, 6 years as a Naval Aviator, 2 years as an ab intio flight instructor. In my career as a manager, I have served as an airline chief pilot and airline training center director.

On June 27th, 2007, 23-year-old Barrington Irving secured his place in history as the first black pilot and youngest person ever to fly solo around the globe. When he took off from Miami on March 23rd in a single-engine aircraft, thousands of students and well-wishers cheered him on. Over the next three months, he flew 30,000 miles, traversing four continents and encountering snow storms, thunderstorms, sand storms and monsoons along the way.

In December, 2007, the United States Congress passed a Resolution honoring Barrington and his achievement and acknowledging his pioneering work in the field of aviation education for young people. On February 12, 2008, members of Congress presented him with the Resolution at a ceremony on Capitol Hill.

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, Barrington moved to South Florida at the age of 6 and spent his youth in inner-city Miami. He did well in high school but saw a football scholarship as the only route to college. At 15, his life changed when he met a Jamaican United Airlines Captain, Gary Robinson, who took an interest in the young man’s future. Captain Robinson’s mentoring and encouragement helped motivate Barrington to earn his pilot’s and flight instructor’s licenses as he worked toward a college degree.

In 2003, Barrington founded the nonprofit organization, Experience Aviation, to introduce other young people to the fields of aviation and aerospace. In November 2006, with the help of local and federal grants, he opened the first EA Learning Center in Miami. The Center offers hands-on education programs, career guidance and mentorship support to middle and high school students.

Barrington’s goal in making the historic world flight was to inspire these students, and thousands of others throughout the world, to pursue their own dreams and to encourage them to consider careers in aviation and aerospace. He named his plane “Inspiration,” he said, “…because that’s what I wanted my historic venture to be for young people. They can look at me and realize that if I can achieve my dream, they can too.”

Kristen Jurn, Vice President Sales and Marketing MIU Events, US, is an avid aviation enthusiast and industry professional with a comprehensive background in both general and commercial aviation operations, sales and marketing. Her aviation career has grown along with the new technology aircraft both in the single engine and light jet category. Kristen led the branding, client services and sales operations in the South Florida market for Cirrus SR22 shared ownership programs as the Regional Sales Manager for AirShares Elite 2005-2007. Prior to selling Cirrus fractions, she worked with Mach 2 Management as a product specialist for the Eclipse 500 during the early years of the VLJ category introduction. She has over 1,200 hours of flying time and is a single and multi engine instrument and commercial rated pilot. Her latest flying achievement is competing in cross country air racing as part of the all female pilot Air Race Classic.

Kristen’s involvement in aviation began in 1991 when she earned her private license. After completing university and living in France, Kristen worked for United Airlines as an international crew member for 8 years and trained toward her instrument and commercial ratings during her free time. She was a lead pilot for the “Traffic Watch” in the Northeastern, US during 2000-2002.

Kristen has held sales and management positions with a variety of established and upstart companies. In 2007, she established an aviation specific marketing and sales consulting corporation specializing in new technology based aircraft business models.

Kristen is affiliated and is an active member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), Ninety-Nines International Women Pilots Organization, Women in Aviation International (WIAI), and the Greater Miami Aviation Association (GMAA).

Frank Matos

I was born in New York City, where I completed my grammar school. I graduated from one of the state university. I obtained my B.A in Business and Sales/Marketing at New Paltz. I received my first job out of college as a public transporter for Queens Transit. I drove buses for 8 years. In the 8 years of servicing the community I received a management position and to run another company called Atlantic Express, which is the reason I currently reside in Florida. I worked at this company for 3 years. This company was bought out and was relocated to New Jersey. I then received my first aviation employment opportunity with Aero Industrial Coating as a painter. I completed my employment with Aero Industrial to move on to Sermatech/Telaflex where I received my first sales position. I worked as a Sales Rep bring in business for the coating department. I then was offered a Sales position in the Repair shop. I was solely responsible for increasing the sales by 30% in the 1st year. I became the top Sales rep within my first year of employment. This was were I became a recognized Sales Rep in the aviation industry. GE bought Sermatech. While still under the GE umbrella I was able to receive the Green/Black Belt training and Negotiation Training. GE then closed there facility down in West Palm Beach. I was not willing to relocate to Ohio. So I was then offered a Sales position at Turbine Solutions out of Brooksville, FL. I ran the office out of Boca Raton. Turbine Solutions was a broker company and my forte was in Sales and Marketing for the Repair Stations. I left Turbine Solutions on a good note. I then was offered a position in Miami at Jet Accessories. I worked for Jet Accessories as the top Sales Rep, increasing there sales by 50 %. I created a GE Fuel Nozzle program. I was also responsible for introducing the major airline industry to Jet Accessories. Jet Accessories was unable to accommodate all the work I was bringing in. So I pursued a larger repair station. I was hired by Aero Technologies, which was has expanded tremendously and is now called AMG. Some of my accomplishments with AMG are: introducing Air France to Aero Technologies. Air France now owes 40 % of Aero Maintenance Group, thus the reason for the name change to AMG. I was a key part of the team for negotiating to very successful partnership with Delta, American Airlines, and United. I am still currently employed with AMG where I am continuing to help AMG expand in the aviation community and explore new business opportunities.

I have been an active core member for the ACPC convention for the past 5 years and an active volunteer for the past 10 years. I currently am the Golfing coordinator for the upcoming ACPC 2008 in Chicago. I served as director of the Miami Maintenance Counsel. I am an active member in the aviation committee.

Michael M. Schmidt

Michael M. Schmidt is a Director at Frank Crystal & Company. As the alternative in insurance brokerage, Frank Crystal & Company provides industry-leading insurance services, solutions, and counsel to corporations as well as individuals. The company provides a highly consultative approach, leveraging its insurance advisory, claims management, risk control engineering, and administrative expertise to the benefit of its clients.

Schmidt has over 18 years experience in the insurance industry. Prior to joining Frank Crystal he was a Director of Aon, where he was responsible for the company’s Latin America & Caribbean Mergers & Acquisitions group. He participated in the Associacion de Administradores de Riesgos del Noreste, A.C., Monterey, Mexico as a expositor on the subject of Mergers & Acquisitions insurance due diligence. He also was the Executive Manager for the Heath International Holdings A.R.T., S.A. Argentina workers compensation company. Previous to Argentina Schmidt was an Executive National Accounts Underwriter for Industrial Indemnity, the San Francisco based workers’ compensation insurance company.

Schmidt received his Bachelor of Science from California’s University of the Pacific. He is on the board of the Miami Finance Forum as well as a member of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Miami Aviation Association.