Dave Mecartney '80, '82
David Mecartney, driven by a childhood dream of becoming a pilot, matriculated at Florida Institute of Technology in 1978 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Flight Technology & Aviation Management. He obtained all his of his flight ratings including a CFI. After graduating in 1982, Mr. Mecartney was employed as an entry-level planner at BNP Associates, Inc., a worldwide consulting firm specializing in the design of baggage handling, cargo handling, security screening, and parcel handling systems related to airports.
When he started at BNP, the company had a single office in Stamford, CT with only 7 employees. After working his way through the company, he became President of BNP in 1995 and has since grown and proliferated the company to employ over 125 personnel across multiple offices around the world. Under David’s leadership, BNP has provided consultancy services to some of the largest airports in the world, including Singapore, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, Los Angeles, and Miami. While President, he continued to pursue his passion for flying. He now flies his own Cessna Citation CJ3+ and has accumulated over 7000 hours of flight time. Along with flying, David also endeavors several philanthropic interests, especially support for Colorado Children’s Hospital and research for finding the cure for Pancreatic Cancer. His interests outside of flying include golf, road biking, and his extended family.
Mecartney also founded the BNP Associates Scholarship fund for minority students pursuing degrees at Florida Tech in Aviation, Science, and Engineering. He is an active member of the College of Aeronautics Advisory Board.
David has three children. He currently lives in Jackson Hole, WY, and Scottsdale, AZ with his fiancé Charlene.
Misty Marot '99, '21 MBA
Misty Marot is the sole owner and CEO of Novel Engineering, Inc., Medical Resource Solutions, LLC, and Construction Resource Solutions, LLC. Marot is additionally co-owner of Medworx, Inc. and recently launched its first product, worx360, an app that focuses on thorough matchmaking for medical facilities and clinicians. She oversees strategy, operations, culture, HR, finance, and policy. Maro believes in a #peoplefirst for a #culturefirst approach to owning and operating a business. These values are woven into every aspect of her approach to leadership and business foundation.
Marot has her sights set on impactfully supporting this community that has always supported her and her entrepreneurialism. Viewing her companies as a trusted partner by her customers is the ultimate measurement of success. Genuine interaction and clear, candid communication, the secret sauce to growing and maintaining customer relationships, enable customer-tailored experiences that are critical to mutual success.
Marot is an alum of Florida Tech with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and an MBA. She serves on the Florida Tech College of Science and Engineering Advisory Board, U.S. Rep. Bill Posey’s Small Business Advisory Board, Florida Tech President's Circle, the United Way Space Coast Board, the Economic Development Commission, and the Rotary Eau Gallie.
Among her numerous honors are recognition for business and leadership at...
David Nesbitt '87
David Nesbitt graduated from Florida Tech in 1987 with a BS in Ocean Engineering. While at Florida Tech, Nesbitt rowed on the crew team culminating with a silver medal finish at the Dad Vails in 1986. He served on the Campus Activity Board and was a staff photographer for both the Crimson and Ad Astra. Nesbitt led his senior Marine Field Projects team to the International Human Powered Speed Championships in Vancouver, BC. The event was featured on the Discovery Channel and at the 1986 World Fair ultimately gaining international exposure for Florida Tech. Through his Ocean Engineering curriculum, Nesbitt was introduced to Composite Materials. He developed a strong interest in these modern materials which later became the focus of his career and entrepreneurial endeavors.
Following his graduation in 1987, he worked with several composite materials-related companies. Starting at Lindenberg Yachts (Cocoa, FL) and then with Consulier Industries (Riviera Beach, FL). While in Riviera Beach, Nesbitt was the Lead Design Engineer of an innovative sportscar called the Consulier GTP. Weighing in at less than half the weight of conventional passenger vehicles, the composite materials design attracted interest from automakers around the world. The car was the first US DOT-certified all-composite passenger vehicle and from a technology standpoint, was ahead of its time offering significant gains in performance, efficiency, and crashworthiness.
