ASTAR Air Cargo Executive Team

Guided by years of experience.

ASTAR Air Cargo is led by an executive team with years of experience in the airline industry and an established track record of success.

John Dasburg served as Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and President of the Burger King Corporation from April 2001 to January 6, 2003. He led the turnaround of the company that culminated in its December 2002 sale. Prior to joining Burger King, Dasburg served 10 years as President and Chief Executive Officer of Northwest Airlines, the world's fourth largest airline. Under Dasburg's leadership, Northwest Airlines established its reputation for operational excellence, experienced consistent and profitable growth, and became known as a strategic innovator.

Before his airline career, he served as president of Marriott's Lodging Group and executive vice president and CFO of Marriott Corp. As President, he was responsible for the full range of Marriott's lodging products as well as their development. He joined Marriott in 1980. Prior to his tenure at Marriott, he was a partner with KPMG, an international CPA firm.

Dasburg is a recipient of the 2001 Horatio Alger Award for Distinguished Americans and a recipient of the Commercial Air Transport Laureate Award in 2001. He was named airline industry "Man of the Year" in 1994 by Travel Agent magazine and has received numerous awards and recognitions of business distinction.

Dasburg received a bachelor's degree in engineering, a master's degree in business administration and a law degree, all from the University of Florida. He served three years in the U.S. Navy with one year in Vietnam. He was appointed by President George Bush to the White House Fellows Committee in 1991. He was also appointed by Governor Jeb Bush as a member of the Board of Governors of the Florida university system in 2003. He is active in civic affairs and serves as a director for many profit and not-for-profit enterprises.



Steve Doyle, President

Steve Doyle is the President of ASTAR Air Cargo. Before joining ASTAR in August 2008, Steve practiced corporate law for 31 years at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr in Washington DC. During his 23 years as a partner of that firm, Doyle was a member of both the Corporate Department and the aviation Department, and for a number of years headed the firm’s International Transactions Practice Group.

Doyle’s legal experience included extensive experience in aviation-related matters. He has advised both Lufthansa and United Airlines on major transaction matters. He also served as principal legal architect for the Star Alliance of major international passenger airlines, as well as the Amadeus travel distribution system. He has also handled merger-and-acquisition transactions and joint ventures involving airline catering companies and MRO companies.

Doyle came to ASTAR with a wealth of background and familiarity with the DHL express delivery network and its relationship to its U.S. components. He advised the investor group who purchased DHL from its original founders in the late 1980’s and also represented the current non-DHL owners of ASTAR when they purchased the company in 2003.

Doyle graduated from Harvard University and the University of Texas School of Law. Prior to entering private practice, he served as law clerk for Judge Wilfred Feinberg of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, in New York City. Doyle is a member of the American Bar Association, the International Bar Association, and the Bar Association of the District of Columbia.



Gary L. Hammes, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Gary Hammes serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for ASTAR Air Cargo. Gary has been with the company since 2002 and previously served as Senior Director of aircraft maintenance and engineering.

In his 16 years in the industry prior to joining ASTAR, Gary held management positions with Northwest Airlines, where he was the Director of Component Maintenance, United Airlines as 737 Fleet Operations Manager, and Evergreen International Aviation as Director of Maintenance/Business Services.

Gary has also served on numerous industry oversight committees. He is currently a member of the Senior Advisory Committee for the ATA and previously served as Chairman of the Boeing 737 Structures Task Group. He was also a member of the ATA Repairs assessment task group steering committee.

Gary and his family reside in the Cincinnati area.



Pete Blessing, Vice President Flight Operations

Pete Blessing is Vice President of Flight Operations, which includes Safety and Security for ASTAR Air Cargo. Pete has been with the company since 1990. He previously served as the Managing Director of Flight Operations, Manager of Flight Crew Training, DC-8 Training Supervisor and airplane Instructor Pilot/Check Airman and B-727 simulator Check Airman. Pete brings over 40 years experience in the aviation community which includes 29 years of management and commercial flying and a combined 22 years of military leadership and flying positions both on active duty and in the reserves.

Following his 10 years of active duty with the Navy, Pete joined Eastern Airlines in 1978 as a pilot but quickly joined the management ranks. Over the next 11 years he held numerous management positions within flight operations, including Chief Pilot, Line Check Airman and Simulator Check Airman, while flying the B-727 and DC-9 aircraft.

Pete’s military service continued in the Naval Reserve community flying the P-3 Orion Anti-Submarine aircraft. Pete’s strong leadership and management skills were recognized by his selection as Commanding Officer of Patrol Squadron 92 in 1986. After his command tour, he was selected for promotion to Navy Captain (O6). Pete retired in 1991 after serving four years assigned to OP-O4 (Logistics) in the Pentagon.

Pete received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Scranton.



Stephen Dodd, Vice President Chief Financial Officer

Stephen Dodd is Chief Financial Officer for ASTAR Air Cargo. He is responsible for all accounting and financial matters, including ASTAR’s corporate structure, banking relationships, aircraft negotiations, merger and acquisition activities, business development, cash flow management, payroll and corporate tax oversight. Stephen has been with ASTAR Air Cargo since 2003.

Prior to joining ASTAR, Stephen was the regional project and business development manager for a New York management and technology consulting firm. He also has worked in both in the software and pharmaceutical industries, and spent time teaching and consulting at The Wharton School in Philadelphia.

Stephen holds an MBA from the University of Florida's Warrington College of Business and a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.



Rob Miller, Vice President, Employee Relations

Rob Miller is Vice President, Employee Relations for ASTAR Air Cargo and oversees employee relations and human resources, including compensation and benefits, in addition to managing internal communications. Rob has been with the company since 2003 and previously served in various roles within the finance and employee relations organizations.

Prior to joining ASTAR, Rob worked as an engineer for Kinetics in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. He received his MBA from the Warrington College of Business at the University of Florida and his BS in engineering from Clemson University.