Louis
H. Knotts President
Most recently senior manager of the flight and aerospace
research group at Calspan, Lou Knotts is also an
engineering test pilot. He has been with Calspan
since 1981.
Following his education at the Naval Academy, Lou
entered pilot training and was designated a Naval
aviator. He flew A-6 "Intruder" attack
jets in training for several years while stationed
aboard the USS John F. Kennedy aircraft carrier.
Lou next served as an instructor pilot in an A-6
fleet training squadron before leaving active duty.
As a graduate student at MIT, he worked as a research
assistant at the Charles S. Draper Laboratory on
a flight control system design for the A-10 aircraft
using linear quadratic design.
Lou served as the program manager of the USAF NT-33A
variable stability research aircraft from 1982 until
the aircraft was retired in 1997. From 1988 until
1995, he was the company's program manager
for the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) in-
flight simulation contract.
In January 1996, Lou assumed the position as head
of the company's Flight Research Department.
During this time, he formulated the concept for
applying the company's in-flight simulation
technology toward improved training in the air transport
community. Since then, this concept has grown into
a multi-million dollar contract with the FAA to
provide Upset Recovery Training for airline pilots.
In 2001, he assumed responsibility for all the Buffalo-based
aeronautical research and development operations
within the company.
Lou continues to stay technically involved by providing
classroom and airborne instruction in aircraft stability
and control at both the U.S. Naval and U.S. Air
Force Test Pilot Schools, and by flying the variable
stability Learjets. Lou is a retired Air National
Guard lieutenant colonel and Air Force command pilot;
holds an FAA Airline Transport Pilot rating; and
has more than 6,000 hours of flight time.
Lou lives in Wheatfield with his wife, Mary, and
their daughter, Emma. Their son, Douglas, attends
the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, while daughter,
Sarah, is a student at Canisius College.
Thomas M. Pleban Executive Vice President
A graduate of Niagara University, Tom Pleban most
recently served as director of contracts and Buffalo
facility operations at Calspan, where he has been
employed since 1990. Tom has more than 24 years
of progressive experience with local contractors
who provide support to the U.S. Government. During
this time, he has worked in a variety of contracts/procurement
and facility roles.
Tom manages the following administrative functions
at Calspan Corporation's Buffalo facility:
contracts, procurement, facility maintenance, inventory
control, transportation, ISO/quality, security,
safety and environmental, government compliance
operations, property and building lease management,
and human resources department.
Tom earned Veridian Engineering's Leadership
Award in 2001. He also develops training materials
and teaches Calspan's Total Quality Skill
Course, and has represented the company in negotiations
with unions including IAM and Buffalo Lodge 585.
Tom is responsible for all real property leasing,
which currently includes 14 tenants that lease office
space at Calspan's Genesee Street facility.
He is also a member of the company's management
review team for ISO 9000.
Tom resides in Snyder with his wife, Nancy, a social
worker at Orchard Park High School. Their daughter
Melissa is a teacher at Amherst Middle School, while
son Jonathan teaches at the Cantalician Center.
Son Brian is a law student at Brooklyn Law School.
John R. Yurtchuk Senior Vice President
In addition to joining Calspan, John Yurtchuk serves
as President of Matrix Development Corporation.
Prior to forming Matrix Development in 1990, John
was active in development and construction in the
New York City area as Vice President of Finance
for Madison Construction, a full-service development
and construction company founded by his father in
1980. Since 1982, John's development experience
has included the completion of more than $100 million
of projects including hotels, Class A office space,
medical facilities, luxury apartments, waterfront
condominiums, corporate headquarters, and single
family subdivisions in Western New York, the New
York metropolitan area, and in Florida.
Recently completed projects include a Class A office
building for John Hancock Insurance, SofTrek's
corporate headquarters and several office/medical
facilities including the Dent Medical Tower, a $12
million renovation of a six story signature building
in Amherst, N.Y., the $13.5 million Excelsior Musculoskeletal
Center and Calspan's new state-of-the-art
flight research facility at the Niagara Falls International
Airport.
A developer since 1982, John holds a B.A., M.A.
and Ph.D. (ABD) in economics
from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Prior to entering real estate
development, John was a loan officer on Wall Street
with the Irving Trust Company,
a corporate economist with National Fuel and a university
instructor at SUNY
Buffalo, Medaille College and SUNY Fredonia, where
he taught economics,
finance, accounting, and business mathematics courses
at both the undergraduate
and graduate levels.
Born in Queens, N.Y., John serves on the board of
directors of the American Red
Cross. His wife, Carolyn, is Vice President of Matrix
Development, overseeing
day-to-day operations. In his spare time, John enjoys
scuba diving, skiing, boating,
travel and wine collecting.
