Russell G Chew

Bio

Mr. Chew is a Managing Partner of NEXA Capital Partners and General Partner with the NextGen Equipage Fund. The NextGen Equipage Fund has been formed to finance air transport investment requirements for NextGen, using a public-private partnership vehicle. NEXA Capital is an investment banking firm helping clients develop and implement effective corporate finance, capital investment, and M&A strategies leading to growth in enterprise value strategies. NEXA has served small, mid-market, and large aerospace companies since 2007. Recent NEXA clients include ITT Corporation (NYSE: ITT) and other public and private companies. With all NEXA projects, Mr. Chew assumes overall responsibility, working directly with senior executives and NEXA-client teams to design and implement programs with strategic business value and achieve measureable results. Prior to NEXA, Mr. Chew previously served JetBlue Airways as President and Chief Operating Officer during its successful turnaround following its highly publicized operating debacle in February 2007. This not only included improving the airline's operating performance of its 650 daily flights utilizing 150 jet aircraft to 55 cities in nine countries, but also refocusing JetBlue's business strategy and completely renewing of its core information systems and technology. During his tenure, JetBlue Airways successfully completed a comprehensive reformation in returning the company to sustained profitability, restoring integrity to its operation, reshaping its core revenue model, and stabilizing its information systems; thus creating a solid financial, operational, technical, and strategic business foundation for future growth. Prior to joining JetBlue, Mr. Chew served as Chief Operating Officer for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) from June 2003 until 2007. As the head of the FAA's Air Traffic Organization, Mr. Chew was responsible for the operational and financial performance of the U.S. air traffic control system, as well as the FAA's research and acquisition programs. Mr. Chew joined the FAA after 18 years with American Airlines, Inc. During his career with American he headed System Operations Control where he was responsible for performance of the airline's day-to-day operation for 2,300 flights daily to more than 220 domestic and international cities in Europe, Latin America, and Asia. As head of Strategic Operations Planning, he was responsible for the airline's evaluation, acquisition, and implementation of new aircraft and ground technologies for airline fleet and operations planning. His management experience 3-2011 included technical and regulatory management in flight operations, systems development, and engineering. He maintained line qualification as Captain at American Airlines in B767, B757, and MD80 aircraft. Mr. Chew has served on corporate executive boards as director for ERA Inc., ARINC Inc., the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization, and ATN Systems Inc. His service to the aviation community included serving as chair of the Air Traffic Management Advisory Committee, the Air Traffic Control Steering Committee for the Air Transport Association and the Flight Operations Committee for the International Air Transport Association. These industry activities focused on airline operations, new technologies, new Federal air traffic control system requirements, and global air traffic control modernization programs. A native of Los Angeles, Mr. Chew attended Stanford University for his undergraduate studies and earned his doctoral degree at the University of Southern California.