About ADDAPT

John Spiezio was first elected to the ADDAPT Board of Directors in 2010. He serves on several additional corporate boards and startup advisory boards. John lives in West Islip, is married with three grown children. He is the former VP and COO of Hicksville Machine Works Corporation and Director of Engineering and Manufacturing.

John studied Computer Sciences and Economics at Marquette University.

Joe Spinosa was the past Co-Owner and Vice President of Business Development of East/West Industries, a woman-owned small business in Ronkonkoma, New York which was founded in 1968 by his parents Dom and Mary Spinosa.

Joe has a 44-year track record of success in business development and advocacy in Aerospace and Defense. His contributions also included designing, developing and managing aircraft subsystems, with a focus on aircraft seating and aircrew survivability. His specific areas of experience and expertise include escape systems, crashworthy seating, oxygen systems, survival kits, ground support equipment, hydraulics and electronics.

Joe graduated from Fordham University with Bachelor of Arts degrees in Economics and Applied Psychology. He is a member of many aerospace and defense associations and is recognized throughout the aerospace safety community having successfully built relationships with major aerospace and defense contractors, including Northrop Grumman, The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky Aircraft, among others. Joe has also provided in person testimony to the US Congress on the concerns of the Aerospace and Defense Industrial base.

Joe is also a member of the SAFE Association and in 2009 was awarded Honorary Life Membership to the organization, which is dedicated to ensuring personal safety and protection in land, sea, air, and space environments. He has been a member of the SAFE Association Board of Directors and was twice elected President. He currently serves as Executive Advisor to the SAFE Association Board of Directors.

George Likourezos is a Senior Partner and Patent Attorney at Carter, DeLuca & Farrell LLP. Mr. Likourezos has particular expertise in fields of technology including aerospace, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), digital electronics, communication systems, mobile computing, electrical circuits and components, acoustics and ultrasonics, optical scanning and imaging, propulsion, robotics, materials, and manufacturing.

He represents and counsels companies, universities and research institutions throughout the world in developing strategic patent and trademark portfolios to protect their technologies and brands. He serves as a Director of the Long Island Capital Alliance and is a mentor to emerging technology companies on intellectual property issues.

Mr. Likourezos simultaneously earned a B.S., Electrical Engineering and M.S., Operations Management, from the NYU Tandon School of Engineering and a J.D. from the Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center of Touro University.

Mike is a Partner in the Audit practice at Grassi. He possesses over 15 years of accounting and business experience focusing on audits, reviews, acquisition due diligence, best practices in internal control considerations and operational consulting of both public and private companies ranging from start-ups to Fortune 500 Companies in the domestic and international markets.

He is a key member of the firm’s Manufacturing and Distribution Industry group and belongs to The Rainmaker Companies Manufacturing CPAs Alliance to bring the clients he serves progressive, forward thinking, cutting edge and innovative business practices.

Mr. Bob Botticelli currently operates an aerospace and defense, sales and strategy consulting  company called RBX Associates.  Previously he served as the General Manager at M3 Technology. He also served three years as a Senior Sales Director at B/E Aerospace and for 12 years as the Vice President of Sales and Marketing at UFC Aerospace.

He also worked at AAR Corporation for fifteen years and rose to the position of General Manager.

Mr. Botticelli is an expert in lean manufacturing processes and supply chain management and is an Adjunct Professor of Management at Dowling College.

He received an MBA from Fordham University’s Graduate School of Business Administration and a JDA from Pace University School of Law.

Bill Koshansky, Business Development Manager at East/West Industries, responsible for sales and marketing of the company’s products and capabilities worldwide. 

Bill has over 20+ years of experience in business development within the Defense Aerospace Industry, with a focus on aircrew survivability, from personal equipment to aircraft structural systems.  His expertise includes night vision systems, operator helmets, escape systems, oxygen systems, crashworthy seat systems, survival kits and ground support equipment. 

Bill graduated from the United States Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering and served in Iraq during Operation Desert Storm.  He is a member of many industry associations including SAFE, AAAA, AUSA, Vertical Flight Society, APSA(Airborne Public Safety Association), WPAOG, and several others.

Mr. Luciano Melluzzo serves as President  & CEO of Air Industries Group in Bay Shore, NY.  AIG is a publicly traded company listed on the NYSE (AIRI) supplying complex machined parts such as landing gear assemblies, turbine engine components, arresting gear, aero structures, mechanical assemblies and a host of other highly engineered components to first tier customers and the government direct.

