Board of Directors

Marianne L. Stevenson founded Strategy Aero Group, an aviation management and services corporation in early 2008, and serves as the CEO. She is primarily responsible for setting the company’s vision and business strategies.

Mrs. Stevenson joined the company from Applera Corporation, a Fortune 500 corporation, where she had served as Senior Manager of Executive Logistics since 2000. At Applera Corporation, she played a vital role in the coordination of executive level travel and safety. Before Applera, Mrs. Stevenson was with Air Transport International from 1997-1999, where she performed international operations within a Part 121 airline. From 1992-1996, Mrs. Stevenson preformed Russian linguistics aboard a RC-135 airborne platform with the United States Air Force military intelligence.

Mrs. Stevenson formed and serves as President of AERObridge, a NBAA-endorsed organization that coordinates private aviation assets during catastrophic domestic emergencies when traditional institutions require assistance.

Mrs. Stevenson received a bachelor’s degree in political science in 1992 from Trinity College.

  Noel Fournier has worked in business and corporate aviation for more than 30 years. He is currently working for Worldwide Jet Charter as the Vice President of Business Development, one the industry’s leading part 135 charter operators. Prior to joining Worldwide Jet Charter, Noel worked for EPIC/Air BP Aviation as a Business Aviation Sales Manager responsible for managing the sales for Air BP Sterling Card/EPIC Fuel Program. Noel also worked as the Vendor Relations Manager and Charter Department Supervisor for Avjet Corporation, one of the premier part 135 aircraft and charter management companies, with a fleet of 26 aircraft ranging from Gulfstreams to Hawkers. He negotiated, developed, and managed pricing and logistical support for all domestic and international vendors, fuel suppliers, FBOs, and part 135 charter operators worldwide. He began his aviation career as an Assistant FBO Manager of Redwood Aviation marketing and supplying fuel to corporate and airline aircraft operators. During the Katrina crisis, Noel was one of the key coordinators in dispatching/coordinating flight operations for relief missions throughout the U.S. 

Steve enlisted in the Navy after attending Altmar-Parish-Williamstown Central High School.  He progressed through the ranks obtaining the enlisted rank of Chief Petty Officer (prior to being commissioned) while stationed aboard various ships and submarines in places such as Mayport, FL; Norfolk, VA; Subic Bay, Philippines; Whidbey Island, WA; San Diego, CA; and Charleston, SC.  While stationed aboard the Fleet Ballistic Missile Submarine USS Mariano G. Vallejo (SSBN 658) in Kings Bay, GA, he was honored as Sailor of the Year.

Steve was one of 22 personnel selected from over 2,000 candidates for the highly competitive Enlisted to Officer program in 1987 and was commissioned as a Supply Officer.  During his career as an officer he served as a Supply Officer with Naval Air Station Norfolk, USS Saipan (LHA2), Naval Station Guam, and finally, was based in Hawaii as the Logistics Policies and Procedures Officer for the Pacific Fleet Seabees before retiring after 24 years of Naval service.

He graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA degree specializing in accounting from St. Leo University in 1993.

 Steve was chosen as one of 40 Hampton Roads Business Leaders for the Leadership Hampton Roads class of 2000.

He completed requirements for a Masters in Public Administration from Troy University in December 2003.

Steve completed the applicable requirements, passed a comprehensive examination and was awarded the Certified Public Purchasing Officer (CPPO) designation in May 2010

In 1997 he was employed with Mercy Medical Airlift as a Program Director and subsequently promoted to Executive Vice President.  In 2001 the Board of Directors selected Steve to become Executive Director of the Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic region and beginning in 2004 he concurrently served as Executive Director of Air Compassion America.

Steve is a founding member of Angel Flight America (now Air Charity Network).  The Angel Flight America network provided charitable air transportation to and from distant treatment facilities for over 30,000 individuals in 2006.  Steve continues to serve in the public charitable air transportation arena as the Chairman of the Board of Children’s Angel Flight and he also serves as the Treasurer on the Board of Directors of Health and Medical Research Charities of America.

Steve was selected for his current position as the Purchasing Agent for the City of Norfolk in December of 2006.  In this position he is responsible for the procurement of approximately $200 million worth of goods and services annually for the City.  Steve represents the City as the Chairman of the Norfolk Municipal Employee Federal Credit Union responsible for the oversight of administration and internal controls.  Steve also represents the City as a member of the State Board, Chesapeake Bay Region, Alcohol Safety Action Program (ASAP).  The ASAP board is a proactive board dealing with drinking and driving offenses within the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Steve is the President of the Home Owners Association in his community and actively serves as an ordained deacon and current member of Bayside Baptist Church in Virginia Beach, VA.

Alan Klapmeier founded and served as Chairman of Cirrus Design until 2009, and is currently the CEO of ONE Aviation, manufacture of the Eclipse Jet.  Mr. Klapmeier also currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Experimental Aircraft Association, General Aviation Manufacturing Association (GAMA), and was its Chairman in 2008. He's also on the AOPA Air Safety Foundation Board of Visitors, the Board of Directors of the Small Aircraft Manufacturers Association, and the Ripon College Board of Trustees.

In 2007, Mr. Klapmeier and his brother, Dale, received the Aero Club of New England’s prestigious Dr. Godfrey L Cabot Award for the advancement of aviation, and the Experimental Aviation Association’s (EAA) Freedom of Flight Award that same year. In 2006, he became one of Airport Journal's "Living Legends of Aviation" and was named Aviation Entrepreneur of the Year. Klapmeier also received the EAA August Raspet award, the Air Safety Foundation 2005 Admiral de Florez Award for significant contributions to aviation safety and accident prevention, and was Ernst and Young's 2004 Entrepreneur of the Year for Manufacturing.

While at Cirrus, he was responsible for the certification of the Cirrus SR20 and SR22, with the latter becoming the world's bestselling aircraft for several years. Klapmeier has also been on the vanguard of incorporating new technologies into general aviation aircraft, including the glass cockpit, the whole-plane parachute system and in-flight weather information. At ONE he led the development of the EA-700 aircraft. 

Mr. Klapmeier holds degrees in Physics and Economics from Ripon College in Wisconsin. He's been an active pilot for more than 30 years and has accumulated over 14,000 hours of flight time

Eric Whyte has been part of the Aerobridge team since the Haiti Earthquake in 2010. A long-time pilot, Eric started taking lessons at age 14, soloed at 16 and has been a licensed pilot since age 17. Today he is an ATP rated pilot with 11 type ratings, and is a certified flight instructor with nearly 11,000 hours of flight time accumulated in more than 130 different types of aircraft from one of a kind experimental airplanes to WWII heavy bombers to corporate jets. 

Eric brings to Aerobridge a diverse resume including experience with flight training, part 135 Air Charter, Air Ambulance, fractional ownership and corporate flight departments. He currently works as the Director of Flight Operations and Training for ONE Aviation’s Eclipse jet.  

Eric is also the co-founder and chairman of EAA’s AirVenture Cup Cross Country Race and has been active with the EAA’s Young Eagles Program since its inception in 1992. 

Eric is passionate about vintage aircraft and serves as a volunteer pilot for the EAA’s 1929 Ford Tri-Motor tour program and serves as a volunteer B-24, B-25 and B-17 pilot for the Collings Foundation’s Wings of Freedom tour.  In his spare time, he owns and flies an ex-Royal Danish Air Force DeHavilland DHC-1 Chipmunk.