ABOUT DVPA
The Officers
Michael Klein
President
Michael started flying at age 15 with Explorer Scout Squadron 3 in Van Nuys, CA. Licensed as a Private pilot while in High School, Michael owns a Vans RV-9A that is used for poking holes in the sky and an occasional trip to the west coast or Texas where Michael has grown daughters and grandchildren.
When Michael is not flying, he may be on the racetrack where he is a volunteer Porsche Club of America certified driving instructor for High Performance Driver Education training. Michael raced vintage cars for several seasons with VARA in Southern California.
Michael runs a successful Mortgage REIT known as Freedom Financial Funds, LLC. Michael serves on the board of Homes 4 Families, an organization dedicated to helping low-income veterans attain home ownership. He is also a board member of the Phoenix Chapter of Lambda Alpha International, a land economics organization focused on the exchange of ideas in land use and development. Michael holds a BS in finance from Cal State Northridge and an MBA from USC.
Joe Abrahamson
Vice President
I started flying at age 18 in 1976 in the MidWest. About 6 years later went to A&P school in Douglas Arizona, then moved to Tucson where I ran a maintenance operation for several years before being promoted to copilot on a Vickers Viscount (4 engine turboprop) and from there copilot on a Learjet.
Have lived in 12 countries so far and seen 114 more in the process. Was a medivac pilot in Berlin Germany, then military with McDonald Douglas and Boeing in Saudi Arabia on F-15’s. Returned home after the Gulf War and ended up in Dallas flying for Bombardier. Was offered a job here in Phoenix/Scottsdale flying for one of the owners of the Phoenix Suns & AZ Diamondbacks and have been here for the last 23 years. Started the flight department from scratch and we now fly a brand new Challenger 350 with a new Global Express 5500 being delivered in December 2023.
Have been at Deer Valley airport (on and off) for the last 35 years. Currently hold ATP/A&P/IA ratings (from several countries) and fly a 1949 Aeronca Sedan for fun.
Mark Lambert
Treasurer
Casey Cleary
Secretary
Mark Lambert is Aerial Engagement’s Director of Revenue. Aerial Engagement is a public simulator venue in Scottsdale, AZ. He has a bachelor’s in business management and organizational development from Spring Arbor University and was graduated from the Bank Administration Institute’s Graduate School of Banking. He began life as a radio and newspaper reporter. For the subsequent 35 years he was a licensed insurance agent, working in banking and independent agency settings. Mark is a student pilot pursuing a private pilot certificate with a glider rating. He and his wife of 42 years, Stephanie, live in North Phoenix.
Place of Birth: Waco, TX
Bachelor of Science: 1970 Texas Wesleyan College Clewry
Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine: 1978 Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine Internship: 1978-1979 Phoenix General Hospital
Work Experience: 1979-2020 Private Family Practice
Retired: 2020 and sold the medical practice
Flying Experience: Private Pilot 1985
Instrument Rating 1989
Commercial Rating 1990
CFI 1995
CFII 1995
Ground Instructor 1995
Total hours 2200
Board Members
Ron Diedrichs
Concentration in Human Resources Management, MBA Gonzaga University, Spokane, Washington, 1983. Airline Transport Pilot (ATP), AsMA Board Cert. Aerospace
Physiology, Aerospace Medicine, Human Factors Engineering, Man/Machine Systems Design & Integration (Avionics, RAAS, EGPWS, FMS, TCAS, Fly-by Wire), Technical Product Risk Analysis, Loss Prevention Control & Engineering
FLIGHT EXPERIENCE – 7800+ Hours – C150/172/177, T37/T38, KC135/RC135, B727, A320/340, and Beech B36TC. Arizona State University, Faculty Instructor: Safety, Accident Investigation / NTSB, Aerospace Physiology & Human Factors, Altitude Chamber. Director Clinical Hyperbaric Medicine. Type Ratings A320 & A340 Type rating B707 via FSDO & USAF History. Current FAA Safety Representative for Scottsdale FSDO, and Aerospace Human Factors Consulting LLC. Manager Flight Technical Services Honeywell International, Aerospace Electronics. Trans World Airlines Pilot. United States Air Force, Lt Col, Retired).
Richard Schmidt
Richard Schmidt is a Commercial pilot, CFI-A&I, A&P/IA, and a FAASTeam Representative. He owns a Beech B55 Baron and a Van's RV-8A. He enjoys formation flying, and flies as a charter pilot in Barons and King Airs at Southwest Aircraft Charter. Richard has led DVPA’s effort with the City on Battery Maintainers and the re-write of the GA Handbook and the Independent Mechanics and Flight Instructor regulations.
Jim Garner
A&P, I.A., Certified Repair Station, Private Pilot with Instrument Rating. I fly a Cessna 205 for about 150 hrs. a year. Current DVT SASO, 2 companies, Av8tor Avionics, that performs Transponder and Altimeter 2 year CERTs, and Garner Group, that consults on other Aircraft Issues. Past Contractor and Building, Electrical, and Plumbing Inspector. Operated an Aircraft Maintenance Shop in Payson for 17 years. One of 7 original Directors of Payson Regional Airport Authority, that ran Payson Airport for 4 years. Married, long, long time and live in Chandler, AZ area.
Bill Woods
I've been flying out of Deer Valley Airport for 37 years. Starting in 1985 and for several years I rented a Cherokee 140 from a DVT based flying club. In 1988 I purchased a 25 percent share in a Cherokee 180 which I flew until 1999 when I purchase the Bonanza I still own. My Bonanza is hangared on the north side.
