Professional Background for Dennis R. Lawson, CEO

Runway Safety Consulting, LLC 

Retired United States Air Force Chief Master Sergeant (E-9) (Air Traffic Manager)

Retired Federal Aviation Administration (GM-15) (Air Traffic Manager)

Currently a Consultant, and Expert Witness for Aviation Litigation

Born in Buffalo, New York.  Raised in Cleveland, Ohio.  After high school attended Ohio State University.  Entered federal service in 1966.  Started in the United Sates Air Force, then hired by the FAA.  First spent twenty-three years in the field in ten different tower and radar facilities as an air traffic control specialist, procedures/staff specialist, technician, supervisor, and manager (1966-1989).  The next eighteen years were in various FAA regional and national headquarters assignments (1989-2007).  Previously owned three aircraft and a full-service FBO with flight school and managed a city owned three-runway “limited commercial certificate” non-towered airport (1972-1974).  Worked part time installing airfield lighting and as a NAVAID maintenance dispatcher (1973).  Served on Inspector General, ATC Analysis, and Air Traffic Evaluation teams (1980-1984).   Airspace specialist and manager (1989-1992).  Air traffic control FAA national requirements lead for advanced Center/TRACON traffic management systems (Traffic Management Advisor [TMA] and Final Approach Spacing Tool [FAST]) (1992-1993).  Product Team Manager for government/industry collaborative development of automated airfield management tool (Surface Movement Advisor [SMA]) for controllers, airlines, and airfield managers (1993-1996).  Program Manager for the development of a hi-fidelity tower cab/airfield simulator (Future Flight Facility) at NASA Ames Research Center (1993-1996).  Independent Operational Test and Evaluation Program Manager (1997).  Special Assistant to the Director, Air Traffic System Development (1998).  Manager of the FAA’s National Integrated Lines-Of-Business Runway Safety Team (1999-2000).  Final federal position was FAA Regional Manager for Runway Safety, FAA Central (Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri, and Kansas) Region (2001-2007), and FAA Great Lakes (North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio) Region (2005-2006).  Retired from government service in July 2007.  Degree in Aviation Management.  Graduate classes at Universities of Hawaii and Maryland.