VERO BEACH — A second high-level Piper Aircraft Inc. executive is resigning from the company, less than six months after the company’s chief executive officer resigned.

The resignation of Piper’s president, John Becker, was announced Monday. His last day is Dec. 1.

In a letter from Piper’s Vice President of Human Resources Steve Johnston, distributed to all Piper employees, it stated Becker was leaving to pursue other career opportunities.

“We would like to express our deep appreciation to John for his many years of faithful service to the people of Piper, and wish him all the best in the future,” Johnston said in the three-paragraph letter.

Piper spokesman Mark Miller confirmed the news Monday.

“John Becker has resigned. We have nothing to add at this point, but we will have more to say later,” Miller said.

Becker was just promoted to the position at the end of June, after Piper’s former CEO Jim Bass announced his resignation.

At the time, the company announced Piper’s former Vice President of Operations Kevin J. Gould would take over Bass’ position. Becker was Piper’s vice president of engineering before becoming president of the company.

Last week, Piper announced it was delaying deliveries of the new PiperJet. Miller had informed an aviation news organization that the PiperJet would begin delivery during the second quarter of 2013, instead of the anticipated fourth quarter 2011.

Miller did not comment on the delayed schedule at the time.

Imprimis, a corporate finance and investment management firm backed by the Brunei Darussalam Ministry of Finance, purchased Vero Beach-based Piper from American Capital Ltd. on May 1.

Piper is one of the largest employers in Indian River County. In 2008, executives said Piper employed about 1,200 workers. Since then, an estimated 500 employees have been laid off. Piper also has instituted weekly furloughs every month until the end of the year.

Earlier this month, County Commissioner Peter O’Bryan, the commission’s liaison to the Economic Development Council, said he would meet monthly with Johnston and County Administrator Joe Baird for company updates and to discuss the status of the state and county’s $32 million incentive package.

The incentive package is tied to employment levels and production of the new PiperJet. Piper had contemplated relocating to Oklahoma City or Albuquerque, N.M., before the local offer was presented in 2008.

By Nadia Vanderhoof, TCPalm.com

Tags: Add new tag, Aircraft, john becker, Piper, president, resignation

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