Engineering professionals in Aerospace
Boeing's 777X and 777-9 programs supply three of the aerospace engineering titles here and Honeywell Aerospace three more, with the rest at GE Aerospace, Collins Aerospace, Able Aerospace and Senior Aerospace SSP. Worth a call for decisions shaped by certification, systems integration, production engineering or engine and structures design.
Professionals to explore
Chad Jakel
LinkedInExperience: Director and Chief Engineer 777-9 CI&R · Boeing
Chad Jakel has been Director and Chief Engineer 777-9 CI&R at Boeing since 2025, with Director and Chief Engineer, Boeing Everett Delivery Center (2023–2026) and Director, Seattle Delivery Center Chief Engineer (2021–2023) roles. Jakel was also 747 767 Tanker Engineering senior Leader (2020–2021) and 777 Senior Production Engineering Leader (2018–2020), and describes production engineering across commercial and military aerospace.
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Dayton Whitfield
LinkedInExperience: Director of Engineering, 777X · Boeing
Dayton Whitfield has been Director of Engineering, 777X at Boeing since 2024 and was Director - 787 Airplane Level Integration (2021–2024). Whitfield also held VC-25B Deputy Chief Engineer and Certification Engineering Leader (2020–2021), Deputy Chief Engineer, 787 Program (2019–2021) and Senior Engineering Manager - 787 Safety, Certification, and Performance Leader (2018–2019), a fit for certification and integration questions.
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Eric Possert
LinkedInExperience: Director of Engineering · Senior Aerospace SSP
Eric Possert has been Director of Engineering at Senior Aerospace SSP since 2026 and, at the same company, was Director Of Design Engineering (2022–2026), Design Engineering Manager (2020–2022), Principal Engineer (2016–2019) and Project Engineer (2011–2016). That path from project engineer to director makes Possert a fit for questions on design engineering for aerospace components.
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Hassan Z.
LinkedInExperience: Engineering Director, Product Excellence Chief Engineer · Collins Aerospace
Nacelle product development is the current work, as Hassan Z.'s LinkedIn profile puts it, in the role of Engineering Director, Product Excellence Chief Engineer at Collins Aerospace since 2024; Hassan Z. was Associate Director, Research & Technology there (2023–2024). Hassan Z. also held Director, Technology (Defense Airframes) and Design & Technology Director, Advanced Defense Systems roles at GKN Aerospace (2020–2023), a fit for defense airframe and nacelle questions.
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Joel Kirk
LinkedInExperience: Executive Leader - Systems Engineering · GE Aerospace
At GE Aerospace, Joel Kirk has been Executive Leader - Systems Engineering since 2024 and also held Executive Leader - Advanced Systems Design & Technology (2019–2021), Program Leader - Additive Design Technology (2016–2018), Operations Leader - Production Engineering (2015–2016) and Engineering Manager - New Product Turbine Design (2013–2015). That mix of turbine design, additive design and systems titles suits questions on engine systems and additive design.
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Kent Whitmer
LinkedInExperience: Director of Engineering · Able Aerospace
Director of Engineering at Able Aerospace since 2025, Kent Whitmer held Director Of Product Development (2014–2025) and VP Engineering (2008–2014) roles there and was VP Engineering at WENCOR (1995–2008). Whitmer describes 25+ years in engineering and commercial aerospace and managing product development from conception through customer acceptance, which suits questions on bringing an aerospace product to approval.
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Kevin M Raub
LinkedInExperience: Former Sr Technical Engineering Manager · Honeywell Aerospace
Engineering leader for 160 global employees is how Kevin M Raub describes the current job at Honeywell Aerospace, Sr. Director of Engineering - Design, Installations, and Services, held as Sr Director since 2026; Raub was Sr Technical Engineering Manager there (2020–2022). Raub also held Staff Engineer (2018–2020) and Staff Certification Engineer (2015–2018) roles at Honeywell Aerospace and teaches as Adjunct Faculty at Grand Canyon University.
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Peter Umino
LinkedInExperience: BCA 777X Mechanical Systems Chief Engineer · Boeing
A matrix organization of 400 engineers across all Boeing Commercial programs is what Peter Umino describes leading in a Chief Engineer (Director) role; the current title is BCA 777X Mechanical Systems Chief Engineer at Boeing since 2023. Umino was Boeing Commercial Airplanes - Environmental Control Systems Chief Engineer (2022–2023), with Senior Manager System Engineering (2018–2022) and environmental control systems engineering manager roles (2012–2018).
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Venkat Ganji
LinkedInExperience: Director of Engineering · Honeywell Aerospace
MBSE, MCAD/ECAD design, simulation and digital twin tools are what Venkat Ganji describes deploying as a Model Based Enterprise leader. Ganji has been Director of Engineering at Honeywell Aerospace since 2026 and held the same title at Honeywell (2023–2026), plus Sr Engineering Manager, Product Development, Aircraft Engines & Power Systems (2021–2023) and Sr Engineering Manager, Digital Transformation & MBE (2018–2021).
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Venkata Neeladri Raju Kucharlapati
LinkedInExperience: Director of Engineering, ECDA (Site Leader - Engines & Power Systems) · Honeywell Aerospace
Design and development of Aero Gas Turbine Engines (GTE) is the team work Venkata Neeladri Raju Kucharlapati describes leading, now as Director of Engineering, ECDA (Site Leader - Engines & Power Systems) at Honeywell Aerospace since 2026. Kucharlapati held Senior Engineering Manager, Structures (2022–2026) and Engineering Manager, Structures (Site Leader-Aero Mechanical) (2018–2022) roles at Honeywell, a fit for engine structures questions.
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Choose the right perspective
Certification and airplane-level integration questions fit Dayton Whitfield and Kevin M Raub, whose titles include certification roles, while systems questions fit Peter Umino and Joel Kirk. Chad Jakel covers production engineering and delivery centers, Venkata Neeladri Raju Kucharlapati and Venkat Ganji engines and power systems at Honeywell, and Kent Whitmer, Hassan Z. and Eric Possert product development and design engineering.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01Which certification requirements most often push an aircraft program's schedule, and how early can an engineering team see them coming?
- 02Where do integration problems between supplier components usually show up, and how do you catch them before flight test?
- 03When a design moves into production, which engineering changes drive the most cost in rework and delivery delays?
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.