About Frederick L. Kocher

Mr. Frederick L. Kocher’s initial contact with UMR dates back to August of 1971, when he was accepted into the M.S. program in Engineering Management. He finished the program one year later and returned to his prior employer, Allegheny Airlines in Pittsburgh, PA.

In the ensuing twenty-four years, Fred became a member of the executive management team that successfully grew Allegheny from a small regional carrier with route structure predominantly in the northeastern United States, to an international carrier with service to 150 cities in the U.S., Canada and Europe. That carrier is known today as USAirways. At its peak in the mid-1990’s, USAirways carried in excess of 60 million passengers and generated in excess of $8 billion in revenue annually, while increasing the employee base to 53,000 employees. Fred’s job duties included senior leadership roles in customer services, flight operations, maintenance, engineering and sourcing. He also served as a member of the Management Executive Committee. That group consisted of nine senior executives whose duties included the development of strategy to thwart two hostile takeovers while completing two mergers and one global alliance in the late 1980’s.

While maintaining a busy professional schedule, Fred also spent four years in night school at the University of Pittsburgh, completing another engineering degree and successfully testing for the Professional Engineering Certificate in Pennsylvania.

In 1995, Fred joined Rolls-Royce, plc., as senior executive in charge of customer support and aftermarket development for the Americas. Rolls-Royce plc, is known worldwide for design, development and manufacture of turbine engines used in military and commercial aviation applications, as well as aero-derivative engines used in fixed power and marine applications.

In 2001, Fred moved to United Air Lines in Chicago, to assist with the planning and implementation of two strategic initiatives. These included a planned merger with another airline and the creation of a new subsidiary offering premium service to customers through fractional ownership of executive airplanes. The latter became known as Avolar, which operated for a time in 2001 and 2002.

Following the financial shake out in the airline business following the events of 9/11, Fred joined AAR Corporation as President and General Manager of the new maintenance, repair and overhaul business in Indianapolis.

Fred currently serves on the Board of Visitors of the School of Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. He has also served the United Way of Western Pennsylvania in organizing and leading annual fund drives. He has been elected to the Career College Hall of Fame and was elected a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Pittsburgh.

Fred and his wife Gloria, currently reside in Indianapolis. Daughters Andrea (Houston, TX.), Deanna (Plainfield, IN.) and Gina (Alexandria, VA.) round out the family circle.