I was first elected to the DVPA Board of Directors in 2010 and served in various capacities for two three-year terms.
My daytime job is financing real estate as a mortgage broker.
Gear Misner
Barbara Rapchak
My name is Gear Misner and my family includes my beautiful wife Chelsey, our two daughters, Reagan and Avery, and our two dogs Bandit (a German Shepherd) and Penny (a Chow/Lab mix). I am a Phoenix native and attended the University of Arizona. After college I joined a very small IT company in the Valley where I was the first employee. Since then, we’ve grown the company to around 100 employees and I am currently the Director of Collaboration Products and Services. I manage a team that focuses on advanced voice and video technologies including basic voice communication, call center, emergency communications, and high-end video conferencing.
I’ve had a strong interest in aviation all my life. I always enjoyed learning about airplanes, attending air shows, helping my step dad with his RC airplanes etc., but my general aviation journey just started very recently. I set a goal in 2020 to get my PPL, which I finally accomplished in December. With the support of my wife and girls, I purchased a Cessna 150 and plan to continue with my instrument and commercial ratings. When I’m not flying, I enjoy spending time restoring a 1969 F-250, watching football, exploring new restaurants with my family, and target shooting.
Twenty years ago, I rescued a 1962 Cessna 182E from the weeds where it had been sitting for ten years, got it flying again, and have been flying it across the country ever since. I am a recent transplant to Arizona and DVT, coming from a little grass strip, 0C0, in northern Illinois. I have 1100 hours of flight time, and attend EAA’s AirVenture in Oshkosh every year, working flight line operations as a volunteer during the event.
I founded and ran a medical software company for 30 years, which was acquired in 2019. I am still involved in the company, and work with other healthcare startups as well. My expertise is in developing new technologies that advance the use of informatics to improve the healthcare experience for both patients and clinicians. Our solutions integrate advances in natural language processing, clinical informatics, genomics, digital health, and other technology trends in user friendly platforms.
I graduated from the University of Notre Dame and am a board member of the Industry Partnership Council for Computer Science and Engineering. I live in Carefree with my wonderful husband Kevin, a corporate pilot, and my rescue Border Collie, Zip.
Paul Salmonson
I have been an Arizonan resident since 1983, moving here after graduation from Oregon State University. I married the love of my life (a Phoenix native) and raised two children in Cave Creek, AZ. I like to play sports, sail, motorcycling (dirt / street), and of course fly.
I founded Aterra Designs in 1999 which is a company that specializes in lighting and electrical design services for the home building industry. We have multiple locations throughout the U.S. and focus on being able to combine the latest design techniques with our own software applications, both in 2D & 3D. These applications allow for real time pricing, space visualization, bills of materials, and construction documents.
I first began flying with my father who taught me some basics at eleven years of age. My father was a Captain with TWA for 37 years. He was a flying Sergeant for the Army Air Corps during WWII and flew C-47’s. He trained at Luke Air Force base and flew on D-day dropping paratroopers.
I received my private pilots license in 1983 and have been flying on and off over the years (more off during the Great Recession). I have time in these single engine planes – C150 AeroBat, C172, C182RG, C210, C23, V35B, M20K231, PA38 Tramahawk, PA28-180, PA28R-201-T. In 2017, I acquired a 1/3 partnership in a Piper Turbo Arrow based at KDVT (hanger 35-09). I am instrument rated and have over 800 hours.
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Gary D'Water
I have lived in Arizona, full time, for 32 years; my home is in Scottsdale North. My airplane is a Cirrus SR22TN, tail number N88WZ, based at KDVT. I intend to remain at Deer Valley airport for many years to come; therefore, improvements in facilities and services are important to me.
Airline Transport Pilot (ATP), with four type ratings: Airbus 320, Boeing 737, Dash-8, and L300 (C-141).
FLIGHT EXPERIENCE – 30,000+ Hours – PA-38, PA-28, T37/T38, C-141, Dash-8, B737, A320, and Cirrus SR22TN. United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel (Retired), and American Airlines Captain (Retired).
Martin Goldfarb
Martin has been a DVPA board member since 2019 and believes a strong tenant association is vital to the success of Deer Valley Airport. As a former part 135 charter operator based on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts, he flew clients across the eastern US from Florida to Maine with the common goal of getting them to and from Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard resort islands. Since he began his aviation career in 1969, he has added ATP, CFI-A/G/I and A&P, IA certificates. In retirement, he has flown charitable flights to Mexico for LIGA International and local conservation flights for Lighthawk. Presently, he flies his Piper Seneca and the 1948 Piper Vagabond he purchased in 1975 from the busiest GA airport in the US.
AJ Reynolds
Having begun his career in pharmaceuticals, banking and financial planning, AJ has been involved for the past 20 years helping to grow nonprofit organizations as a consultant, board member and management team member.
AJ grew-up in the Rocky Mountain States of Colorado, Montana and Arizona. AJ earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona. He enjoys aviation because of his father, who was a private pilot. His family took many family vacations in a Cessna 170. AJ began working on his pilot license in 1986 at Deer Valley Airport.
He is a past President of the Scottsdale Business Alliance and an employee of the year recipient. AJ is passionate about helping others to support worthy humanitarian causes and is honored to have served others through the philanthropy department at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.