NEW YORK, March 7, 2008 – Seabury Group today announced that Douglas E. Abbey, a 30-year airline industry consultant with particular expertise in regional aviation and North American route-development strategies, has joined the firm as a Senior Vice President.  Mr. Abbey previously was Managing Partner of the Velocity Group, and before that, President of AvStat Associates Inc. “We are very pleased that Seabury clients will now have the benefit of Doug’s extensive experience with regional airlines, aircraft manufacturers, airports, regulatory agencies, and other industry groups,” said John E. Luth, Seabury’s Chairman, President, and CEO.  Mr. Abbey’s nearly 25-year association with the Regional Airline Association (RAA) produced a body of research that resulted in benchmarks widely cited as industry standards, and that are used today by the F.A.A. as the basis for its annual forecasts of activity.  In 2001 he established the Regional Air Service Initiative (RASI) with the underwriting of industry manufacturers and suppliers, with the goal of promoting free market growth of regional jet (RJ) service in North America.

Prior to establishing AvStat, Mr. Abbey was Director of Market Research at Fokker Aircraft (USA) in Alexandria, Va.  Before that, he was a consultant at Kurth & Company and at Simat, Helliesen & Eichner (SH&E); and a Research Analyst with the U.S. Department of Transportation.  He is a member of the Washington Airline Society, National Academy of Sciences, Air Transportation Research International Forum, and Transportation Research Board.  He holds a B.B.A. degree from George Washington University and has completed air transport courses at the Royal Aeronautical Society. 

Also joining Seabury as a Vice President is Alan Sbarra, who has more than 15 years of aviation and aviation-related experience in the areas of strategy development, business and financial planning, economic analysis, and cost analysis.  Mr. Sbarra was a Founder and Principal of Roach and Sbarra Consulting and assisted the U.S. Department of Transportation in reviewing its cost-data collection and analysis techniques.  Before founding Roach and Sbarra, he was a Vice President of Unisys R2A Transportation Management Consultants.  Mr. Sbarra also worked at United Airlines and Internet travel distribution company SideStep, Inc.  He holds an S.B. degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and an MBA from the University of Michigan.

About Seabury Group
Seabury Group is the leading independent investment banking and advisory group serving aviation, aerospace, and cargo on a global basis whose practices fit broadly into three areas: investment banking, corporate transformation, and management consulting services.  Seabury Group was awarded Airfinance Journal’s “North American Deal of the Year” for the equity rights offering the firm handled for Northwest Airlines in 2007.  More than 125 Seabury transportation and aerospace professionals have advised over 150 clients worldwide spanning more than 400 engagements in aviation, aerospace, cargo and logistics in Africa, Australia, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and the United States. 

Source: Seabury Group
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