Gary Saunders was born in  Brooklyn, New York and moved to Waterford Connecticut in 1961. My family owned business interests in New York and Connecticut - a private school and summer camp for special needs children which necessitated the move to the "country". Gary attended Waterford High School, Waterford, CT. Earned AA Degree in Aerospace Pilot Technology at Manatee Jr College, Bradenton, FL. BA degree at Nathanial Hawthorne College in Antrim NH in Environmental Science. Worked in the aviation department at Nathaniel Hawthorne College as a Flight and Ground Instructor while attending college. Soon after college graduation, Gary went to work for New Haven Airways, New Haven Connecticut as a flight instructor. While at New Haven, Gary established a very successful evening ground school program offering Private, Commercial and Instrument ground schools three nights per week while maintaining a full time flight instructing schedule. Gary developed the ground school into a full-time aviation degree program at the University of New Haven. The program was offered through the engineering department which Gary taught and ran for two years. Simultaneously, Gary began working in the New Haven Airways aircraft sales department of New Haven Airways. New Haven Airways at the time was a very active Piper dealership under the auspices of his mentor, Dick Giusto. Gary had a passion for sales, and interaction with the clientele - it was a perfect fit. That was in 1974. In 1976, Gary started his own FBO business - Coastal Air Services, Inc. at the Groton-New London airport. Starting out with one location, Coastal grew to become a five-location regional New England charter and aircraft sales organization. After operating the business for 17 years, Coastal was sold in 1993. During his tenure at Coastal, Gary recognized that the backbone of his short-haul "Island-hopping" aircraft was the Piper PA32 Cherokee Six. Due to the seasonality of the island business, Gary would buy five or six of these aircraft in the spring and sell them at the end of the busy charter season. This earned him the nickname "MR SIX". At last count in October 2006, Gary has sold 184 PA-32's. While at Coastal, Gary was the Chief Pilot and was appointed by the FAA to conduct Written Examinations, and charter pilot training and flight checks per Far 135.293, 297 & 299 for his pilot staff. Through this experience, at Coastal, Gary obtained his Airline Transport License, SEL & MEL, and currently has in excess of 8,500 flight hours. Upon the sale of Coastal Air Services, Inc, knowing his love for aviation, he wanted to stay in the business. Gary was offered the position of New Piper Sales Manager for Columbia Aircraft Sales, Inc. right on the field at Groton. It was a perfect opportunity, and a simple transition from one side of the airfield to the Columbia facility on the other side of the airfield. Gary left his position as New Piper Sales Manager at Columbia Aircraft Sales, Inc. after 13 years to venture out on his own again. Saunders Aircraft Sales, LLC is located in the beautiful Lanmar Aviation FBO facility at Groton, CT (KGON). The facility was selected because of the excellent array of full aircraft services available, ease of access, and the warm and friendly manner of entire staff. It is a jewel of an operation and a pleasure to be based here. Gary intends to put his years of experience to work and implementing his immediate business plan which is to offer high-intensity focused marketing services for late model brokered and owned aircraft. The business will place emphasis on late-model high performance piston, turbine and jet aircraft. Gary makes his home in Waterford, Connecticut where he resides with his wife, Lorri and teen-age daughter, Casey. Hobbies include antique automobile restoration, construction of high performance cars, golf, and boating.