Jay Wynn
Jay Wynn is the co-founder and Managing Director of Fairmont Consulting Group LLC. Over the course of his career, Jay has led or supported more than one-hundred strategy engagements and M&A transactions in the aerospace, defense, and government services sectors. As the co-founder of Fairmont, Jay has worked to build a firm that focuses on outstanding client service, providing new, unique, data-driven analysis in support of clients’ most complex and challenging business questions.
Jay began his career as an advisor in the aerospace and defense sector more than twenty years ago, working as a consultant with ANSER Corporation serving clients at the Pentagon. Prior to founding Fairmont, Jay served as a managing director with CSP Associates, a leading aerospace and defense advisory firm. During his time at CSP Jay led or played a key supporting role in more than one hundred transaction and strategic advisory engagements for more than thirty clients in the United States and Europe.
Prior to CSP, Jay worked with Bain & Company in their Private Equity Group, providing due diligence advisory services to clients across a range of industries. He previously worked with Gartner Group as a senior consultant, providing strategy and market analysis to clients in enterprise IT and telecommunications.
Jay received an MBA from MIT’s Sloan School of Management. He studied under a NASA fellowship at George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs where he received an MA in Science, Technology, and Public Policy. Jay was a President’s Scholar at Georgia Tech and received a BS with Honors in Aerospace Engineering.
Ben Harper
Ben Harper joined with Jay Wynn to co-found Fairmont Consulting Group LLC in 2012. Ben leads Fairmont’s commercial aerospace practice, and plays a key role in Fairmont’s strategic and transaction advisory engagements across all of the firm’s served markets. His thought leadership and expertise in commercial aerospace have played a critical role in helping clients understand the challenges and opportunities they face, whether through transaction due diligence or through long-range strategic planning.
Prior to founding Fairmont, Ben was a Director at CSP Associates, a leading aerospace and defense advisory firm, where he joined as a Senior Associate in 2008. Earlier in his career, he worked at Deloitte Consulting, providing management consulting across several industries, with an emphasis in telecom and technology strategy.
Ben was a Fellow in MIT’s Leaders for Global Operations program, the world’s preeminent program for operations and supply chain management. He received an MBA and an MS in Materials Science and Engineering through this program. His fellowship research focused on operations improvement and organizational strategy while at Spirit Aerosystems. Ben has also received a BS in Chemical Engineering and BA in Economics from Rice University.
Max Asterlin
Max Asterlin joined Fairmont as an Associate in 2013, and joined the Partnership of the firm in 2023. He comes to Fairmont from United Technologies – Pratt & Whitney where he most recently served as the Project Lead for High Pressure Turbine Airfoils on Pratt & Whitney’s Geared Turbo Fan family (power plants for the Bombardier CSeries, Embraer’s E-Jet E2 Family, Mitsubishi Regional Jet, Irkut MS-21, and Gulfstream G500/G600) of engines for 3 years. In this role Max led a team of cross functional engineers through design, test & validation, and manufacturing activities. Max’s team held sole responsibility to meet program component requirements and test / production schedules during a major engine development program. These turbine airfoils incorporated the latest cooling technology and are the most advanced commercial turbine blades in Pratt & Whitney history. During this effort Max spearheaded the efforts to solve multiple manufacturing challenges arising from the numerous advanced manufacturing technologies utilized. Max’s Integrated Product Team successfully met all component delivery milestones for engine tests and customer shipments despite starting with a zero yield manufacturing process. Max holds design and utility patents relating to the internal cooling architecture and corresponding manufacturing processes for these components.
Max previously served as the Project Engineer on the F117 and PW2000 engine programs (power plants for the Boeing C-17 and Boeing 757) for 3 years. The F117 maintenance program was the largest military service program for Pratt & Whitney. In this role Max led teams through redesign and service investigation activity for the entire turbine section of the engine. He acted as the liaison to the FAA and the US Military on engineering related issues, reporting quarterly on open projects. Max also worked as a co-op with Pratt & Whitney from 2002-2004, providing him with a solid foundation in the design, test, and manufacturing of both commercial and military jet engines.
