© 2024, PALS SkyHope
Secretary, PALS
Jeff Radtke is the Secretary of Patient Airlift Services and serves on the Executive Committee. Jeff has served on the Board of Directors since 2016. Over a twenty-five year span, Jeff worked for numerous investments banks specializing in program trading and algorithmic trading. Jeff is a single-engine instrument rated pilot. He has been flying volunteer missions for seven years. “Some 400 years before the Wright brother’s first flight, Leonardo Da Vinci best described the bug of flying for me.” “When once you have tasted flight, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.” Leonardo da Vinci When speaking of his work with Patient Airlift Services, Jeff says: “It is my privilege to volunteer and be a member of the PALS team. PALS has taught me that at life’s most fragile moments giving a helping hand is such a powerful healing tool.” Jeff lives in Norwalk, Connecticut with his wife Karolina and four children.
Chairman, PALS
Jim Platz is Chairman of the Board of Directors and has served as a member of the board since the inception of Patient Airlift Services. Jim
works as a structural and civil engineer involved in real estate development. He was a director of Androscoggin Bank and the chairman of Head Invest investment management until retiring last year. Jim has devoted much of his time to helping non-profit charities and has extensive experience in public outreach and fundraising. He has had previous directorship roles with St. Mary’s Healthcare, Growing Through Adoption, Auburn-Lewiston YMCA and Hebron Academy. Jim has over 17 years’ experience as a volunteer pilot and has flown more than 4000 missions and logged over 7000 hours of volunteer flying time. In addition to his dedicated service to Patient Airlift Services, Jim has flown volunteer hours for Air Life Line, Northern Wings, Angel Flight NE, Make A Wish Foundation, New England Aquarium and the Maine Audubon Society. When speaking of his experiences with Patient Airlift Services, Jim says “I am continually amazed by the courage, determination, faith, and positive attitudes that our patients show in the face of challenging situations. It is an honor and a privilege to be a part of these people’s lives.” Jim and his wife Candace live in Auburn, Maine and have two daughters. Jim’s recreational interests include underwater photography, backpacking, bicycling and kayaking.
Executive Committee Member
Scott E. Ashton is the President and CEO of Aerox Aviation Oxygen Systems, in Bonita Springs, FL, and is an aerospace industry executive with more than 25 years of industry experience working for such leading companies as Sikorsky, General Electric, and Goodrich, and has extensive experience operating FAA Part 145 and Part 135 certificated businesses.
Scott is a member of the Board of Patient Airlift Services and serves on the Executive Committee and Pilot and Safety Committee. He has been involved with PALS since 2015 and has helped foster the PALS relationship with the business aviation and New York helicopter communities. He is an ATP-rated pilot, and has single-engine land and sea, multi-engine, glider, and helicopter ratings. Scott is also a CFI Part 107 drone pilot.
He has contributed to PALS in the areas of public outreach, fundraising and as an active volunteer pilot. He has been quoted in Chief Executive magazine about being a PALS volunteer and has developed corporate relationships to support the efforts of PALS. He is an ardent aviation advocate and had served on the boards of several aviation advocacy groups, including the Eastern Region Helicopter Council and CT Business Aviation Group, where he has advocated to preserve airport and airspace access.
When speaking of his work with PALS, Scott states, “I’m so incredibly proud to be a part of PALS and humbled by the contributions of the Aviation community to make others’ lives better. Aviation has a capacity to bring so much to people’s lives – especially when they are most in need, and the volunteers and staff at PALS live that every day.” Scott is married to Sarah and they have two daughters and a son, and they reside in Farmington, CT and Naples, FL. His recreational interests include serving as Board President of the New England Air Museum, glider flying, trap shooting, fly fishing, and boating.
James H Christie, CFP, serves as Treasurer and member of the Executive Committee. Jim has been involved in Volunteer Flying for 22 years and holds FAA Private, Instrument, and Multiengine Ratings.
Jim has held the Certified Financial Planner designation for 25 years and runs his own Wealth Management firm, specializing in Trusts and Estates.