In the early ‘90s, Nesbitt moved away from automotive and secured a position within aerospace. He managed the production of acoustically treated aircraft engine cowlings for DC-8 and B707 aircraft. These carbon fiber composite cowlings called “hush kits” were used to reduce engine noise enabling obsolete aircraft to meet stringent noise requirements being introduced at that time. It was Nesbitt’s introduction to flight-critical composite structures. While at this aerospace manufacturing Company, Nesbitt also obtained other key manufacturing experience enabling him to develop and commercialize new manufacturing methods for flight-critical aircraft components.
In 1993, Nesbitt founded Matrix Composites Inc. He and his two partners Mr. Ken Swarner (ASU Industrial Engineering ‘81) and Mr. Doug Dawson (FIT OE ’87) started the Company with its original factory in Palm Bay, Florida. The Company differentiated itself by focusing on precision molding of complex flight-critical structures. The self-financed business grew organically from just several employees to more than 120 technicians, production personnel, administrators, and engineers before its acquisition by ITT Corporation (White Plains, NY) in 2019.
Matrix was able to secure long-term manufacturing agreements on many notable aerospace and defense programs. In 2005, the Matrix became a key supplier of the F22 Raptor (5th generation fighter.) Subsequently, Matrix supported F35 production by licensing its trademarked HiRPM® Process to Lockheed Aeronautics (Palmdale, CA).
The Company currently produces flight-critical vanes, stators, and airflow surfaces for GE’s LEAP-1B and 9X engines as well as all of Pratt & Whitney’s Geared Turbo Fan(GTF) engines. Matrix hardware can be found on all Airbus NEO aircraft as well as Boeing 747, 787, and 737 Max commercial jets.
Nesbitt retired in July 2022 and resides in Melbourne Beach, Florida. He has been a long-time supporter of Florida Tech hiring many graduates, employing interns, and donating time and materials to Student Senior Design projects over the years. He now serves as an advisor and consultant to the aerospace composite industry. He is an active member of the Melbourne Yacht Club and is on the Aerospace Engineering Advisory Board at Florida Tech.
Dr. Megan Cronin '12
Dr. Megan Cronin is a dedicated and recognized teacher of dermatologic surgery and cosmetic dermatology.
She completed her residency at the University of Miami Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery where she served as chief resident. She is currently serving the Academy on multiple committees including the Young Physicians Committee, the Meanoma/Skin Cancer Community Programs Committee, and the SkinPAC Committee. She was also recruited to serve on the Workgroup to Evaluate AAD Events and the Ad Hoc Task Force on Dermatological Resouces for the Intervention and Prevention of Human Trafficking.
In addition to her academic teaching responsibilities as a voluntary faculty at the University of Miami, she has a busy private practice in Melbourne, Florida. She is board-certified in both micrographic dermatologic surgery and dermatology.
She also currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Florida Society of Dermatologic Surgeons, and she has been an innovative educator in dermatologic surgery, recently co-editing the Atlas of Reconstructive Surgery after Skin Cancer Surgery with her proud uncle and grandfather.
Dr. Kristine Keane '01 Psy.D.
Dr. Kristine C. Keane, PsyD, is a clinical and sports neuropsychologist who specializes in the evaluation and treatment of concussion and mild traumatic brain injury. She is the founder and CEO of the Center for NeuroWellness since 2006.
In addition to her private practice, Dr. Keane has held the role of Clinical Director at the Hackensack Meridian Health Neuroscience Concussion Program South since 2016. Previously, she served as a Sports Neuropsychologist for Gotham FC of the National Women’s Soccer League. Her academic contributions include serving as an Assistant Professor at the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University and consulting in the Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
Outside her professional pursuits, Dr. Keane co-authored "Be All In, Raising Kids for Success in Sports and Life," advocating for holistic youth development. She volunteers on the Brain Injury Associate of New Jersey’s Youth Sports Concussion Committee, furthering her impact beyond clinical settings.
Dr. Keane earned Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and English from Rutgers University and completed her doctoral studies in Clinical Psychology at Florida Tech with a specialization in Neuropsychology. She completed her doctoral internship at the University of Rochester Medical Center, University of Medicine and Dentistry where she specialized in Neuropsychology and Forensic Psychology at the Rochester Psychiatric Center and Strong Memorial Medical Center.