Lou has over 30 years of aerospace machining experience, and prior to joining AIG was Chief Operating Officer at EDAC Technologies Corporation in Connecticut.  During his eight year tenure, the market capitalization of EDAC Technologies increased by approximately 789%.

Lou also served as General Manager of Polar Corporation, a privately-held company specializing in CNC mill/turn of small hardware components for the aerospace industry.

Jay joined CPI Aero in February 2018, following a 34-year career at Northrop Grumman Corporation (NGC). Jay brings significant defense industry knowledge and experience, having run the Strategy & Business Development Organization for a large Business Unit within the Aerospace Systems Sector at NGC. Jay is leveraging that experience and significant time in customer-facing positions, along with his knowledge of the Defense Sector to pursue organic growth across several key business segments, particularly in the areas of electronic warfare (EW), intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), tactical aircraft systems, and autonomous systems. The current military programs base at CPI includes the Northrop Grumman E-2D Advanced Hawkeye (USN & International) and Airborne Laser Mine Detection System (ALMDS), the Sikorsky H-60 Blackhawk and CH-53 Helicopters, the Bell AH-1Z Helicopter, the Lockheed Martin F-35 and F-16, the Northrop T-38, the USAF A-10 and EW/ISR Pods for Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and Collins Aerospace. Over the last 3Yrs, Jay has maintained a Book to Bill of 1.2 or better, growing CPI’s Revenue from $70.4M in 2018 to over $100M in 2021 (Estimated).

Earlier in his career, Jay held a variety of Project and Program Management positions at Grumman Aerospace Corporation, principally on major US Navy Aircraft Programs. After completing his MBA, Jay was a member of the transition team responsible for the formation of Northrop Grumman Corp. following Northrop Aircraft’s acquisition of Grumman Aerospace. Most recently, Jay was a Senior Director, leading the Business & Strategy Development organization for the Military Surveillance & Targeting Division at Northrop Grumman. His portfolio included the following programs: B-2, F-18, F-35, E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, C-2 Greyhound, JSTARS, and Directed Energy Programs. He also led the Business Development and Customer Engagement Team for the E-2C/D Hawkeye and C-2 Greyhound Programs where he worked with U.S. Navy OPNAV Requirements Officers (N2N6, N89), NAVAIR PMA-231, and the Hawkeye Industry Team, in the development and protection of annual defense budget requirements. Jay also directed MARCOM (Marketing Communications) efforts and managed Northrop Grumman investment (independent research and development, bid and proposal, marketing and sales, and capital) in support of future capabilities development. Jay was also the E-2D Japan Campaign Lead during the E-X Competition that resulted in the first E-2D international customer award from the Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF).

Jay holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the State University of New York at Maritime College, Ft. Schuyler, New York. While there, he also earned a Third Mate license from the United States Coast Guard. He earned his MBA in Finance and Banking from Hofstra University.

Jay currently resides in Smithtown, New York with his wife Patti and their two children.

Andrew Parton is the President of the Cradle of Aviation Museum and Education Center.

In his tenure as first, Executive Director and now President, he has worked to transform the museum into an education center with an emphasis on the S.T.E.M. disciplines of science, technology, engineering and math. The goal of the museum is to use its collection of air and space craft to generate excitement for studies in math and science and to help create a new labor pool for the aviation, aerospace and defense industries. He has been instrumental in building the museum’s educational platform to include High School Magnet Academies for STEM.

In addition, the museum has expanded its educational efforts and serves as the host site for a number of science-based competitions including the Rube Goldberg Engineering Competition as well as competitions such as “Kid Wind”, “Solar Cars” and their new “Drone/UAV” program.

It is with these distinct and creative partnerships that the museum influences countless kids to study STEM, sparking interests in Higher Ed and STEM careers. Mr. Parton hopes the museum will continue to excel as a resource for the community, promoting and fostering a strong STEM educated society. The museum serves as the Co-Steward of the Long Island STEM Hub along with Northwell Health and Brookhaven National Lab.

The museum is home to over 75 planes and spacecraft and chronicles Long Island’s rich aerospace history and attracts over 300,000 visitors each year. It has consistently been ranked in the top 10 of Air & Space Museums in the country.

Prior to joining the museum Andrew spent 19 years at JPMorgan Chase as Vice President, Director of Marketing for the Commercial Banking Group.

He serves on the Board of the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association and the Grumman/Northrop Grumman Retiree Club.

