Mike Franceus, Founder and CEO
Mike received his private pilot's license in 1980, accumulating over 1000 hours of flying in single engine aircraft. Mike received his instrument rating in 2016, and has been flying the 1962 Beechcraft Debonair he and Debbie purchased together since 2011.
In addition to his love for flying, Mike is a skilled scuba diver, and he and Debbie travelled the globe to many remote diving destinations during their 44 years of marriage, swimming together with whale shark, eagle ray, barracuda and other marine life.
Mike retired from supercenter retailer Meijer, Inc. in 2019, after serving with them for 44 years in various Leadership capacities, most recently as Market Director for the Toledo, Ohio market. Mike continues to enjoy hunting whitetail deer, and has enjoyed many successful hunts for deer, mountain lion, Alaska-Yukon moose and other big game animals with family and friends.
Mike enjoys spending time with his 3 children, Cory, Kurt and Kaysi, along with his 9 grandchildren.
Mike resides in Temperance, Michigan.
Jenny Alfandary, ICD.D.
Jenny currently serves on the Board of Touchstone Exploration (TSX|AIM:TXP) in the oil and gas sector, where she provides strategic oversight and governance. She also plays a critical role on a National Security and Government Energy Regulatory Board, shaping industry policies that impact energy security, regulatory frameworks, and operational integrity.
Her governance expertise is further reinforced through her roles on Audit, Compensation & Nomination Committees, where she ensures financial accountability, executive performance alignment, and regulatory compliance. Holding an ICD designation along with Audit, Financial, and HR & Compensation certifications, Jenny brings a data-driven, risk-aware approach to Board leadership.
A recognized expert in corporate governance, M&A, and digital transformation, Jenny is a sought-after advisor for Fortune 100 companies seeking to scale operations, optimize financial performance, and harness AI and emerging technologies to maintain competitive advantage.
She is now seeking opportunities to advise, consult, and serve as a Board Director or CEO for Fortune 100 companies that require strategic leadership, governance excellence, and transformative innovation in today's rapidly evolving business landscape.
Lucia Berith, Ph.D.
My career started in 1999 while I was doing my studies, working in our company, Virtual Reality Media, which was producing flight simulators of all types. During my studies, I was working there as HR manager. After I graduated in 2009 as Doctor in Philosophy, in the field of Andragogy, I started as Human Resources Director. During this time, I also helped to raise money and funding for a nonprofit organization called Clear Soul – a day care center for adults with developmental and mental disabilities.
In 2014, VRM company gave me opportunity to start our new sister company, VRM Services, where I became Managing director and I built the company from zero. The main focus of the company was service of all kinds of simulators for various companies. During this time, I also got the opportunity to achieve my own pilot's license for single engine propeller aircrafts. I was working for this company until 2018 when our main company, VRM, was opening another branch in Switzerland, asking me to do all the startup and legal work there. Unfortunately, in 2019, my husband was diagnosed with last stage cancer and I needed to move back and take care of him. Also, my daughter moved back from her studies and we tried focus only on his health and help him as much as possible.
After his death, I became co-owner of the company, but because I decided in 2021 moved to USA and my daughter moved to London, I made a decision, in 2024, to sell all my shares and I started here my own company for coaching called More Sense. This decision was not easy – my husband was building that company 30 years, but I and my daughter made the decision together that we want to move forward with our lives and start again.
I am now remarried and I live in Florida. My daughter just married and will be soon graduating from her university in London. I am very grateful for the opportunity to be a Board Member and I will do all my best to help with Foundation ´s mission.
Suzette Biela - CFII
Debbie Franceus, who was already a member of the 99's as a student pilot, mentioned all of the great fly-ins the 99's had in the past along with the comradery and the wonderful guest speakers over ZOOM, as this was during Covid. Suzette and Debbie continued their journey together working on their certificates. They studied together and supported each other during the highs and lows of training & just hung out, discussing their families. It was also common hearing them saying ‘hi' and ‘have a great flight' to each other over the local CTAF.
Suzette was able to hand off the Michigan 99's Traveling Trophy to Debbie when she got her Private Pilot Certificate as the next newest accomplishment recipient within the Michigan 99's! Suzette and Deb traveled together to many 99's events like the Girl Scouts Girls Fly, Too event in Pontiac, MI making lots of wonderful memories.
