KP AVIATION at a Glance

Kim is the Co-Founder and principal of KP Aviation. Since the company’s founding, Kim has led the vision and fueled the growth of KP Aviation by building a team that can tackle the toughest aviation challenges in the world, all while cementing relationships with key partners and suppliers.

Previously Kim was the controller for Pacific Turbine Support and a financial analyst at the University of California San Diego’s Antiviral Research Center. Her focus is to guide the company culture of KP Aviation and leads the company into the future with new corporate initiatives, growth strategy and partnerships.

• Founded and Grew KP Aviation
• Responsible for Key Partnerships
• Leads KP Aviation’s Corporate Culture Initiatives

Linn Shaw brings 20 years of management experience to KP Aviation, including 14 years in commercial aviation supply chain management. Shaw has experience taking private companies public and working with private equity groups in privately held organizations as the CFO or head of finance. He has a proven track record of building out the finance business support structure, finance teams, business intelligence and banking relationships for financial funding. Shaw’s well-rounded business acumen, extraordinary attention to detail and strong financial background earned him recognition by Financial Executive International as the finalist for the Arizona CFO of the Year award.

Outside of work, Shaw loves to travel with his wife and kids and has a passion for sports. Linn received his BA in Finance from Wichita State University and an MBA with an emphasis in International Business from the University of Arizona.

Armando Alvarez is KP Aviation’s Vice President of Sales – Engines, and an accomplished team leader who has specialized in the aviation/aerospace OEM manufacturing and commercial aviation industry for the past 25 years. He has over 12 years of experience managing all aspects of corporate sales and purchasing operations.

Alvarez specializes in procurement order systems and managing inventories and supply agreements. His strong finance, quantitative and analytical skills are key to KP Aviation ’s superior supplier relationships, quality assurance and FAA regulatory compliance.

• 25 years of Aviation and OEM Experience
• Deep Knowledge of Supply and Inventory Management

Ben Gifford is KP Aviation’s Vice President of Sales – Airframe, a newly established leadership position he filled to aid expansion efforts. During his decade long tenure, Gifford has had consistently increasing responsibilities attributed to his technical knowledge, strategic mind, data driven approach, and problem-solving ability. Multifaceted, Gifford has acquired a diverse sales background ranging from e-based client services to maintenance and repair and is currently tackling aftermarket material sales.

Gifford joined the team from Stratton Aviation where he served as Vice President of Major Accounts, promoted after less than a year as Sales Manager. Prior to Stratton Aviation, Gifford was a Key Account Manager at ITS and has also been a part of the teams at Pneu-Tech Aerospace, Inc. and PartsBase Inc. Before pursuing a career in aviation, Gifford earned his degree in Business & Managerial Economics from Fairfield University. A North-East native but Arizonian at heart, Gifford is an avid outdoorsmen who enjoys hunting, fishing, and hiking with his wife and kids.

• Diverse sales background including, but not limited to, e-based client services, maintenance and repair, and aftermarket material sales
• Expertise in Airframe, specifically Boeing and Airbus
• Avid outdoorsmen

Brian Carlisle has 26 years of aviation experience starting in the South African Air Force. He was assigned to the development of the first locally produced attack helicopter in South Africa. After spending seven years serving the Air Force at 17 Squadron, he moved into the private aviation sector.

Carlisle joined KP Aviation in July of 2016, assigned as a Project Manager over the Spanish entity setup and airframe teardown events for the company in the European Union.

In 2000, he joined Safair Aircraft Maintenance and Leasing company where he moved from technician to crew chief to supervisor and into a management role over maintenance at all outstations and regional line stations. Carlisle played a fundamental role in the humanitarian relief programs with the United Nations (UN), International Crisis Rescue Centre (ICRC), World Wheelchair Foundation (WF) and the World Food Program (WFP) for many developing countries during his employment here.

In 2007, he moved into commercial aviation as Technical and Engineering Manager for Comair LTD, having oversight over the maintenance of the fleet where he delivered the first 737-800NG aircraft to the airline to start the low-cost airline “Kulula.com”. After this success he was assigned as Technical Project Manager over the delivery of six new 737-800NG’s from Boeing for both the British Airways & Kulula.com franchise for Comair in South Africa.

Carlisle currently holds the position of Vice President of Projects and has managed over 30 aircraft teardown and aircraft deliveries for the past four years.

• Vast International Aviation Experience Including Aircraft Development
• Oversaw Delivery of First Boeing737-800NG to Comair
• Managed over 30 aircraft teardowns and deliveries over past four years