Laurans Mendelson, longtime chief executive of US parts supplier Heico, will step down from that role on 1 May and be succeeded by his two sons as co-CEOs.
The company disclosed the changes on 21 April, the same day it revealed having acquired in-flight entertainment system provider Rosen Aviation – marking another in a string of recent acquisitions by Heico.
Mendelson will be succeeded by co-CEOs Eric Mendelson and Victor Mendelson, who are currently co-presidents of Florida-based Heico. Eric and Victor will retain their co-presidents roles after becoming co-CEOs, Heico says.
“The transition is consistent with the company’s long-time internal, orderly and planned CEO succession,” Heico says. “The transition has been occurring internally over many years and reflects much of the functional roles Eric and Victor Mendelson have assumed over time.”
The Mendelson family has held management control of Heico, which specialises in the sale of aftermarket engine components, since becoming its largest stockholder in 2009. As of earlier this year, the family, through an entity called Mendelson Reporting Group, held 16.5% of Heico’s shares, according to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
In a joint statement, Laurans, Eric and Victor say they “have operated the company together, often interchangeably, for decades”.
Also on 21 April, Heico said it had acquired 100% ownership of Rosen, an Oregon-based designer and manufacturer of in-cabin displays and control systems for in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems. Rosen specialises in products for the business aviation and VIP-aircraft markets.
Heico says it acquired Rosen for cash but does not disclose the amount.
Rosen, founded in 1980, will continue operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of Heico’s Mid Continent Controls business, a Kansas-based supplier of cabin power and entertainment components for business aircraft.
With the acquisition, Rosen and Mid Continent Controls “can achieve important synergies” and offer “a larger set of aircraft interior IFE solutions”, Heico says.
Heico had acquired majority ownership of Mid Continent Controls in October 2024. Other recent acquisitions by Heico include its February purchase of business jet avionics repair firm Millennium International.
Heico is primarily a provider of aftermarket parts for aircraft engines – also called “parts manufacturer approval” components. Such components are approved by the Federal Aviation Administration. Heico also repairs and overhauls jet engines, avionics and other aircraft components.
