AAR : Appoints New Leadership Team for Airlift

AAR Appoints New Leadership Team for Airlift

December 22, 2016

AAR today appointed Donald J. Wetekam to serve as Chairman of AAR Airlift and Jeffrey Wehrenberg to serve as Interim President of AAR Airlift. Both will report to John M. Holmes. Former Airlift President Steven B. Harrison will be leaving AAR Airlift to pursue other interests.

Don joined AAR in 2007 and currently serves as Vice President of Government and Defense Business Development, Aviation Services. Prior to joining AAR, Wetekam served 34 years in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a Lieutenant General after his final assignment as Deputy Chief of Staff for Installations and Logistics in Washington, D.C.

Jeff has served as Chief Operating Officer of Airlift since 2012. Prior to joining AAR, he gained extensive management experience with multiple airlines serving the domestic commuter market, US DOD, and allied forces worldwide, including his role as COO, North American Airlines, which operated on behalf of the U.S. Transportation Command.

As planned, Brooks L. Bash will serve as Program Director for the Worldwide Aviation Support Services (WASS) Program contract within the International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Office of Aviation (INL/A), recently awarded to Airlift by the U.S. Department of State. He will report to John. Brooks joined AAR in 2015 after a 34-year career with the U.S. Air Force, most recently serving as Vice Commander, Air Mobility Command, and retired as a three-star general.

'We have assembled a very strong team to lead Airlift. Having led Aviation Services through a period of strong growth, John will be applying his successful approach as he takes on the additional oversight of Airlift. Don's stature and tenure in the DoD make him highly qualified to assess the government's aviation needs and how AAR can best serve them, and Jeff's operational experience will insure that everything is well executed,' said David P. Storch, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of AAR. 'We are also grateful to Steve for his service to the Company and wish him the best in his future endeavors.'

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About AAR

AAR is a global aftermarket solutions company that employs more than 4,500 people in over 20 countries. Based in Wood Dale, Illinois, AAR supports commercial aviation and government customers through two operating segments: Aviation Services and Expeditionary Services. AAR's Aviation Services include inventory management; parts supply; OEM parts distribution; aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul; and component repair. AAR's Expeditionary Services include airlift operations; mobility systems; and command and control centers in support of military and humanitarian missions. More information can be found at www.aarcorp.com.

Contact:

Kathleen Cantillon at Kathleen.Cantillon@aarcorp.com | 630-227-2081 or email: editor@aarcorp.com

This press release contains certain statements relating to future results, which are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on beliefs of Company management, as well as assumptions and estimates based on information currently available to the Company, and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated, including those factors discussed under Item 1A, entitled 'Risk Factors', included in the Company's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2016. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize adversely, or should underlying assumptions or estimates prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described. These events and uncertainties are difficult or impossible to predict accurately and many are beyond the Company's control. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements or to reflect the occurrence of anticipated or unanticipated events. For additional information, see the comments included in AAR's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.