Who We are
Accurus Aerospace was founded in 2013 with the acquisition of Precise Machine and Manufacturing in Tulsa, OK. Since inception, and through organic growth and strategic complementary acquisition, Accurus has established itself as a leading Tier II manufacturer and integrator of metallic based, highly engineered components and assemblies, supporting the global commercial aerospace, space, and defense industries. By April 2022, Accurus had expanded operations into Georgia, Kansas, and Washington state.
In 2022, Accurus Aerospace Corporation acquired Ferra Holdings, inclusive of Ferra’s four operating sites in Australia, India and the U.S. Originally founded in 1992, Ferra has a proud and successful history of servicing the Defense & Aerospace manufacturing requirements of several prime global customers. The addition of Ferra to Accurus created a further diversified and balanced aerospace business with expanded capabilities, a global manufacturing footprint, and strategic relevance to our customers. Together, Ferra and Accurus will become a partner of choice for complex and advanced manufacturing work statements. Both the Accurus and Ferra organizations work under an aligned leadership team to meet the needs of a domestic and international customer base.
What We Do
Accurus Aerospace Corporation is a leading provider of highly engineered machined parts, kits, and assemblies.
- We use our advanced machining capabilities to fabricate small-to-large and simple-to-complex component parts in soft, hard, and exotic metals.
- Our internal program management, processing, and assembly capabilities enable vertically integrated solutions to deliver complex work statements and a wide range of assembly and kitting solutions to our global customers.
- We utilize a complete range of engineering tools, management processes, internal NDT, surface treatment capabilities, and quality approvals to meet customer needs.
Vision / Mission
Accurus Aerospace is a leading global technology partner providing complex integrated products and services for the commercial aircraft, defense, and space industries.
- We believe our employees are our greatest strength. We value their talent, skills, and time and will invest in their development for our mutual benefit.
- We will partner with our customers to provide machining, fabrication, kitting, and assembly solutions to become an integral part of their value chain.
- We will create value for our shareholders by building a world-class diversified business, delivering on our commitments.
Values
We will not sacrifice our integrity to achieve business objectives. Our core values will drive our every-day behavior.
- Safety is everyone’s responsibility.
- Customer Satisfaction is our ultimate metric.
- Accountability breeds trust, corrects mistakes, and adds value.
- Teamwork & Collaboration differentiates us from our competition.
- Innovation & Continuous Improvement ensures a bright future.
- Quality is the cornerstone of our success.
Leadership
Accurus Aerospace Corporation’s senior management team members each possess extensive industry experience. We share a common vision for building our business by serving our customers, employees, and other stakeholders. We are supported by a talented team of associates who share our commitment to excellence.
Robert A. Kirkpatrick
President & CEO, Accurus Aerospace
Robert Kirkpatrick was named President and CEO in 2017, having served as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer since joining Accurus in 2014. Mr. Kirkpatrick was responsible for managing the integration of early acquisitions, including Accurus Aerospace Athens, Accurus Aerospace Kent, J&M Machine, and Accurus Aerospace Wichita, and more recently for the acquisition and integration of Ferra Aerospace in 2022.
Prior to joining Accurus, Mr. Kirkpatrick served as Senior Vice President of Airframe Products for Precision Castparts Corp., a worldwide diversified manufacturer of complex metal components and products based in Portland, OR. In that role, he was responsible for managing multiple operating locations, supporting M&A activity, and integrating new acquisitions and separate functional units. Mr. Kirkpatrick previously held senior positions at Primus International Inc. and Walden’s Machine, Inc. Mr. Kirkpatrick received his BBA in Accounting and Finance from Northeastern Oklahoma State University and his MBA from the University of Tulsa in 2002. A former college athlete, Mr. Kirkpatrick has volunteered as a football coach for many years and remains an active supporter of youth sports in his community.
Aaron Thompson
Executive Vice President, Accurus Aerospace and President, Ferra International
Aaron Thompson was named President of Ferra International following the acquisition of Ferra Aerospace in 2022. Previously the Managing Director of Ferra Engineering, Aaron led a cross-discipline team supporting various customers including The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Thales. Aaron, along with his team, have successfully secured and executed contracts on several strategic defence platforms. Aaron’s career began in the Australian Army; where he saw operational service in East Timor. Aaron holds an Executive Master of Business (Complex Program Leadership) from Queensland University of Technology and is a past President of the Australian Industry and Defence Network (AIDN) Queensland chapter. He is a frequent guest speaker at conferences for the aerospace and defense industry.
Tyson Toews
Chief Operating Officer, US Operations
Tyson Toews was named Chief Operating Officer in 2023. Mr. Toews has been instrumental in Accurus Aerospace Tulsa’s rapid growth and success since 2014, and has held responsibility for business development, estimating, program management, contracts, and supply chain activities across the organization during his tenure. Prior to joining Accurus, Mr. Toews was Director of Business Operations at Precision Castparts Corporation (Walden’s Division) and held leadership roles at Primus International Inc.
Mr. Toews received his BS in Business Management and Marketing from John Brown University and his MBA from Oklahoma State University. While at Primus, Mr. Toews completed the Executive Development and Supply Chain Development Programs. Mr. Toews is a champion for our early career development and apprenticeship programs, encouraging internship and rotational opportunities across locations. He is a talented musician and a sports enthusiast, committing his free time to his local church and competitive youth sports.
David Rogers
Chief Operating Officer, International Operations
Previously the Chief Financial Officer for Ferra Engineering, David transitioned to his operating role in 2023 after the acquisition by Accurus Aerospace. David completed an executive MBA from Imperial College Business School in 2020 and is a Chartered Accountant and Tax Advisor in Australia. Prior to joining Ferra in 2017, David served as a Partner at a London based Accounting and Professional Services firm where he specialized in providing support to clients with specific cross-border international requirements.
