Stevens Aviation Inc., an aircraft service provider at Dayton International Airport, on Thursday announced that Ron Tennyson, general manager of the company’s Dayton facility, is retiring on March 31. The company has promoted Phil Stearns, previously technical sales manager, to the role of general manager.

Stearns’ promotion is effective immediately, the company said. Tennyson will remain on staff until the end of March to see the U.S. Air Force T-1A modification project to its conclusion and ensure a smooth transition as Stearns takes charge of the Dayton operation.

Tennyson is retiring after 26 years of service at Stevens Aviation, having joined the company in 1986 after retiring as a major from the U.S. Army. He began as a charter pilot at Stevens’ Louisville, Ky. base and then moved into aircraft sales. By the time Stevens sold the Louisville facility in 1990, Tennyson had become general manager.

Tennyson then transitioned to Dayton, where he increased annual sales from $5 million to $15 million and oversaw the $2 million upgrade of Stevens’ Dayton operation in 2006.