David Groen Steps In After Brother's Passing

Two weeks after Jay Groen, co-founder of Groen Brothers Aviation, Inc. passed away after a fight with cancer... the company announced Wednesday that Jay's brother David will replace him as Chairman of the company's Board of Directors.

David Groen is president and CEO of the gyroplane company, which the two brothers founded in 1986. Immediately prior to forming Groen Brothers Aviation, David Groen was a founding partner and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for Seagull Recycling Company. Previously, he has held numerous executive positions in the helicopter industry with Sales and Marketing, Safety Officer, Branch Manager, and Chief Pilot responsibilities.

David Groen has extensive military and commercial experience in helicopters, having logged over 7,000 hours in rotor-wing and fixed-wing aircraft. As a combat helicopter pilot and Aircraft Commander in Vietnam, he flew hundreds of combat sorties. These many years of flying, added to his tenure serving in management positions within the rotor-wing industry, gave him a wealth of management and leadership experience in a variety of related fields. 

Along with Jay, David Groen also wrote the best-selling novel "Huey."

The company developed the Hawk 4 turbine-powered gyroplane... and also manufactures and sells the Sparrowhawk 2 kit gyroplane (above) through its American Autogyro division. GBA is also working with the US Department of Defense Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, to design a proof of concept high speed, long range, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft for use in Combat Search and Rescue roles.

As Aero-News reported, Jay Groen passed away October 9.

FMI: www.groenbros.com