Gaston Persano, President
In June 2024, Gaston Persano was appointed president of Engine Alliance.
Gaston has broad experience in various industries and international markets. He began his career in the automotive industry at Ford Motor Company, with roles in purchasing, aftermarket sales, customer support and program management. Gaston continued his career in the aerospace industry joining United Technologies Corporation (now RTX). A graduate of UTC’s Operations Leadership Program, Gaston held roles of increasing responsibility in supply chain at various RTX business units before joining Pratt & Whitney’s commercial engines aftermarket business, with leadership positions in fleet management and business strategy.
Gaston received a Master of Business Administration in finance and strategy from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan in addition to Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in industrial engineering from the University of Buenos Aires.
David Lewis, Chief Financial Officer
Before joining Engine Alliance, David was the finance manager for GE Aviation’s GEnx services business. David has 18 years of GE Aviation financial management experience in services, commercial engines, supply chain and shop operations.
David graduated from the University College of Swansea with a Bachelor’s degree in management science and qualified as a chartered accountant in the United Kingdom with Ernst & Young.
Joe Markiewicz, Executive Vice President
Joe began his GE career in 2000 on the Operations Management Leadership Program and held roles of increasing responsibility throughout the supply chain including Six Sigma Black Belt and business leader of combustion manufacturing in Lynn, MA, shop operations manager in Albuquerque, NM, and sourcing commodity leader for Unison Engine Components. In 2011, Joe was selected as the Auburn, AL, plant manager where he led the site’s start-up and production ramp-up.
In 2016, he transitioned to a commercial narrowbody product line as manufacturing programs and cost leader. Most recently, Joe has been the product operations leader in a West aeroderivatives engine business leading demand, delivery, product cost and change management execution.
Joe earned Bachelor of Science degrees in mechanical engineering and public policy from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and a Master of Business Administration from Northeastern University.
Erik Shack, Executive Vice President
Erik joined Pratt & Whitney in 1992 as an advanced engine performance systems engineer. As one of the launch members of the Engine Alliance team in 1996, he was responsible for the performance and flow path of the original GP7000 destined for the A380. Over his 30-year career, Erik has held several positions with increasing responsibility in engineering, industrial operations and program management supporting multiple commercial and military programs during all phases of the engine life cycle. Erik rejoined the Engine Alliance in 2016 as the East program manager and took on the role of executive vice president in early June 2022.
Erik holds a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Science in aeronautical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Katherine Cooper, Director, Customer Technical Programs
Aaron Copeland, Director, Product Support Engineering
Aaron Copeland was appointed director of product support engineering for Engine Alliance in May 2022.
Aaron brings considerable experience, having worked in various disciplines over his 30 years in the aviation industry. Aaron started at Pratt & Whitney in 1998 as an F119 project engineer. Prior to that, he worked as product engineer at the Howmet Corporation and as a jet engine mechanic in the U.S. Air Force. He has held a variety of positions with increasing responsibility, most recently in military engines as an associate director for F135 sustainment technical integration.
Aaron holds a Bachelor of Science in manufacturing engineering from Spring Garden College, a Master of Business Administration from the University of New Haven, and was a participant in the first Pratt & Whitney Propel Cohort Leadership Program.
Fred Gaudette, Director, Program Chief Engineer & Product Support Engineering Leader
Fred Gaudette was appointed program chief and product support engineering leader for Engine Alliance in September 2023.
Fred started his West team career at the Global Research Center in 1999. Since then, he has held various engineering leadership roles in Aerospace in Cincinnati, Ohio and Gas Power, in Greenville, South Carolina and Atlanta, Georgia. Fred most recently held the role engineering leader responsible for co-developing a West aeroderivative gas turbine program in partnership with Baker Hughes. In that role, Fred led a global engineering team accountable for the systems integration, component design, validation and lifecycle safety and reliability of the LPC, HPC, CDN, HPT modules, associated configurations and controls as well as the overall engine performance.
Fred has a Doctorate in mechanical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology as well as a Master’s and Bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from the University of Massachusetts.
Rich Domonkos, Director, Program Chief Engineer
Rich joined Pratt & Whitney in 1999 and has held positions of increasing responsibility all within engineering before joining the Engine Alliance in 2018 as the EA-East program chief engineer. Rich has broad aerospace experience in commercial, military and technology programs. Past assignments include industrial engines chief engineer, mechanical systems engineering manager for the PW1500G/PW1200G/GTF Demo, and project lead for mechanical systems technology rigs/military demonstrator programs.
Rich holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Master of Business Administration from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