Suzette earned her Private Pilot Certificate in 2021. In the fall 2022 Suzette started her Instrument training and soon after decided to also make a career change into aviation as a professional pilot. Of course, one of her biggest supporters was Debbie Franceus! In spring of 2023, Suzette earned her Commercial & CFI ratings. She is presently instructing at Toledo Suburban Airport where she and Debbie trained.
Suzette is a Member of the 99's and is currently the Vice Chair of the Michigan Chapter. She also volunteers time raising and training service dogs for the Ability Center of Toledo - Assistance Dog Program, where she was a member of the Volunteer Leadership Team and Mentoring Team.
Suzette is married to Steve Biela, also an Instrument rated pilot. They have 2 children Ashley & Steve, and 2 grandchildren Adrianna & Dominic. Steve and Suzette enjoy spending time with family and friends when not flying together or on scuba diving adventures.
Stephen Blythe, CPA
With numerous national awards and accolades, Blythe is one of the most accomplished business owners in Orange County CA. He grew Blytheco from a small operation in 1980 to over 130 employees, generating over 40 million in consulting revenue annually and was recognized a one of the leading business software implementation companies in North America. Today, Blythe has semi-retired and lives in the OC with his wife Kathi enjoying their 4 children, 11, grandchildren and 3 great grandkids.
In 1998, Blythe was looking for a new hobby and distraction from work. Kathi felt that his luck of 800+ successful skydives and 1000+ Scuba dives may run out soon. Sitting right seat in the skydive plane motivated him to get his private pilot's license. Soon she became a pilot widow as he added his instrument rating, multi-engine and commercial license as well as enjoying aerobatics and formation flying (FFI Wing) accumulating over 5,000+ hours of PIC. Kathi has benefited as a right seater seeing the world with 3,000+ hrs. of flight time.
Blythe owns a 1991 Beechcraft Bonanza F33A turbo normalized, tricked out with amazing electronics and has flown it to all 49 states, north to the arctic circle, south to South America and most of the islands in the Caribbean. He fly's into Mexico monthly, taking medical personal to clinics with Liga International and Flying Samaritans, since 2000. He also provides eAPIS filing services via his website eapisfile.com to help pilots cross the US border safely as well as being treasurer and webmaster of 10 aviation organizations. In addition to his personal airplane, Blythe regularly fly's with SkyTypers in a Grumman Tiger, typing messages over LA and Vegas. They have also rented aircraft and flown all around Africa multiple times, Hawaii, Australia, and New Zealand.
Blythe loves sharing his passion for aviation. He has been president of the American Bonanza Society, the Pacific Bonanza Society, a founder of SoCal Pilots and an airport commissioner at KSNA John Wayne airport. He mentors pilots wanting to learn formation flying and is also a staff member of Bonanzas to Oshkosh (130 Beech aircraft flying in formation into the Oshkosh airshow), where he met Mike & Debbie working the registration table. When Debbie passed and Mike expressed a desire to honor Debbie, he volunteered to build this website in her honor.
"I am blessed to be doing what I love and helping others while doing so, but, honestly, what I have received in blessings and friendships for my efforts for outweigh what I have given." Blythe says.
Dr. Kaysi Krill, D.O. (Franceus)
I'm proud to say that I am just like my mom. Like my mom, I too have an amazing pilot husband and two beautiful, funny, deeply loving boys. My mom's sense of adventure and deep passion for aviation has become part of my being, as my family and I enjoy traveling via small plane on adventures across the country, including yearly trips to EAA Airventure in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
Just like my mom, I share a deep love for all living creatures. We both refuse to kill bugs, we are both known to save vegetable scraps from the kitchen to feed the wild deer, and we will go to extreme measures to rescue mice our cats have hunted (ok, we might differ here, ha!). Our empathy extends to humans as well and have both pursued this passion through our professions in medicine.
Rocking out to 90s country, decorating the house for holidays, and spa days together are things that bonded my mom and me. I have her smile, am a great hugger, and make time for nightly ‘couch time' with my pets.
It is an absolute blessing to be so much like my mom and hope I can be half the mom, friend, and wife she was. I am thankful to my dad for starting this beautiful foundation in her honor as it gives me the amazing opportunity to continue to be a fraction of her goodness by advocating for women in aviation.
Ashley Marks, CPA
Ashley is a Certified Public Accountant and began her career at KPMG focusing on Assurance and Financial Due Diligence. She has deep experience across financial operations, accounting, FP&A, mergers and acquisitions and building high performance teams.
