Education:

Saabas earned a Ph.D. in aerodynamics from McGill University in 1991 and master’s and bachelor’s degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Waterloo in 1984 and 1983, respectively.

Career:

John Saabas was named president of Pratt & Whitney Canada, a company of United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX), in January 2009. He is responsible for Pratt & Whitney Canada’s global operations in the design, manufacture and service of aircraft engines powering business, general aviation and regional aircraft and helicopters. He also drives Pratt & Whitney Canada’s growth strategy and business plans.

Saabas has been with United Technologies Corporation (UTC) for 25 years. He began his career at Pratt & Whitney Canada in 1985 as a structures and dynamics analyst and subsequently occupied positions of increasing responsibility in engineering and operations. He was project engineer and senior project engineer between 1993 and 1997 before taking on responsibilities as director, new operations programs, and manager, manufacturing engineering. In 1999, he was promoted to vice president, procurement and logistics, and the following year, to vice president, engineering development. In 2001, he took on the role of vice president, engineering, and in 2003 was appointed senior vice president, engineering and operations. He was named executive vice president in 2006 before being appointed president.

Memberships:

He is Vice Chairman of the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada and member of Aéro Montréal as well as a licensed member of Professional Engineers Ontario.

Awards:

In 2008, Mr. Saabas was awarded an Alumni Achievement Medal by the University of Waterloo’s Faculty of Engineering for his leadership and vision in leveraging innovation and research collaboration to advance the Canadian aerospace industry.