Roger Koch
Roger Koch was born in Denison, Iowa in 1951. He graduated from the University of Iowa in 1973 with a B.A. in General Science. He returned in 1975 to attend the UI College of Engineering and graduated in 1976 with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering. He worked briefly at GPC in Muscatine, Iowa, then at IITRI in Chicago for about 2 years. He relocated to Miami in 1979 and began working in the aviation industry for a company named DECA. He became involved in executive aircraft interior work and seat design, helping to develop and commercialize a new line of executive seating. Roger then became the manager of this new division and eventually its president when it was sold in 1983 and became known as Aircraft Modular Products. Roger then built the company into a profitable entity and led a management buyout in 1990. The company was expanded and became the number 1 supplier of executive aircraft seats in the world with about a 90% market share. The company was sold to BE Aerospace in 1998. Roger stayed with BE for one year as a consultant and then retired. He has 3 adult sons and enjoys golf, fishing, and spending time with family and friends.