Growing up in Western Nebraska Kasey Harwick had limited exposure to aviation. It wasn’t until a family member graduated from Cheyenne Aerotech and began working at Duncan Aviation in Lincoln, NE, that he considered a career in aviation.
During the summer of 1999 Duncan had an open position for an interior Shop Assistant. He had some experience installing custom interiors in old hot rods and applied, interviewed and officially began his aviation career in October of 1999. He was able test for his mechanic's certificate after on-the-job training.
The first leadership opportunity he held at Duncan Aviation was airframe team leader of a team of 30 technicians during which we performed line and heavy maintenance in a fast-paced environment. From team leader he was promoted to project manager which serves as a customer primary point-of-contact in communicating, coordinating, and follow-up for items such as time/labor/material quotes, preliminary invoices, progress updates, customer approvals, and debrief on work packages, resolution of squawks, and warranty issues. And he's moved up the ladder.
Currently he is director of maintenance for Duncan's Battle Creek, MI, facility. In this role, he directly manages the Airframe and Accessory Department and provides oversight to the Engine Department. "As the Director of Maintenance it is my responsibility to promote and develop team members, provide training opportunities, and ultimately develop our team members into industry-leading technicians."
Harwick has received an airframe rating from Baker's School of Aeronautics, an associate of science degree from Southeast Community College, a bachelor of science degree in business from Nebraska Wesleyan University, and a master's of business administration from Creighton University. Additional training was accomplished at Bombardier Customer Training and FlightSafety International.
"I like to give back to the industry by hiring and developing the future leaders of business aviation, Harwick says. "Whether it is attending career fairs for our nation’s military veterans or discussing business aviation at local colleges it is our goal to attract and retain hardworking smart technicians who are looking for career, not just a job. With the assistance of our recruiter we attend as many events as possible to gain interest in business aviation."
Nominated by Jennifer Monroe, senior talent acquisition specialist at Duncan Aviation: Kasey is a forward thinker, gains trust from the teams he supervises, and is a confident leader. Kasey is also eager to volunteer his time to share his passion of the aviation industry (and Duncan Aviation) with students working toward a degree and those considering a career in the industry."