Dr. Keane acknowledges Florida Tech's pivotal role in her career, highlighting her experience teaching both undergraduate and graduate students and leading as Student Director of Community Psychological Services, which solidified her dedication to neurological wellness and brain health.
Zachary Ewing '22
Zachary Ewing is a Florida-based Fluids Design Engineer for Test and Facility Operations at Blue Origin, where he works with pneumatic and cryogenic commodities, such as nitrogen, helium, gaseous oxygen, and gaseous hydrogen for launch sites and test stands in Florida, West Texas, and Kent, Washington.
By completing his undergraduate degree in a total of three years, he became one of the youngest engineers hired by Blue Origin starting part-time three months before graduation before transitioning to full-time. Within a year and a half of being employed at Blue Origin, Ewing received a promotion to Level II Engineer. During this time, he has worked on completing pneumatic system designs for the launch pad at LC-36 at Cape Canaveral in preparation for the launch of New Glenn, supported tanking tests of their GS1 and Lunar Modules, and developed Bulk Storage areas for liquid nitrogen for various component test chambers.
Before graduation, Ewing served as the Project Manager and Payload sub-system co-lead for his Florida Tech Senior Design Project, C.R.O.P.P. – CubeSat Research of Plant Platforms – where he oversaw 11 team members. The project entailed developing a complete CubeSat mission, capable of performing microgreen pathogen observation in microgravity conditions. This included developing thermal, communications, electrical, payload, structural, and attitude determination and control systems subsystems. His team would go on to win Best in Show – Aerospace Engineering, Northrop Grumman Best in Show, and the President’s Cup at the 2022 Student Design Showcase. This was only the second Capstone project in school history to have won every category.
Ewing also participated in undergraduate research opportunities where he developed code and finite element analysis models for determining coefficients of pressure across cascade airfoils, including variable inlet guide vanes.
Originally from Bel Air, Maryland, Ewing was attracted to Florida Tech due to its reputation within the aerospace industry and graduated from the Department of Aerospace, Physics, and Space Sciences in 2022 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aerospace Engineering, Summa Cum Laude.
At Florida Tech, Ewing was involved in various honor and professional societies including Phi Eta Sigma where he served as President for two years, Tau Beta Pi, Phi Kappa Phi, and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He was the Student Director of the Pep Band, a Student Ambassador for the Office of Admissions, and spent six weeks in Oxford studying abroad. Ewing was also recognized as the Office of First Year Experience Scholarship Recipient and Ambassador, Distinguished Student Scholar 2021 and 2022, Outstanding Student of the Year 2021 and 2022 for Aerospace, Physics, and Space Sciences, as well as Overall Outstanding Senior for 2022.
Joe Bussenger '13
Joe Bussenger grew up in Perkasie, Pennsylvania where at a young age showed passion for motorsports and rockets. By age ten Bussenger was determined to be an aerospace engineer and through the support of his family, he was able to participate in science and industrial fairs to strengthen this passion.
Bussenger attended the Florida Institute of Technology in 2009 after learning about the university through the International Science and Engineering Fair from which Bussenger earned third place for rocket-oriented research.
As a freshman and sophomore, Bussenger interned with Northop Grumman’s rocket system launch program where he supported propulsion testing for the United States’ aging minuteman and peacekeeper assets. During his junior year, Bussenger went on to become an engineering intern at SpaceX in Cape Canaveral and continued his internship while being a full-time student in his junior and senior years.
After graduating with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering, Bussenger continued to work at SpaceX as one of the first dedicated engineers to recovery and landing operations. Bussenger was the lead engineer for SpaceX’s first Falcon 9 landing and announced to the world “The Falcon Has Landed” during that historic mission.
Over ten years at SpaceX, Bussenger was the primary landing controller for over 100 Falcon 9 landings, oversaw cargo and astronaut recovery, and managed varying groups including recovery and launch control.
Bussenger departed SpaceX as the Director of Recovery Operations in 2022 and joined Relativity Space as a Principal Operations Engineer before becoming the Director of Launch Operations and the Florida Site Director.
Bussenger lives in Viera, FL and in his free time enjoys playing hockey, motorsports, working on cars, and traveling.
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