“AAR Aircraft Maintenance /Modification at the Airport”
John Holmes is President and Chief Operating Officer of AAR (NYSE: AIR), a leading aviation services provider to commercial and government customers worldwide. He also serves on AAR’s Board of Directors.
Since being appointed President and COO in 2017, Holmes has been focused on maximizing performance and identifying new strategies to drive further growth. Holmes was promoted from his previous position of Chief Operating Officer, Aviation Services, where he led double-digit growth and established a strong leadership team to build on AAR’s culture of innovation and execution.
Holmes joined AAR in 2001 as Director of Mergers and Acquisitions, became General Manager of AAR’s parts trading business in 2003, and progressively assumed responsibility for the other solutions that comprise Aviation Services – Integrated Supply Chain, OEM Aftermarket Solutions, Intelligent Solutions and MRO Services.
During his tenure in Aviation Services, John focused on achieving growth and operational efficiencies. He led the expansion of AAR’s Integrated Supply Chain Solutions through the acquisition of Airinmar, a repair cycle management company, and the development of proprietary inventory management tools. He has also focused on growing the Parts Supply business by using data to drive better purchasing, as well as securing exclusive distributorships to support growth of OEM Aftermarket Solutions.
Prior to joining AAR, Mr. Holmes spent time in investment banking and private equity.
Mr. Holmes earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Illinois and an MBA from the University of Chicago. He serves on the board of Columbia College Chicago, Primo Center and Alliance Francaise.
Donald J. Wetekam is Vice-President, Government and Defense Business Development. In this role he is responsible for strengthening AAR’s presence in government and defense markets as well as managing legislative engagement activities.
Wetekam joined AAR in 2007 and led the company’s MRO operations encompassing four aircraft maintenance centers and a landing gear overhaul center that provides quality service for leading domestic and international airlines as well the U.S. military. He assumed his current role in June 2010.
Prior to joining AAR, Wetekam served 34 years in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a Lieutenant General after his final assignment as Deputy Chief of Staff for Installations and Logistics in Washington, DC. Prior to that he commanded the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in Georgia and held several key leadership positions in aircraft maintenance and supply chain management.
He holds a bachelor of science degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy, a master of engineering administration from the University of Utah, and a master of national resource management from the National Defense University. Wetekam serves as a member of the Oklahoma Space Industry Development Authority, a Senior Fellow Emeritus with the Institute for Defense and Business in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Chairman of the National Board of Advisors for the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins Georgia, the nation’s fourth largest aviation museum.