Curriculum Vitae for Vaughn R. Ross

Personal Vaughn R. Ross 4377 Chelsea Drive Baton Rouge, LA  70809 Telephone (225) 929-9033 Date of Birth - February 2, 1944 Place of Birth - Kansas City, MO

Education

Louisiana State University, Bachelor Degree, General Studies
Harvard University, Kennedy School of Government, Program for Senior State and Local Officials
University of Southern California, Viterbi School of Engineering, Aviation Safety and Security Certificate

Military Service

United States Army, Active Duty 1966 to 1971
Rank, Captain - Infantry Branch
Qualifications, Army Aviator (Officer's Rotary Wing Aviator Course 68-16) Instructor Pilot (UH-1 Methods Of Instruction 70-2)
Awards and Decorations, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star, Air Medal with 25 Oak Leaf Clusters

Ratings, Appointments and Affiliations

Mr. Ross currently holds an Airline Transport Pilots Rating in Rotorcraft with over 4000 hours of accident free flying.
Mr. Ross was appointed as a member of the Greater Baton Rouge Airport Board of Commissioners. His 5 year term expired in March of 1993.
Mr. Ross holds an Aviation Safety Certificate from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering
Mr. Ross is a Certified Aircraft Accident Investigator with over 36 years of experience in aviation.
Mr. Ross is a member of the International Society of Air Safety Investigators.

Occupational History

1988 to Present - President, V.R. ROSS Associates
V.R. ROSS Associates provides an independent professional aviation and transportation consulting service to a variety of clients. These clients typically include civil engineering firms focused on airport development, companies with large transportation requirements and law firms specializing in the practice of aircrash litigation cases. Mr. Ross provides expertise to airport master planning, transportation safety audits and aircraft accident reconstruction. The aircrash accident reconstruction includes engine tear-down studies, airframe examinations, document research, airworthiness and crashworthiness determinations, human factors research, as well as many other aspects regarding the accidents. Mr. Ross is an experienced Operational Safety Review contractor with clientsranging in size and numbers of aircraft from the State of Louisiana to the San Diego, California Sheriff's A.S.T.R.E.A. Flight Detachment. Mr. Ross also offers an expertise in the establishment of Aviation Safety Management Systems Programs for clients. Over four decades of aviation experience has provided Mr. Ross and his firm with the breadth and depth of experience in nearly all aspects of aviation transportation, aviation safety and aircrash accident investigation.

1984 to 1988 - Undersecretary, Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development
In 1984, by means of an appointment by the Governor, Mr. Ross served as the Undersecretary for the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD). As Undersecretary, Mr. Ross headed up the Office of Management and Finance, which was responsible for planning, organizing and managing the Department's :
1) $1.8 billion annual operating and construction budgets;
2) 6,800 member Civil Service Employee organization; and
3) liaison with the State's legislature and 64 Parish governments.
Due to the then State's deteriorating economic conditions, brought on primarily by the depressed world oil prices, DOTD's annual budget was trimmed from $1.8 to 1.2 billion, a 33% decrease. This situation called for a corresponding decrease in the DOTD force account, a reduction of from 6,800 to 4,700 employees. The Department was able to accomplish this force reduction through natural attrition, retirement incentives and without laying-off a single employee. Improved efficiencies were achieved by carefully restructuring DOTD's human resources that were subsequently redeployed using an even more effective operating plan to minimize interruptions or reductions in the Department's services. The revamped DOTD was much more effective in planning, deploying and utilizing the State's scarce financial resources for achieving the optimum transportation benefit for the public. Mr. Ross successfully lobbied the Louisiana legislature and congress regarding transportation related issues during his tenure as Undersecretary of the DOTD.

1978 to 1984 - Vice President and Director of Operations, Commercial Helicopters, Inc.
Lafayette, Louisiana
In 1978 Mr. Ross co-founded Commercial Helicopters, Inc. of Lafayette, Louisiana. As Vice President and Director of Operations, a position he held until 1984, Mr. Ross was responsible for all aspects of flight and maintenance operations for CHI's 34 aircraft and 158 employees. CHI provided helicopter transportation to the offshore petroleum industry and their various service support companies throughout the Texas and Louisiana Gulf of Mexico. Sales generated by the company exceeded $12 million annually.

1972 to 1978 - Manager, Creative Products, Co.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Mr. Ross managed Creative Products, Co., of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, which manufactured cultured marble products for the new home, apartment and hotel bathroom markets. This company was jointly owned by his brother who operated the company for over 27 years.

1966 to 1971 - Commissioned Officer, Infantry Branch, United States Army
Mr. Ross served in the United States Army and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant at Ft. Benning, Georgia's Infantry School. After completing Flight Training and Instructor Pilot Training, Captain Ross served in Vietnam from 1969 until 1970. Captain Ross served as a Flight Platoon Leader for one of the 57th Assault Helicopter Company's three flight platoons and later during his tour of duty, served the company as Flight Operations Officer. Captain Ross flew a total of 1,056 combat flight hours in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos. The Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star and Purple Heart are among the awards and decorations he received during his tour in the military service.