SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse–based NUAIR announced it has hired Ken Stewart as its new president and CEO.
Stewart most recently served as CEO of Boston, Massachusetts–based AiRXOS, part of GE Aviation, and is a “well-known innovator and leader” within the unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) industry, NUAIR contended in a news release.
He replaces Mike Hertzendorf, who departed NUAIR in 2020 and is now serving as VP of member services at Helicopter Association International, per his LinkedIn profile.
Stewart will oversee the organization’s efforts to safely integrate UAS — or what are more commonly known as drones — into the national airspace system and “keep NUAIR at the forefront of the industry,” per the organization.
Stewart will also lead the commercialization of New York’s 50-mile UAS traffic-management (UTM) corridor and oversee operations of the New York UAS test site at Griffiss International Airport in Rome.
NUAIR — an organizational partner of CenterState CEO — manages the test site for Oneida County which owns the facility. It is one of seven drone test sites in the country, as designated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).