Max holds a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, an MBA with Honors from Purdue University, and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, also from Purdue University. He is an ASQ Certified Six Sigma Black Belt, a Pratt & Whitney: Master Black Belt, and has received Professional Engineering-In-Training certification.
Annalisa Weigel, Ph.D.
Annalisa Weigel, Ph.D., is currently a Director with Fairmont Consulting Group. She supports growth strategy and market due diligence engagements for various sponsors and strategic clients across Fairmont’s practice areas and leads the firm’s process improvement activities. Annalisa recently served as the CEO of Panoptes Systems, a company focused on creating innovative environment perception products and related services for commercial small unmanned aerial systems, during which she continued her involvement with Fairmont as a Director.
Annalisa initially came to Fairmont from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where for eight years she was a faculty member researching and teaching in aerospace and defense innovation, continuous process improvement, and systems design. At MIT, she did pioneering work in understanding innovation dynamics in the aerospace and defense sector. She is the author of over sixty journal and conference publications.
Prior to MIT, Annalisa worked at Lehman Brothers in the firm’s Macro Equity Strategy research group. She also supported the firm’s II-ranked aerospace and defense equity research team. Previously, she was a researcher with MIT’s Lean Aerospace Initiative. Before that, she worked as a consultant with Adroit Systems Inc. serving clients at the Pentagon and in the national security community.
Annalisa received her PhD in Technology, Management, and Policy from MIT, as well as Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Aerospace Engineering. Studying under a NASA fellowship, she received an MA in Science, Technology, and Public Policy from the George Washington University’s Elliot School of International Affairs. Annalisa is a very active member in the aerospace community through AIAA and the Women in Aerospace Foundation.
Elizabeth Whelan
Elizabeth Whelan joined Fairmont in 2023 as a Director. Prior to this, Elizabeth served as the Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of the Air Force from April 2022 until June 2023. She was brought in to serve as a senior advisor in support of the Management Initiatives, which focused on making the Department of the Air Force more effective and efficient. She is the recipient of the Air Force Meritorious Civilian Service Award.
Prior to her time in government, Elizabeth spent eight years at BAE Systems’ Electronic Systems serving in increasing leadership positions within the Business Development organization. Her most recent role focused on maturing the sector-wide business development organization with a number of projects, including leading a redesign of the Sector’s Customer Relationship Management platform. She also supported the successful acquisition and integration of Collins Aerospace’s military GPS business. In addition, Elizabeth spent four years providing competitive intelligence and other related support to the Sector’s key strategic captures.
Before moving into the defense industry, Elizabeth was an aerospace and defense consultant at Renaissance Strategic Advisors. She supported projects with market forecasting and assessments and future trend analysis, as well as due diligence efforts.
Elizabeth received a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from Stonehill College, a Master of Arts in Security Studies from Georgetown University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. She currently holds a security clearance.
Mark Zabierek
Mark Zabierek is a Senior Manager with Fairmont Consulting Group, where he plays a key role in the firm’s defense and government services practice areas. Prior to joining Fairmont Mark was a Manager in Deloitte Consulting’s Federal Government Services Practice, where he marketed, sold, and delivered strategy and operations projects for defense, intelligence, and law enforcement agencies in the U.S. federal government. Throughout his tenure with Deloitte, Mark helped government organizations to better discern the impact of budget and human capital allocations on operational outcomes, enabling his clients to make more informed resource decisions and maximize stakeholder value.
Mark also briefly worked in the sales organization of Newforma, Inc.; a software firm that designs, produces, and markets project information management solutions to prospective clients in the architectural and engineering industry. Mark helped to establish the Inside Sales program and contributed to the acquisition of numerous new clients.
Before working in management consulting and commercial sales, Mark was an Air Force officer that led and managed the intelligence personnel and programs, respectively, for a worldwide deployable U.S. Air Force combat search and rescue (CSAR) unit. In this role, Mark deployed twice in support of HH-60G and Pararescue overseas contingency operations, contributing to a multitude of operational and security missions. Through his Air Force experience, Mark gained a familiarity and appreciation for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and other defense-related technologies.
