Avionics News August 2022 - 50

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C H R I S T I N E
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Melissa Raddatz Sales manager for the Great Lakes region, Pro Star Aviation
" I attended the A&P program
at Fox Valley Tech in Oshkosh,
Wisconsin, " said Raddatz, who was
one of the first students to graduate
from the University of WisconsinOshkosh's
aviation management
program. " I wanted to expand my
knowledge beyond what I had
learned in the technical setting.
It wasn't until I was out working
in the field that I actually added
the bachelor's degree in aviation
management. "
With more than 15 years in
aviation, Raddatz brings a wealth of
experience to her role as Pro Star
Aviation's sales manager for the
Great Lakes region. She previously
served as line service technician for
Gulfstream Aerospace, maintenance
technician at the Experimental
Aircraft Association, avionics install
technician and inside avionics sale
representative at Duncan Aviation,
and regional sales manager for Flying
Colours.
Today, Raddatz manages sales
F
ull of energy and drive,
Melissa Raddatz is all-in
all the time, a trait that
began at a young age growing up
in Minnesota. She served three
years as a U.S. Air Force ROTC cadet,
earned an airframe and powerplant
license, an associate degree in
aircraft electronics and bachelor's
degrees in two entirely different
fields - speech communication and
aviation management.
50 avionics news * august 2022
in nine Midwestern states for
Pro Star Aviation - Minnesota,
Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana,
Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania and
Kentucky. Based in Londonderry,
New Hampshire, the service center
provides aircraft maintenance,
avionics installation, aircraft
modification, custom engineering,
and certification for business jets.
" I work with a variety of
customers from flight departments,
ranging from individual owneroperators
to Fortune 500-type
companies, " she said. " While the
customers are primarily business
aviation, Pro Star Aviation's
customers span the gamut, from
helicopters to military, airliners and
special missions. "
In addition, Raddatz serves
on several NBAA committees,
mentors young women in aviation
and advocates for workforce
development. She travels two to
three weeks out of the month to
meet with operators and attend
trade shows and other industry
events, meaning she's seldom at
her home in East Leroy, Michigan,
outside of Battle Creek.
" My husband and I started
working in Duncan Aviation's
avionics department at roughly
the same time, " Raddatz said. " I
did installations while he handled
avionics line work, which entails preand
post-checks, 91.411 and .413
tests and any incoming squawks.
His work is more tethered to the
airframe side. He still works at
Duncan as the team lead for the
avionics line department. "
During an hour-and-a-half
conversation earlier this year,
Raddatz discussed avionics,
restoring vintage aircraft, her role
as a sales manager, helping the
next generation, and her family's
annual treks to the EAA air show in
Oshkosh.
Melissa Raddatz spends most of her day
talking with Pro Star Aviation customers,
whether over the phone from her home office
in East Leroy, Michigan, or at airports, trade
shows and industry events.
Avionics News August 2022

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