Christopher R. Beskar

Chairman & CEO
Stavatti Heavy Industries, Ltd.

Christopher R. Beskar is the CEO of Stavatti Aerospace and the Chairman and CEO of Stavatti Heavy Industries, Ltd. Chris is the majority shareholder of SHI.

Chris founded Stavatti in 1994 while a Sophomore Physics Major at the University of Wisconsin. The Chief Designer behind the SM-27 Machete, the SM-47 Super Machete, the SM-45 Avaria and many other Stavatti aerospace vehicles, Chris is a gifted aerospace engineer and an authority on achieving mission success in the air warfare environment.

Son of an Alaskan bush pilot, Chris began flying at age 9 flying in the family's private aircraft. Chris began aircraft design as a hobby in the 6th grade and attained achievement in an international home-built aircraft design contest while a high school Freshman. Chris established Stavatti for the purpose of producing commercially developed, next generation military aircraft. Stavatti military aircraft development programs were to be funded via private sector sources and marketed to NATO allies using Direct Commercial Sales (DCS).

A creative visionary, Chris is focused upon the production of next generation aerospace vehicles, propulsion systems and ensuring the advancement of manned interplanetary spaceflight. Chris received a B.S. in Physics from University of Wisconsin-River Falls (UWRF) in 1997.

AIAA TCM Website

Chris is a Senior Member of the AIAA and serves on its Technical Committee on Management (TCM). Chris is the Chair of the TCM's Awards Subcommittee and is responsible for selecting the recipient of the Hap Arnold Award For Excellence in Aerospace Program Management (Annually) and the Von Braun Award for Excellence in Space Program Management (Biannually). Chris served as senior coordinating judge for the 2003 AIAA Undergraduate Student Aircraft Design Contest and the 2007 AIAA Graduate Student Aircraft Design Contest. Chris authored the RFPs for both contests.

Chris is a member of the AFA and the EAA. Chris has over 2,500 flight hours in various aircraft and is a private pilot with a first class medical. Mr. Beskar regularly plays the bagpipes with the Minnesota State Fire Service Memorial Pipeband.