John W. Piasecki is President &  CEO of Piasecki Aircraft Corp., a pioneering flight research company focused on development and demonstration of advanced rotorcraft and unmanned aerial vehicle platforms and technologies for military and commercial applications. The company is a world leader in vertical lift innovation and received the US Presidential National Medal of Technology, Smithsonian Air & Space Achievement Award, and DoD’s Tibbitts Award for Small Business innovation.

Over his 36 year career in the rotorcraft industry, John has focused on corporate strategy, requirements and program development and management oversight of the company’s programs,
including high speed compound helicopters, air-launched UAS, World’s first autonomous autogyro, and World’s first fully autonomous man-rated helicopter in collaboration with the founding team of Near Earth. John received the 2021 Vertical Flight Society’s Haueter Award for outstanding contributions to the field of VTOL aircraft development, serves as the Vice Chairman of the Vertical Lift Consortium, DoD’s primary industry interface for the advancement of vertical lift technologies, and as a Trustee of the Foreign Policy Research Institute.

John graduated in 1989 from Yale University with a B.A. degree in Political Science (with Distinction) and is an FAA licensed pilot.