John Jo Lewis - Managing Director, Co-Founder John Jo's heart may be a starfish, but at least you can tell it's in the right place.  John Jo blames his love of scuba diving for allowing him to get sucked into one of the early efforts to perfect submersibles based on the art and science of underwater flight.  As a confirmed addict who must soar beneath the waves at every opportunity, he takes solace at having the good fortune to work with the intrepid and creative team at Sub Aviator Systems.  John Jo's hope for SAS as an enterprise is that it will use underwater flight technology to increase awareness among humankind of the beauty and wonder of the ocean environment, and to the dire threats to our ocean planet posed by global warming, pollution, and unsustainable exploitation.
	R. T. (Phil) Nuytten, OBC, L.L.D. - Director Dr. Phil Nuytten has spent his life in subsea exploration. He has logged many thousands of hours underwater worldwide as a working commercial diver and as an innovative developer of underwater equipment and techniques. He is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the modern commercial diving industry and continues to lead in the creation of today’s new diving technology. Dr. Nuytten has earned many international honours and awards. These include commercial diving’s highest award from the Association of Diving Contractors International, the Academy of Underwater Art and Sciences ‘Nogi’ award, induction into the ‘Diving Hall of Fame’, and the Explorer’s Club’s prestigious ‘Lowell Thomas’ Award. In 1992, Nuytten was awarded the Order of British Columbia, his home province’s highest honor, in recognition of his role in making British Columbia one of the world centers of underwater technology. His outstanding Canadian achievements were recognized again in 2000 when he received the Canadian Underwater Pioneer Award. In 2001 Dr. Nuytten received the Jules Verne Award in Paris for his international accomplishments in the diving world. Dr. Phil Nuytten has devoted nearly forty years to developing undersea systems that have the safety of the diving technician as their common theme. His equipment has provided scientific, technical, military, and sport divers with full access to continental shelf depths without the hazards of decompression, so that humans can explore, learn about and - ultimately - protect the world’s oceans. Dr. Nuytten resides in Vancouver, BC where he heads Nuytco Resaerch, Ltd. (www.nuytco.com ) and Can-Dive Construction (www.can-dive.com). He is also the editor and publisher of DIVER Magazine (www.divermag.com).
	Jay Wade - Co-Founder, Director After graduating from the University of Oklahoma, Jay founded his first company, a software development firm specializing in electronic case management systems for the US Federal Courts, in 1988.  After successfully growing and selling the business in 1999,  Jay went on to pursue other business interests in technology-related fields.  Currently, Jay splits his time between Red Earth Systems (http://www.redearthsystems.com/), an IT professional services firm, Coyote Customs (http://www.coyotecustoms.com/), a manufacturer of custom metric choppers, and Sub Aviator Systems. Jay is also a founding member and serves on the board of directors of the International SeaKeepers Society (http://www.seakeepers.org/), a conservation group dedicated to preserving the world's oceans through the innovative use of information technology.
	Alfred Scott McLaren - Director Captain, U.S. Navy (Ret.), Ph.D. Captain Alfred S. McLaren, USN (Ret.), Ph.D. is a Director of Sub Aviator Systems and Senior Pilot of the SAS Aviator submersible.  He is also a director of The Institute of Nautical Archaeology at Texas A&M and President Emeritus of The Explorers Club, founded in 1904 to promote scientific exploration and field research. A U. S. Naval Academy graduate and former nuclear submarine officer, he made three Arctic expeditions on nuclear attack submarines, that included the first submerged transit of the Northwest Passage, a Baffin Bay cruise, and a North Pole expedition that also completed the first survey under ice of the entire Siberian Continental Shelf (5,000 km). He commanded USS Queenfish (SSN-651) during the latter expedition and for a total of four years. He was subsequently honored with the Societe de Geographic Paris’ Silver Medal for Polar Exploration and La Medaille de La Ville De Paris (Echelon Argent). A veteran of more than 20 Cold War submarine operations, his awards, as a Cold War submarine captain, include the Distinguished Service Medal, the nation's highest peacetime award; two Legions of Merit and four Navy Unit Citations. Currently a deep sea explorer and scientist, Captain McLaren completed lengthy dives using the Russian deep-diving MIR submersibles to: R.M.S. Titanic in 1999 and 2003, the Rainbow Hydrothermal Vents along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in 1999, and during June 2001; one of the first manned dives to the wreck of the German battleship Bismarck at a depth of 4,750 meters beneath the sea. He returned to Bismarck in early August 2002 to make a second dive and participate in a comprehensive high definition (HD) filming of the wreck site. He received The Explorers Club’s Lowell Thomas Medal for Ocean Exploration in 2000. His recent book Unknown Waters, published by the University of Alabama Press in early 2008, is now in its third printing. It was reviewed in the New York Times in March of 2008 and chosen as a "Notable Naval Book of 2008" by the U.S. Naval Institute in May of 2009.
	John Vance - Engineer John was born in Oakland, California to globetrotting parents Jack and Norma Vance. Stimulated by exposures to blue water during travels, and fascinated by National Geographic specials featuring Jacques Cousteau, John learned to scuba dive at age 16. While earning a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from UC Berkeley, John daydreamed of sleek underwater machines with wings, sketching and clay modeling several “wet” designs for use with scuba. In 1991 he jumped at the opportunity to join a group of volunteers building an all-composite winged sub, and so began a career working around underwater vehicles and equipment. In 2001 John joined the Aviator project, where he was involved with all phases of the CAD design, construction, testing and early operation of the sub. Among other things he engineered the thrusters, flight surfaces and control linkages, designed and built the scrubbers, plumbed the gas systems, equipped and managed the shop, and helped fabricate all FRP parts, from tooling through sanding and fairing. After years in the industry, John has broad experience in the design, analysis, construction and operation of manned submersibles and ROVs. He also has worked on first- and second-stage dive regulator and closed and semi-closed circuit rebreather designs, and a variety of servo controlled machinery. He is a seasoned engineer with a long-abiding interest in the subsea world, who feels as much at home in the shop as behind a CAD screen. Away from work John enjoys sailing, woodworking, rockhounding, and flying high performance RC slope soarers.
	Dave Harper - Chief of Operations Born May 27, 1969 of Sharon and Bud Harper (Col. USMC, retired), Dave resides in Sierra Madre, California, with his daughter, Reagan Harper. Diving Credentials include: LA County Scuba Instructor, Certified Commercial Diver, Nitrox Diver, Certified Rigger, NAUI Advanced Scuba Rescue Diver and Emergency Medical Technician. Dave also holds certificates in Sonar Operation and Interpretation, and Marine Technology. Hobbies include: 4 wheel driving, motorcycles, kayaking, diving, camping, guitar and piano.
	Rob Hutchison - Senior Diver Rob is ready to go when called to duty.  After serving his country, he is now dedicated to it's oceans.  He loves his job and can't stop smiiling.  He is well trained on all of the operations of the sub and assists with launch procedures and recovery.  When not in the water, he enjoys riding dirt bikes and motorcycles.