Avionics News April 2023 - 61

 Award recipients will be honored
MONDAY, APRIL 24, 2023, during the AEA Convention's opening session.
2023 AEA Member of the Year &
AEA Associate Member of the Year
partnership that led to the creation
of Pacific Coast Avionics. The AEA
has been extremely helpful with
regulatory issues, product/installation
training, and overall networking, not
just at conventions, but throughout
the year. The AEA has been valuable
in the growth of its business. Conroy
also has contributed to several
articles as an expert resource in
Avionics News.
Conroy and his wife, Ortensia,
have been married 44 years.
They have two grown children,
and the joy of their lives are four
grandchildren. Conroy's other joy is
flying a Vans RV-7 that he and his
son built in 2015.
David Fetherston
NexAir Avionics -
Plymouth, Massachusetts
David Fetherston has been in
and around aviation all his life. He
started flying at the age of 16 and got
his ticket at age 21. He's a licensed
mechanic, instrument pilot, and is
certificated in both airplanes and
helicopters.
After graduating from Teterboro
School of Avionics, he started his
career as an aircraft mechanic on the
Sikorsky Blackhawk production line.
Following his engineering skills,
Fetherston has worked for several
defense contractors as a program
manager on key military projects.
In 1994, he co-founded Altair
Avionics to bring engine monitoring
technology to the aviation industry. He
recognized a need to provide engine
diagnostics, and today this equipment
is standard in most turbine-powered
aircraft. The company grew to 27
people before it was
sold to Pratt & Whitney
Canada in 2001.
Fetherston stayed on
to run the engineering
department until early
2007 when he left to
start NexAir Avionics.
NexAir Avionics was founded in
2007 and is a certified FAA avionics
repair station. When Fetherston started
NexAir Avionics, he saw a need for
a shop that truly understands the
new digital world of avionics. Check
out the Saratoga NX; it's one-ofa-kind
and exemplifies the quality
workmanship NexAir Avionics has
to offer. The shop is located at the
Plymouth Municipal Airport, Hangar
SW-1, and has 15,000 square feet of
shop space.
Monica Gualandri
Sarasota Avionics - Venice, Florida
Monica Gualandri is part of an
aviation family that has been serving
the local flying community and the
Venice Airport for over 30 years.
She and her husband, Dan, started
Gualandri Aircraft in 1994 when Dan
obtained his airframe and powerplant
license. Monica raised two daughters,
Toni and Alexis, while handling all
the office administration for Gualandri
Aircraft. While building an impressive
reputation at VNC, Gualandri Aircraft
began a partnership with Sarasota
Avionics to install engine management
systems for customers. Once Kirk
Fryar of Sarasota Avionics got to
know Monica and Dan,
he knew he needed
them on his team and
hired them both in
2009. Monica began
attending the AEA
Conventions and AEA
Regionals, finding the training and
networking opportunities afforded by
the AEA invaluable.
Today, she oversees all five Part
145 repair stations while serving
on the AEA government and
industry affairs committee. Her
knowledge of STC documentation
and FAA regulations has made her
an indispensable resource for the
Sarasota Avionics team. Everyone
from technicians on the floor to
salespeople in the office knows that
if you need help, you need to " go ask
Monica. "
avionics news * april 2023 61
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