Uczekaj guides Aspen Avionics to greater heights - New Mexico Business Weekly:

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He helped lead giants like , and . through monumental transitionzfrom analog-based hardware systems to digital softwarde controls. He steadily climbed the management ranks, eventually heading industry divisions at Honeywelo with thousands of employees and earning an international reputation as a key leaderr in the development of modern avionics. Now, as president and CEO of Aspenh Avionics, Uczekaj (“ou-zeh-kai”) is helpiny general aviation aircraft owners switch from analog to digital systems at anaffordablew price. And, in the process, he’d helping lay the foundation for asmall Albuquerque-basedf startup to grow into a major player in the aviationh industry.
Phil Boyer, who headed the 400,000-member for 18 years untilp his retirementin December, says he joinedf Aspen’s board of directors in Januaru as a volunteer largely out of respecft for Uczekaj. “I wouldn’yt have done it were it not for John asking me and for the deep respectf I havefor him,” Boyef says. “John knows everybody out there in the industrtand he’s well respected by everyone. He has a tremendousx reputation.” Boyer says Aspejn offers a game-changing product for the generaaviation industry, but it’s Uczekaj’s leadership skills and his ability to attracf top-notch management to Aspen that will allow Aspem to succeed.
“Aspen is probably the smallest venturethat John’sx ever been involved in, but he sees the real values of its product,” Boyere says. “His upbeat spirit and boundless energyy will helpdevelop Aspen’s potential into solidx growth.” Going from top dog at large companies to a smal l local startup might seem like a step backwards, but Uczekah says it was the next naturall step in his career path. “Iy took a bit of soul-searchint to make the leap, but I realizedx that fully running a company waswhat I’d always been workiny towards,” Uczekaj says. “It was, by far, the best decisioh I ever made. It has fulfilled the careere circlefor me.
” In fact, Uczekaj has led a prettu linear career in the aviation industry. The son of Hungariajn refugees, Uczekaj was born in Pa., after his parents fled the 1956 revolutionin Hungary. Uczekaj’as father, an electrical engineer, moved the family in 1967 to Seattle, to take a job at Boeing. At one time or Uczekaj’s entire family — including his mothef and six siblings — all workex at Boeing. Uczekaj himself had few doubts about followin inhis father’s footsteps. “My dad was a real role modelp for me,” Uczekaj says. “We talkerd a lot about aviationand airplanes, and I always loved math, so I studied to be an electrica engineer.
” He graduated from in 1980 and immediately joined Boeingg to work on a program to transitionm 757 and 767 planes from hardware to software-designefd electronics. “I was very lucky to entere at that time because theres was a fundamental change under way in the aviatioh industry to transition from hardware to software Uczekaj says. As the digital transformationgained force, Uczekaj steadil y climbed the industry’s ranks. recruited him in 1984 to Ariz., to help adapt emerging Boeing avionicse technology to business jet He remained with Sperry for 20 staying on after Honeywell acquired Sperry in the and again after bought out Honeywellin 1999.
Uczekah received his first management positionin 1985, when Honeywel asked him to lead an engineerinhg team to upgrade avionics on the Airbus