A Number of High-Profile Persons Leave Amid Rumors of 'Culture Change'

Aero-News/Analysis by Jim Campbell, CEO/Editor-In-Chief

ANN is monitoring a number of reports about the disarray that appears to be taking place inside Cessna -- as the company transitions from the 'Cessna That Jack (Pelton) Built' to a new era under the helm of Scott Ernest. Last year, after the forced retirement of long-time CEO Pelton, there were reports of an internal shakeup in the works... made even more apparent by the naming of former GE Exec, Scott Ernest, to take over the GA and Business Aircraft manufacturer.

Ernest was reportedly sent in, in late May of 2011, to deal with Cessna's poor financial performance after the US economy tanked (along with much of American industry... the same folks who used to buy Bizjets). While Ernest has excellent bona fides in terms of his background in managing the global supply chain for mammoth GE Aviation, Wichita insiders worried that he "wasn't enough of an airplane guy" and may have been put in place to strip Cessna down to a much leaner, but potentially less competitive, organization.

It didn't take long for the misgivings to multiply as Mark Paolucci, Cessna's former Sr. VP-Sales, announced his 'retirement' after 32 years with the company. Paolucci was noted as being instrumental to much of the Cessna culture and his absence signaled that much could be changing for the Wichita Wonder.

Since Pelton's departure, a number of other high-profile personalities have left Cessna... among them the affable Bob Stangarone, former  VP of Communications -- pretty much the mouthpiece of Cessna for a number of years (and a very effective one). Stangarone is now at Embraer -- a company that is carving aggressively into Cessna's market share. ANN has also confirmed that a fair number of other VPs have left the nest... Wichita Power Couple Tim and Diane White have been confirmed by Cessna corporate (after extensive efforts to get someone to comment) as having resigned and Trevor Esling has elected to head out as well. Other resignations and departures have been mentioned but Cessna (we're trying to background two more big ones) is keeping silent at this point and no confirming those details.

The latest three departures are serious losses in that they undertook serious roles at Cessna -- and also take a fair amount of influence and knowledge with them. Last year, as Paolucci headed out, Tim White was named as VP, Sales-the Americas. White lead the sales force in North America, Central America and South America. With over 13 years at Cessna, he had held several positions with increasing responsibility within the sales organization. White is an active licensed pilot with a Citation type rating.

Scott Ernest

Dianne White was Stangarone's replacement, taking on the role of VP, Corporate Communications. White's resume boasted experience in roles with Hawker Beechcraft, Cessna Aircraft Company, Learjet, AlliedSignal (now Honeywell), Raytheon Aircraft Services, Avidyne, Jet Support Services, Inc, CarinaStar, Guardian Jet and Flight Visions. When asked about her departure, Cessna (at first) refused to confirm the matter... offering to "take a message for her" as late as Monday, but her removal from the Cessna website and a terse confirmation on Tuesday have indicated that she has left.

As Tim White's promotion was announced last December, it was Trevor Esling that was promoted to VP, Sales for EMAA (Europe, Middle East, Africa & Asia). Trevor lead the sales force in Europe, Russia, Africa, Middle East, India, Asia Pacific and China. Cessna noted then, that, "...In his 16 years at Cessna, Trevor has been a key leader in Cessna's international market expansion and will continue to help the company grow established and emerging markets. With a degree in Economics from Lancaster University (U.K.), Esling started his career with British Aerospace PLC and joined the Cessna Citation sales team in 1995."

Tim White is rumored to be heading to Bombardier and Esling has already been named as taking a slot at Gulfstream as Regional Sr. VP, International Sales, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

Though not a "VP" role, Cessna also lost another major aero-personality with the departure of Julie Fillucci, their highly-regarded Manager of the Cessna Pilot Center Program... Julie is now at Jeppesen. 

Insiders indicate that there is a bit of turmoil in the Cessna organization as Ernest remakes the company according to his terms -- while complaints about the transition range from the import of a number of execs with modest or no aviation experience (one from Kraft Foods, for instance), to a number of programs and initiatives that have not set well with the rank and file... including a Performance Management Process that is reported to have crashed and burned and may have caused yet another departure. Other complaints center around Cessna's transition from being the "Family Airplane Business" to a more corporate and less aviation-oriented entity that seems more intent on 'the numbers' than its aviation mission. Cited as evidence of the decline of the aviation culture at Cessna was the sudden and unpopular decision to institute drastic price increases on the Cessna SkyCatcher -- by nearly $40K -- which has reportedly resulted in a number of cancellations and a significant slowdown in new orders.

"Cessna has always grown a fair part of its business from scratch... starting with training airplanes and eventually working pilots all the way up to Citations... 'this Cessna' is throwing all that way," notes one insider.

ANN is still pursuing other details of this story and has a number of information requests in with of... we will get back to you as soon as the requisite information is made known.

FMI: www.cessna.com