Michelle Fuller
Vice President, Human Resources
Michelle Fuller joined Accurus as the Vice President of Human Resources in 2022. Immediately prior to joining Accurus, she served as the Director of HR Operations for NGL Energy Partners, a midstream oil & gas company based in Tulsa, OK. Prior to that, Ms. Fuller led HR Operations for one of the largest building materials distributors in the United States. Previously, she held key HR Leadership roles for global manufacturers in the oil & gas industry, including Gardner Denver, SPX Corporation, and Sulzer Chemtech where she was the Director of HR for North & South America Operations for almost ten years. Ms. Fuller received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Management from Oklahoma State University in 1992 and in 2009 completed the Darrow-Messner Executive Leadership Development Program. Ms. Fuller has been certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources since 1999 and serves as the Professional Development chair for the Tulsa Area HR Association. Ms. Fuller is an active community volunteer, serving on alumni and non-profit boards, and has held a variety of officer roles for those organizations.
Philip Schifano
Vice President, Information Technology and Compliance
Philip Schifano was named the Vice-President of Information Technology and Compliance for Accurus Aerospace Corporation in 2022. Mr. Schifano first joined the legacy McCann Aerospace business in 2005 and progressed through IT leadership roles prior to the acquisition by Accurus in 2014. As his responsibilities grew, Mr. Schifano assumed responsibility for corporate business systems and spent two years as the Plant Controller for Accurus Aerospace Athens before returning to IT leadership. Mr. Schifano received his Bachelor of Business Administration in Management Information Systems from the University of Georgia in 2005. Mr. Schifano is a subject matter expert on key compliance initiatives including CMMC and ITAR. His curiosity and passion for technology utilization are integral to implementing process improvements and managing compliance projects at Accurus.
Larry Loudamy
Vice President, Supply Chain & Contracts
Larry Loudamy joined Accurus in 2019 and was responsible for Program Management – New Programs before moving into a Corporate Supply Chain and Contracts role. Mr. Loudamy has more than 45 years of experience in the aerospace industry with Tier 1 and 2 companies including Vought Aircraft, Primus International, PCC Aerostructures, and Omada International. He has experience with managing domestic and international suppliers in commodities such as major assemblies, machined and fabricated parts, raw materials, hardware, and supplies. Previous roles have included executive positions in Supply Chain, Program Management, Business Development, and Contracts. He received his BBA in Business Management from the University of Texas at Arlington and became a Certified Purchasing Manager in January 2000.
Jeremy Miller
Vice President & General Manager, Accurus Wichita
Jeremy Miller was named Vice President and General Manager for Accurus Aerospace Wichita in 2022. A graduate of Pensacola Christian College, Jeremy began his career in Aerospace in 2004 as a Quality Inspector for Precise Machining and Manufacturing (now Accurus Aerospace Tulsa). Jeremy also served as the Quality Systems Specialist before being promoted to Quality Manager at Precise in 2011. He held similar titles at Logan Kline Tools and PCC Aerostructures. In 2016 he rejoined Accurus Aerospace Tulsa, where he served as the Director of Programs and Final Operations, and as the Director of Business Operations until his promotion and relocation to Wichita.
Jerry Cook
Vice President & General Manager, Ferra USA
Jerry Cook joined Ferra USA as Vice President & General Manager in January 2018. He has more than 35 years of experience in the global aerospace & defense industry. Prior to joining Ferra, Jerry worked for a major aerospace company providing components and major sub-assemblies for the F-35 and F/A18. Notably during his time there, he led the growth from simply providing complex machining structural components to providing complex assembly as well. Jerry is responsible for leading Ferra’s major domestic expansions and growth in defense programs and new sectors.
Steve Pulliam
Vice President & General Manager, Accurus Athens
As a manufacturing industry veteran with more than 30 years in the aerospace and automotive sectors. Mr. Pulliam joined Accurus Aerospace Athens from GKN Aerospace, where he served as Vice President of Operations and General Manager, overseeing the site selection and operational startup of the GKN state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Orangeburg, SC. Previously, Mr. Pulliam worked in leadership roles for Federal Mogul, Delphi and General Motors. Mr. Pulliam earned Bachelor of Science degrees in Finance and Accounting from Wright State University in Fairborn, Ohio. He is also a graduate of the University of North Carolina Keenan Flagler Executive Development Program.
Cory Welscher
Vice President & General Manager, Accurus Tulsa
Cory Welscher has held several leadership positions in Engineering, Program Management, & Business Operations within the aerospace manufacturing industry. Immediately prior to joining Accurus, Mr. Welscher was Vice President and General Manager of Walden’s Machine and OMADA International (formally known as Profab), where he successfully drove rapid improvements in a short time. Mr. Welscher has demonstrated a reputation for leading organizations to improve financial results through goal setting, teamwork, and accountability from the top down. Mr. Welscher received his AS in design technology from Rochester Community College and his BS in business management from the University of Phoenix.
Joel Nielsen
Vice President & General Manager, Accurus Kent
Mr. Nielsen became the President and General Manager for Accurus Aerospace Kent in 2016, transitioning from his role as Corporate Operational Controller where he worked closely with each operating site to drive financial performance improvements and growth. He boasts a track record of successfully implementing metrics and process improvements that drive strong operational performance and financial success. Prior to Accurus, Mr. Nielsen held leadership roles within finance for Precision Castparts in the Northwest where he was responsible for managing multiple operating locations in PCC’s Northwest Machining Group. Mr. Nielsen earned his BA in Accounting from the University of Washington, Tacoma in 2004 and earned his CPA certification in 2008.
Customers
At Accurus Aerospace Corporation we serve some of the best-known industry leaders.