Mark received an MBA from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University and a BS in Political Science from the United States Air Force Academy. He has previously held a Top Secret/SCI security clearance.
Ryan Durfee
Ryan Durfee joined Fairmont in 2015, and is a Manager in the firm’s Aerospace practice. He brings expertise in the firm’s commercial, business, and military aviation practice areas, with a focus on the aftermarket and supply chain services. He has deep experience on both diligence and strategy-related efforts, and has supported over 100 aerospace and defense engagements out of the firm’s Boston office.
Prior to Fairmont, Ryan worked at Magellan Aviation Group, a commercial aircraft aftermarket parts supplier and engine lessor. In his previous role, Ryan engaged with senior airline executives and industry experts across MROs, OEMs, and financial institutions to identify industry trends and opportunities across Commercial and Regional aerospace.
Ryan graduated with Honors from The Schools of Business at Wake Forest University with a B.S. in Business Enterprise Management and International Business. Ryan’s degree also included research and coursework in Financial Markets and Comparative Politics at Cambridge University and the London School of Economics and Political Science in the United Kingdom.
Ethan Sherman
Ethan joined Fairmont in 2017 as an Analyst. Prior to Fairmont, he was a member of the Boeing Commercial Airplanes Coded Projects Estimating and Pricing team in Renton, Washington. While there, he was tasked with strategic projects focusing on the single aisle market and factory automation. Previously, he interned with Boeing in Engineering, Testing, and Technology providing project management support to research and development partnerships. Additionally, Ethan has held internships with The White House in the Office of the United States Trade Representative and Congressman Stephen Lynch in Washington, DC.
Ethan graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Massachusetts – Amherst with a Bachelor’s degree in Finance with a minor in Economics. His curriculum focused on corporate strategy and alternative investments. He also has completed Level 1 of the Chartered Financial Analyst exam.
Jeff Trivella
Jeffrey joined Fairmont as an Associate in early 2020. He comes to Fairmont from Textron Inc. where he most recently served as the company’s Investor Relations Manager. In this role he was responsible for engaging daily with corporate shareholders and investment analysts on company strategies, business unit operations, industry trends, competitive positioning, and financial performance. He was also tasked with preparing the company’s quarterly earnings materials for the investment community.
Jeffrey previously served as a member of Textron’s internal Mergers and Acquisitions team, where he was tasked with assessing potential transactions across the aerospace, defense, and industrial sectors. He worked on the deal teams for multiple successfully closed transactions and was responsible for preparing complex financial valuation modeling on numerous other targets. Jeffrey supported frequent buy side, sell side, and other strategic engagements in this manner.
Jeffrey also completed the Leadership Development Program at Textron where he served as the lead analyst on annual operating budgets and strategic business reviews within the FP&A groups at both Cessna Aircraft Company (now Textron Aviation) and Kautex Automotive. He also assisted with the merger integration of Beechcraft Corporation into Textron Aviation.
Jeffrey graduated Magna Cum Laude from the Carroll School of Management at Boston College in 2013 with a Bachelor of Science in Management and Finance, as well as a minor in History. His coursework was heavily focused on financial policy, investments, and strategic management.
Allie Jhant
Allie joined Fairmont as an Analyst in 2019. Previously, Allie completed the Leadership Development Program at Textron, Inc. where she was a member of the Finance organization. In this program, she served in Textron’s Corporate Treasury Department as a Treasury Analyst, where she performed data analysis on the preservation of capital and liquidity to influence short and long-term debt issuances. Allie also worked on hedging foreign currency exposures across the global enterprise. While in the Leadership Development Program, Allie also had a role at Bell Flight where she was a financial analyst on advanced tiltrotor programs. She worked on various V-280 funding proposals submitted to the US government and worked closely with program managers to allocate and manage funding related to critical milestones. Allie also worked with internal cross-functional teams to create financial models to assess the V-280 program over its lifecycle.
Allie graduated with Honors from Clemson University in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in Economics as well as a minor in Financial Management. Her coursework was heavily focused on econometrics, game theory, and public policy. Allie was also selected for Clemson’s international business program to study at Oxford University in the United Kingdom, where she completed coursework in accounting and business law disciplines.
