Previously Served As Chief Operating Officer

Aerodynamic technology company Aerion Corporation announced Monday that Doug Nichols (pictured), previously chief operating officer, will serve as chief executive officer and join the board of directors effective immediately. In this capacity, Nichols is responsible for all corporate activities of Aerion, including its recently acquired Desktop Aeronautics aerospace software and consultancy subsidiary based in Palo Alto, CA.

“Doug’s promotion to CEO and his participation on the board of directors will allow an increasingly vertically integrated Aerion to expand and monetize its portfolio of transonic and supersonic intellectual property,” said Robert M. Bass, chairman of Aerion and president of Keystone Group, LP. “From managing our efforts to bring the world’s first practical supersonic business jet to market, to helping aircraft manufacturers deliver more speed, range or efficiency in any flight regime, Doug’s leadership will be crucial to our future success.”

Doug Nichols is a former senior executive of The Boeing Company, where he held numerous financial, operating, and corporate development positions. In his nearly 30 years with Boeing, he gained extensive experience in the operational and financial management of aircraft programs, market evaluation and product development, supply base management, support logistics, and marketing and sales. Nichols earned his Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Puget Sound.

Aerion is working to develop a supersonic business jet. The company says its research began more than 20 years ago, and has culminated in the design of a practical and efficient supersonic business jet as the result of its patented applications of natural laminar flow technology.

(Photo provided by Aerion)

FMI: www.aerioncorp.com