Ashley is thrilled to join the Board of The Debbie Franceus Memorial Aviation Foundation where she can combine her passion for aerospace and supporting women to achieve their career goals.
Ashley's passion for aerospace is grounded in her family roots in the Air Force and a love for traveling the world.
Arian Perez, M.A.
Arian was awarded a scholarship from The Debbie Franceus Memorial Aviation Foundation in 2024 and while she has been an active volunteer locally, she was looking for ways to be involved on a larger scale. Conversations with Mike and his family about Debbie's legacy and her passion for empowering women in aviation left a lasting impact on Arian. Inspired by Debbie's story, she felt compelled to join the mission and now works with the Foundation to keep that vision alive.
Arian met her husband, Misael, in Mexico, and together they're raising two active kids, Eva and Owen, whose sports schedules keep the whole family on their toes! Arian holds a master's degree in Spanish and spent five years teaching at the university level. Additionally, she has waited tables at the same establishment for the last fourteen years and has been recognized for the excellent customer service she provides. Currently a private pilot, Arian is pursuing her instrument and commercial ratings with the ultimate goal of becoming a flight instructor. She wants nothing more than to share the joy of aviation with everyone she encounters and to help raise up the safest, most skilled generation of pilots yet. Chasing a new dream as a mom has presented unique challenges, but the journey has been nothing but rewarding!
Rick Stansley
He has worked as an executive leader in several privately held companies for over many years. The focus of his expertise is organizational management, sales and strategy.
Over the course of his life, Rick has served on various community boards including Promedica Health Systems, The University of Toledo, and Toledo Innovation Enterprises.
Rick currently continues to serve in an advisory capacity to several family owned enterprises and is Managing Partner at Toledo Suburban Airport in Ottawa Lake, Mi.
Rick enjoys the shooting sports and flying. Rick is an instrument rated private pilot. Rick has flown many different types of aircraft and currently enjoys flying WWII warbirds and other high performance aircraft.
Rick currently resides in the Sylvania, OH area.
Dr. Gary F. Swann, D.O.
Dr. Swann has been a private pilot since 1989. He flies his Piper TriPacer and Glasair SuperII RG which he built. He has been a Senior Aviation Medical Examiner since 1996. He is a member of the Advisory Board Bowling Green State University Flight School. He has written multiple medical articles related to pilots for his local EAA Chapter News Letter and Plane and Pilot News, News Paper in Ohio. He maintains his Aviation Medical Office at Toledo Suburban Airport where he sees 1st, 2nd and 3rd Class pilots for their medical certification exams.
Dr. Swann attended Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia for undergraduate work and graduated 1984 from West Virginia School Osteopathic Medicine 1984. He completed his residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology in Toledo, Ohio 1984 and had a private practice in Toledo until retirement in 2020.
Dr. Swann is married to his wife Kim, has a son Corey and his Weimaraner Grayson who is seen at his airport / office regularly. Dr Swann is also a licensed Amateur Radio Operator since 1978.
Dr. Swann was Debbie Franceus' Aviation Medical Examiner.
JP Yorro, M.A. (Dual)
More generally, in the business world JP is sought after for his deep financial, operational and corporate development expertise. He has excelled as an executive and private equity investment professional with startups, rapidly growth companies and blue chip enterprises in diverse industries including aerospace, mobility, energy and infrastructure. His sweet spot is developing transformational solutions that drive innovation and scalable growth. He brings this perspective to our Foundation as well as several other non-profits, including the City of Wayzata Parks and Trails Board and the Houston Veterans in Business.
Prior to his work in the private sector, JP served as a US Field Operations Intelligence Officer advising, assisting and enabling SOCOM military special mission units in Afghanistan, Africa, Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia. He received several commendations for his intelligence work, including the Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award, bestowed by LTG Stanley McChrystal (US Army, Ret.). This experience shaped his Servant Leadership mentality, which allows him to build high-performing teams based on trust, credibility and accountability.
Beyond work, JP is an outdoor enthusiast and musician. He enjoys backcountry and helicopter skiing, SCUBA diving, and playing a variety of instruments. Most of all, he enjoys spending time with his beloved wife, Meaghan and two daughters, Kalina and Analise. JP holds dual MBA / Master of International Affairs degrees from Columbia University and graduated summa cum laude from Boston College. He lives with his family in Wayzata, MN.
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