Industry & Services >> CEO Interviews >> May 5, 2003
VERN RABURN is President and Chief Executive Officer of Eclipse
Aviation Corporation. Since its inception in 1998, Mr. Raburn has
led Eclipse Aviation to achieve numerous advancements in its
quest to change the way people travel. To date, the company has
raised nearly one quarter of a billion dollars in capital and has
made significant progress toward the certification and delivery
of its flagship product, the Eclipse 500 jet. With more than 25
years experience as a senior executive in the information
technology industry, Mr. Raburn is a successful entrepreneur who
has also helped to shape the course of the information technology
revolution and the high technology industry. In the mid-1970s,
Mr. Raburn opened one of the nation's first computer stores, the
Byte Shop of Westminster. Shortly thereafter, he joined Bill
Gates as one of the first employees at Microsoft Corporation. He
served at Microsoft as President of the Consumer Products
Division and was responsible for the company's entry into the
retail channel. During the past 25 years, he has consistently
taken companies to the highest levels of success. Following his
tenure at Microsoft, he served as Executive VP and General
Manager of Lotus Development Corporation, where he played an
integral role in the successful launch of Lotus 1-2-3. He has
also served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Symantec
and Slate Corporation. Prior to founding Eclipse, Mr. Raburn
worked as President of the Paul Allen Group, overseeing high
technology investments for Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Mr.
Raburn's passion for high technology is exceeded only by his love
of aviation. Since he first learned how to fly as a teenager, he
has accumulated nearly 6,000 hours of flight time and has earned
his multi-engine, instrument, commercial and rotary ratings. He
holds type ratings in more than 15 aircraft types ranging from WW
II bombers to piston airliners to modern corporate jets. He is on
the board of directors of the Experimental Aircraft Association
and Warbirds of America. He owns vintage aircraft including a
Lockheed Constellation and a North American SNJ-5. Profile
Aviation and an overview of things as they are now?
Mr. Raburn: I started the company in late 1998. As a startup, and
in
