Board of Directors
FLY Leasing’s Board of Directors consists of eight members, of which five are Independent Directors. Board Committees consist of an Audit Committee, a Compensation Committee, and a Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Following are the members of the Board of Directors:
JOSEPH M. DONOVAN
Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Audit Committee
Joseph M. Donovan has been a member of our board of directors since June 2007 and has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors since April 2010. Prior to his retirement in January 2007, Mr. Donovan was chairman of Credit Suisse’s Asset-Backed Securities and Debt Financing Group, which he led for nearly seven years. Prior thereto, Mr. Donovan was a managing director and head of Asset Finance at Prudential Securities (1998-2000) and Smith Barney (1995-1997). Mr. Donovan began his banking career at The First Boston Corporation in 1983, ultimately becoming a managing director at CS First Boston, where he served as Chief Operating Officer of the Investment Banking Department from 1992 to 1995. Mr. Donovan is a director of Institutional Financial Markets, Inc. (formerly known as Cohen & Company) and Homeownership Preservation Foundation. Mr. Donovan received his MBA from The Wharton School and has a degree in Accountancy from the University of Notre Dame.
COLM BARRINGTON
Chief Executive Officer & Director
Colm Barrington has been our chief executive officer and a member of our board of directors since May 2007. Mr. Barrington has over 40 years of global experience in the aviation industry, having started his aviation career in 1967 at Ireland’s national airline, Aer Lingus. In 1979, Mr. Barrington joined GPA Group plc where he held various executive positions, including chief operating officer. Upon GECAS’s agreement in 1993 to manage GPA’s assets, Mr. Barrington oversaw the successful integration of the two companies. In 1994, Mr. Barrington joined Babcock & Brown Limited in Ireland, where he worked in aircraft and lease management, and arranged cross-border lease financings of commercial aircraft. Mr. Barrington is the Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors of Aer Lingus plc and a director of IFG Group plc. Mr. Barrington received a BA and an MA in Economics from University College Dublin. He also received a public administration degree from the Institute of Public Administration, also in Dublin.
ERIK G. BRAATHEN
Director and Chairman of the Compensation Committee
Erik G. Braathen has been a member of our board of directors since June 2007. Mr. Braathen has been the chief executive of Ojada AS, a privately owned investment company, since 1999. Prior to joining Ojada AS, Mr. Braathen was the chief executive officer of Braathens ASA where he gained extensive experience in the airline industry from 1986 to 1999. Mr. Braathen is a member of the boards of directors of Protecto Insurance ASA, Bank 2, Peersynt Tours, Opra, Northern PSV and Cenzia. Mr. Braathen is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Holmes Funds Forvaltning, Sayonara AS and Ojada AS. Mr. Braathen has a Master of International Management from AGSIM, Phoenix Arizona, and a Bachelor of Arts & Economics from the University of Washington.
SEAN DONLON
Director and Chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee
Sean Donlon has been a member of our board of directors since June 2007. Mr. Donlon served as the chancellor of the University of Limerick, Ireland from 2002 to 2008. Mr. Donlon has previously worked with the GPA Group plc, as well as with GE Capital Aviation Services. Prior to entering the private sector, he had a long career in the Irish public service, having been Irish Ambassador to the United States of America and Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Mr. Donlon is a director of Aviva Life International Ltd, Enba plc, the University of Limerick Foundation Ltd. and chairman of the BIRR Scientific and Heritage Foundation Ltd. Mr. Donlon is a graduate of the University College Dublin and was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate of Civil and Canon Laws by the National University of Ireland in December 2008 and an Honorary Doctorate of Laws by the University of Limerick in January 2009.
JAMES FANTACI
Director
James Fantaci has been a member of our board of directors since May 2007. Prior to his retirement from Babcock & Brown in May 2009, Mr. Fantaci coordinated all of Babcock & Brown’s operating leasing activities worldwide. Prior to joining Babcock & Brown in 1982, Mr. Fantaci was senior vice president of the New York office of Matrix Leasing International and prior to that he served as assistant treasurer of the Bank of New York. Mr. Fantaci attended the New School for Social Research and graduated from Brooklyn College with a degree in Economics.
ROBERT S. TOMCZAK
Director
Rob Tomczak has been a member of the board since May 2010. Mr. Tomczak joined Babcock & Brown in 1987 and currently serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of BBAM and leads BBAM’s accounting, finance and contract management teams. He has over 20 years of experience in the aircraft leasing industry. From 1987 to 2010, Mr. Tomczak was a Finance Director at Babcock & Brown. Prior to joining Babcock & Brown in 1987, Mr. Tomczak worked at Arthur Anderson & Co. Mr Tomczak is a certified public accountant and member of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants. He graduated cum laude from California State University East Bay with a degree in Finance and Accounting.
SUSAN M. WALTON
Director
Susan M. Walton has been a member of our board of directors since June 2007. Ms. Walton is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Pestalozzi International Village Trust, a charity registered in England. Until September 2010, Ms. Walton was a sub-regional director of the environmental charity Groundwork London. Prior thereto, Ms. Walton was the chief executive of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust (“HWT”), a leading wildlife conservation charity in England, where she was responsible for biodiversity projects in two counties and developing partnerships with key stakeholder groups. Prior to joining HWT in 2006, she served as general manager — structured finance and export credit, for Rolls-Royce Capital Limited for nine years. Ms. Walton was also a Principal at Babcock & Brown from 1989 to 1997 where she was responsible for producing and implementing Babcock & Brown’s annual European Aerospace marketing plan. Ms. Walton is a trustee for Sussex Wildlife Trust and Buglife — The Invertebrate Conservation Trust and a member of the High Weald AONB Sustainable Development Fund Panel. Ms. Walton holds a degree in Environmental Conservation from Birkbeck College, University of London.
STEVEN ZISSIS
Director
Steven Zissis has been a member of our board of directors since June 2007, and previously was Chairman of the Board of Directors from June 2007 through April 2010. Mr. Zissis is the President and Chief Executive Officer of BBAM. Mr. Zissis was the Head of Aircraft Operating Leasing at Babcock & Brown and has more than 20 years of experience in the aviation industry. Prior to joining Babcock & Brown in 1990, Mr. Zissis was a vice president of Citibank, where he was also a founder and manager of the Portfolio Acquisition and Divestiture team. Mr. Zissis graduated from Rhodes College with a degree in Finance and International Studies.