For Immediate Release

Contact:         Maryjane Briant
                        News and Media Relations Director
                        Galloway, N.J. 08205
                        Maryjane.Briant@stockton.edu
                        (609) 652-4593
                        stockton.edu/media

Galloway, N.J. - John Wiley and Joe Salvatore, experienced leaders in aviation, today were named interim director of the Stockton Aviation Research and Technology Park (SARTP) as a team, Board Chairman Edward H. Salmon announced.

The two experts replace Joseph Sheairs, who is leaving to pursue a new opportunity, Salmon said. “We believe that this team is the best approach as we move into the next phase of the park,” he said. “This team brings over 74 years of aviation experience to the SARTP with a combination of federal government and private industry knowledge.”

Wiley has served on the board of the SARTP and has been an active proponent for the development of the park since its inception. “An aviation-based research park will have tremendous economic development potential, not just for Atlantic County but for all of New Jersey as well,” Wiley said. "This is an opportunity to expand on Atlantic County's existing aviation industry and become that economic driver for the area.”

“John and I look forward to working toward this goal with all the people and organizations that are part of the park team," Salvatore said.

Wiley is the president of JLW Consulting LLC and has worked in aviation throughout his career. He has in-depth technical knowledge of the current National Airspace System (NAS) and the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen), as well as in-depth knowledge of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) operations and programs. For a period of time he served as acting director of the FAA’s William J. Hughes Technical Center and has held several high level positions there.  Wiley earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Drexel University.                                                            

Salvatore has served in several key management and executive positions throughout his career in the federal government, including with the FAA and the Transportation Security Administration. Salvatore has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Drexel University and a law degree from Rutgers Camden.

Salmon stated that he is grateful to Sheairs for his efforts to advance the development of the SARTP.  “When Joe came on board he committed to working with us until construction of the first building was underway. Joe is an extremely talented and capable individual who served us well.  Although we regret seeing him move on, he’s leaving us in great shape and well positioned to take development of the park to the next level.”

President Harvey Kesselman, of Stockton University, stated that he accepted Sheairs’ resignation with sincere regret. “Joe has done an outstanding job in his role as executive director of the SARTP and has fulfilled his commitments to the SARTP board since assuming the position in September 2014.  I have nothing but admiration and praise for his long-term commitment to this project.” 

Sheairs’ resignation is effective today. The SARTP board will initiate a national search for a new, permanent director.

The Stockton ARTP is a collaboration of industry, academia and government, focused on research, innovation, and commercialization of emerging technologies for aviation.  The Stockton ARTP is located at the world-renowned Hughes Technical Center - the FAA's center for research, development and sustainment of the National Airspace System. 

Construction of the first of seven, multi-story buildings with over 400,000 total square feet of research and development space planned for the park is underway. A groundbreaking ceremony will be held on Monday, May 15, 2017 at 11 a.m. at the 58-acre site, located between Amelia Earhart Boulevard and Delilah Road, adjacent to the Hughes Technical Center and Atlantic City International Airport.

 

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