“When I was an infant, I needed many trips to the hospital for specialized treatment. I was lucky that my family lived near these specialists, so travel was a minor issue. My goal for the past 22 years has been to make it a minor issue for those who live far away from the care they need.”
Jim has previously served on the boards of the Somerset Hills YMCA and the Fighting Children’s Cancer Foundation.
Jim lives in Bedminster, NJ and Fort Myers, FL with his wife, Kathy, and their son, Alexander.
Director, PALS
Jay is a member of the Board of Directors and PALS volunteer pilot. He is a senior executive and transportation planner with AECOM, an international transportation consulting and professional services company. With his background in transportation and environmental planning, he has helped plan, design and build major transit, highway, airport, and intermodal projects throughout the country that have helped move people and goods where they need to go. He consistently looks to find ways to share his time, treasures and talents to support organizations such as PALS, the U.S. Air Force Auxiliary-Civil Air Patrol, Habitat for Humanity, diabetes foundations and other charitable organizations. Jay feels fortunate to be able to use his passion for flying to lessen our customer’s travel burden while they are seeking critical medical care, and to support our military heroes. Jay is committed to continually expanding the reach and influence of the PALS organization, so that we can successfully address the growing need for our services. When he’s not traveling for work or flying, he spends time with his wife Shelley and their six children in their home outside of Boston, Massachusetts, or lakeside in New Hampshire.
President, PALS
Joe Howley has served as President of the Board of Directors at Patient Airlift Services since 2014 and previously served as Chairman of the Board from 2010-2014. He is a retired commodities trader. Joe has been volunteer flying for over 20 years and has devoted extraordinary amounts of energy to public outreach and hosted fundraising events. He has made numerous appearances on PALS behalf to business groups, local organizations, and media outlets. He is the past President of the Pilatus Owners and Pilots Association. As the founding Chairman, Joe was instrumental in the origination of PALS and is a superlative role model to other PALS pilots, having flown over 1,000 PALS passenger missions. When asked about his participation in PALS, Joe says unequivocally; “There is no other volunteer pilot organization that can match our transparency, efficacy, and passion to help those in need. Our superb pilots and staff are second to none.” Joe and his wife Christine have been married over thirty years and have three grown children. His interests are flying, most sports and he is conversational in Spanish and French.
Alan Sheiness is a member of the Board of Patient Airlift Services and serves on the Executive Committee. He has been on the Board of Directors since the inception of PALS, and served as Chairman of the Board from 2014 to 2018. He worked at ADP from 1984 through his retirement in 2015 as its corporate controller and principal accounting officer. Alan is a commercial pilot with single-engine and multi-engine ratings. He has contributed to PALS in the areas of public outreach, fundraising and as an active volunteer pilot. He has flown over 600 hours as part of volunteer pilot organizations. He has diligently worked on obtaining corporate sponsorships to support the efforts of PALS. His efforts and flying achievements have been featured in Southwest Aviators Magazine. When speaking of his work with PALS, Alan states, “It is simply a great joy to do what we do. Having helped make this possible on the scale of hundreds of volunteer pilots being able to contribute is an incredible source of pride.” Alan is married to Jeanne and they have two daughters and a son. His recreational interests include electric guitar, woodworking, foreign languages, astronomy and astrophotography.
Vice Chairman, PALS
John Rochelle is Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at Patient Airlift Services since its inception and acts as a superlative model of leadership. John is a retired Custom Building Contractor, both commercial and residential, and specialized in large custom residential building projects. John has substantial experience in governance of charitable organizations and has performed public outreach and fundraising. Among his many accomplishments, John has served on the boards of volunteer pilot organizations, numerous builders associations and artistic and religious foundations. John estimates that he has flown over 330 flight missions and approximately 3000 hours of flying for volunteer pilot organizations. Regarding his leadership and flying efforts on behalf of PALS John states, “Family aside, this is the best thing I’ve done in my life.” John lives in Pennsylvania with his wife Diane and has a daughter, a son, three grandsons and one granddaughter.
