John Jarrell Named VP, GM for EMS Aviation

EMS Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ELMG) announced today that John Jarrell will join EMS as vice president and general manager of the company’s Aviation business unit, effective today. He replaces Nim Evatt, who joined EMS following the acquisition of Formation, LLC. Evatt is retiring after a long and distinguished corporate management career.

EMS Aviation, a leading supplier of connectivity and in-cabin infrastructure equipment to commercial and military aviation customers, employs more than 400 staff worldwide. Jarrell will serve as a member of EMS’s senior management team based in EMS corporate headquarters in Norcross, Ga., and will report to Dr. Neil Mackay, president and CEO.

"John’s aviation industry experience and proven operational accomplishments make him the ideal executive to lead our aviation business as we cement EMS’s leadership position in mobile connectivity,” said Mackay. "As this transition in leadership occurs, I want to thank Nim Evatt for his leadership of the aviation business. We are excited about the future where we will be able to leverage the full breadth of our connectivity offerings to the aviation marketplace,” Mackay added.

Jarrell joins EMS from Sensis Corp., a world leader in aviation automation based in Syracuse, N.Y. As vice president and general manager of Air Traffic Systems, Jarrell oversaw the company's aviation business strategy, including leading the development of next-generation aviation data systems.

Prior to Sensis, Jarrell spent a decade at SITA, the world’s leading provider of air transport-focused applications, communications and IT infrastructure. He most recently served as senior vice president of Airport & Desktop Services and Regional Customer Service and Operation, based in Atlanta. Under his leadership, the unit, with annual revenues of $470 million, enjoyed substantial annual increases in profitability and achieved the highest customer satisfaction ratings in SITA’s history. As VP of Airport Services, he helped SITA transition from a not-for-profit to a for-profit business, and diversified the SITA portfolio to become the world’s largest provider of IT solutions for airport terminals worldwide.

Jarrell also held key management positions in the Airport Systems division of EDS, now HP Enterprise Services, and with Texas Instruments. A pilot for 35 years, Jarrell also was a military aviator -- serving in the U.S. Army as an airfield commander, operations officer and flight platoon leader, as well as the Army’s air traffic and airspace officer for the Washington, D.C. area. He earned his master’s degree in international management from University of Texas at Dallas, and his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

"I have an absolute passion for the aviation industry and am excited to be joining an industry-leading company. The opportunity at EMS really leverages all my prior experience,” says Jarrell, who said his key priorities include unifying the team, reviewing the business’s strategic direction and accelerating its growth path. "EMS is at the crossroads of connectivity and is well positioned regardless of which way the industry decides to go with next-generation platforms,” Jarrell said.

About EMS Aviation

EMS Aviation, a division of EMS Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: ELMG), is a leading supplier of connectivity and in-cabin infrastructure equipment for a broad range of commercial and military aircraft. EMS Aviation enables reliable worldwide Internet connectivity and in-flight entertainment, satellite-based messaging and tracking, rugged data management and storage, and data record and replay. The division, comprising the former EMS SATCOM, Formation and Sky Connect business units, is a leader in Inmarsat, Iridium, Ku-band and air-to-ground mobile connectivity solutions, with proven commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) systems. Visit www.emsaviation.com for more information.

About EMS Technologies, Inc.

EMS Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ELMG) is a leading provider of wireless connectivity solutions over satellite and terrestrial networks. EMS keeps people and systems connected, wherever they are — on land, at sea, in the air or in space. Serving the aeronautical, asset tracking, defense, and mobile computing industries, EMS products and services enable universal mobility, visibility and intelligence. Visit www.ems-t.com for more information.

Editor’s Note: Access a photo of John Jarrell from the EMS management bio page.