Tom is a Senior Vice President and Wealth Management Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He was named in FORBES MAGAZINE “Best-in-State Wealth Advisors” list in 2019 & 2022. Tom has a Certificate of Professional Development from the Wharton School of Business, and Riedy and Associates has over 80 years of combined experience in the financial services industry.

In addition to being on the ADDAPT Board of Directors, Tom serves on the Board of Cradle of Aviation Museum in Garden City, New York, and is on the Advisory Board for the Town of Islip-MacArthur Airport. He’s also an Instrument Rated Private Airplane Pilot and a member of the TPC River Highlands Golf Club.

Gary Settoducato was appointed to his current position in 2017, after over 30 years in the aerospace industry. Previously, Mr. Settoducato served as the Executive Vice-President of our Air Industries Machining subsidiary, and also spent seven years as President of the Group’s Welding Metallurgy subsidiary. He is a graduate of Northrop Grumman’s “PROFIT” procurement training program, and has held prior senior management positions at Air Industries and other Long Island aerospace firms.

Mr. Settoducato graduated summa cum laude from the C.W. Post Center of Long Island University in 1983 with a double major in marketing and management, and was the Valedictorian of his graduating class. Headquartered in Bay Shore, NY, Air Industries Group is a Tier 1 supplier of flight critical, complex machined parts and assemblies to aerospace prime contractors and turbine engine manufacturers.

Mr. Rettaliata was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Air Industries Group, Inc., and its five (5) wholly owned subsidiaries Air Industries Machining, Corp., Welding Metallurgy, Inc., Nassau Tool Works, Inc., Sterling Engineering Company, and Eur-Pac, Corp. He now serves as a board member to the company. He has nearly 45 years of aerospace experience.  He began his career at Grumman in 1973, eventually becoming the Company’s Senior Procurement Officer. In that position Mr. Rettaliata was responsible for all procurement activity for the corporation.

In, 1994, he was a senior member of the transition team integrating the Northrop-Grumman combination.  Following his tenure at Grumman, Mr. Rettaliata became a partner and the President of Air Industries Machining Corporation.  He has lead the company’s growth from $10mm in revenue in 1995 to nearly $80mm in annualized revenue, and created Air Industries Group as a corporate entity aimed at substantial organic and acquisition growth.

Mr. Rettaliata is the former chairman of “ADDAPT” an organization of regional aerospace companies.  He is a former member of the Board of Governors’ Executive Committee of the Aerospace Industries Association (“AIA”), and a member of the Executive Committee of the AIA Supplier Council.  Locally Mr. Rettaliata has served as the Chairman of the Great South Bay YMCA Board of Managers, Director of the Metropolitan YMCA Board of Directors as a Member of Southside Hospital Advisory Counsel and was previously a member of the Seatuck Nature Center Board of Directors.

Mr. Rettaliata is a graduate of Niagara University and the Harvard Business School.  Pete lives in Brightwaters with his wife Mary.  They enjoy sailing, skiing, hiking, the Great South Bay and the ocean beaches.

Mr. Charlie Seelinger was the CEO of NorthEast Finishing Company. He was previously the CEO of Burton Industries.

Ron Loveland (1955 -2023) was an energetic member of ADDAPT and a vital force on the ADDAPT board of directors.

Ron, an engineer and West Point graduate, with an MBA from Rensselaer, was well-respected in the community, and ran a successful manufacturing consultancy, Summit Safety and Efficiency Solutions. He was a respected business leader on Long Island, a thought leader in the manufacturing space, a mentor to many and a beacon for kindness & fairness in business. He relentlessly educated young people about opportunities in manufacturing on Long Island by working with schools & community organizations. He volunteered his time and resources to those in need, whether it was through his church, local charities, or simply lending a helping hand to a neighbor.

Mr. David Bottomley (1934-2013) was one of the founding members of ADDAPT. As an executive with over 40 years of extensive successful corporate experience in all phases of management, design, development and production sophisticated systems and components for both the commercial and military segments of the economy Mr. Bottomley saw the need for the regional representation.

Mr. Bottomley served as President/CEO of several Long Island aerospace electronics companies such as Sedco Systems, a division of Raytheon Corporation, and Lucas Communications, a division of Lucas Aerospace. He also served as Chairman of the Emerging Industry Alliance of New York State which successfully managed and facilitated over $20 million in federal New York State programs that directly benefit high tech industries.