Brian Lisoski is a member of the board of directors at PALS and has been an active volunteer since the inception of PALS. He is an independent commodity trader based in West Palm Beach, FL. He is currently involved with pilot recruitment, fundraising and outreach. He is a member of Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Brian estimates that he has flown 1500 hours since he became a pilot in 2007. He flies missions for PALS at least monthly as either primary pilot or copilot.
He contributes large amounts of time and effort into outreach, fundraising and raising awareness of PALS services to the public and healthcare professionals. When asked why he volunteers his time at PALS, Brian says “I love to fly and If I can help someone along the way, it just makes my day better.” Brian Lives in West Palm Beach, FL and enjoys all types of sports, especially trap and skeet shooting with a variety of clubs.
Director, PALS
Jennifer is the Chief of Maintenance and Munitions Division for Air Force Material Command, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. She has served in the United States Air Force for over 26 years as an Engineer and Aircraft Maintenance Officer with multiple deployments from Afghanistan to Antarctica, managed many types of Air Force aircraft and has commanded multiple squadrons and most recently the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group in Tucson, Arizona (aka the Boneyard).
Director Emeritus, PALS
In Memoriam
Director Emeritus, PALS
In Memoriam
William Weaver was a member of the Board of Directors at Patient Airlift Services since 2014. He was the previous owner of Million Air White Plains, which is a fixed base operator at Westchester County Airport in White Plains New York. He brought over forty years of expertise in the Aviation industry, and over eighteen years of experience in local government to PALS. William also volunteered his time with other boards and organizations. When he spoke of his involvement with Patient Airlift Services, William said, “it’s all about helping people in need. I get great pleasure knowing that PALS is there when it counts.” He lived in Armonk, New York with his wife Susan and had 3 boys. In his spare time he was an avid golfer, and volunteer.
Director Emeritus, PALS
In Memoriam
Ruthanne Ruzika was a member of the Board of Directors at Patient Airlift Services. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Marketing and has worked at C.F. Rutherford and Associates as a Vice President of Sales in furniture distribution. She volunteers her creative skills at various non-profit organizations including Parent Teacher Associations and the YMCA. She is extremely successful in fundraising endeavors and outreach and has run gala events, outings and marketed charitable products. Ruthanne brought to the PALS Board her unique communication and marketing skills with an extraordinarily successful track record. She has an enormous passion for helping those in need. When asked about her work with Patient Airlift Services, Ruthanne states “I find working with PALS one of the most rewarding experiences of a lifetime. I’m lucky to be part of such a giving team.” Ruthanne spends her leisure time boating, skiing and playing golf and tennis
Director Emeritus, PALS SkyHope
In Memoriam
Michael Thomas Goonan, 66, of Bronx, New York (residing in Naples, Florida) passed away on October 27th, 2024 surrounded by his loving family.
Michael was born on August 1st, 1958 in Manhattan. He was the youngest son of Margaret Quinn Goonan and Thomas Kevin Goonan. Michael had three siblings; Kathleen, Patricia and John.
Mike was raised in the Bronx, New York and embraced his Irish Catholic upbringing. Some of his most cherished friendships and memories are from this time in his life and he valued these until the day he died.
He recently retired to Naples, Florida in 2023 after 20 years at State Street Bank.
He married Irene Milite Goonan on October 14th, 1994 in New Rochelle, New York. He and his wife enjoyed traveling around the world, playing golf, cheering on the Yankees and most importantly spending time with family. Mike loved his wife deeply and frequently reminded us that she was the greatest thing to ever happen to him.
Together, Mike and Irene had three children, Thomas Kevin (29), Quinn Patrick (28) and Margaret Mary (Peggy) (27). He was the most loving dad to our dog, Irish. He was an incredible father and he and his wife created the most wonderful life for their children. He was the epitome of a family man and made anyone he met feel like part of the family. He had a way of making everyone around him smile, laugh and feel loved. Thanks to Mike, the Goonans always had a house full of family and friends where countless memories were made.