Brad Mottier is an avid aviator and a U of I alumnus, just like his parents before him. He’s been flying on his own since he was an undergrad and owns two small planes that see a lot of use: an Aviat Husky and a Cessna Grand Caravan EX. He has flown (piloted) in every U.S. State except Hawaii, in Mexico, and coast-to-coast in Canada. Mottier has been an active pilot for over 40 years.
Mottier is also President & CEO of GE Aviation Systems, a division of GE Aviation based in Cincinnati, OH.
Mottier’s career trajectory has been a continuous climb for decades, sometimes at a pitch attitude difficult to maintain in a regular airplane. Simply put, his first job after graduation was Senior Development Engineer of a small private business and as the company grew, Mottier moved into bigger roles and ultimately senior management, and then business, Unison Industries, was acquired by GE Aviation. Mottier stayed on to help integrate the business into GE, and ultimately became a Corporate Officer, leading and forming several divisions.
Brad has lift.
He also has loyalty, as demonstrated not only by his commitment to his company, but also to family, the University of Illinois, and aviation. The Mottiers are a UIUC legacy. Brad’s grandfather Charles, Sr. went to Illinois (BS, Civil Engineering, 1910 and C.E., 1923), followed by his parents Charles, Jr. (BS Civil Engineering, 1947 and MS, Civil Engineering, 1948), and Audrey (BA, Physical Education, 1948), his brother Charles, III (BS, General Engineering, 1978 and Law, 1981), and his daughter Danielle (BA, French Studies, 2005). He also met his wife Jennifer at Illinois (BA, Speech Communications, 1983), who was co-captain of the Illinettes — one of many true U of I love stories.
From his parents, Mottier took cues for more than his choice of university. His parents were also philanthropists, with his mother endowing the Mottier Family Professorship of Applied Health Sciences at Illinois. Brad Mottier himself funded the Mottier Innovation Challenge in ISE.
And his parents were also aviators.
They both served in World War II — Charles, Jr. was a US Marine in the brutal Pacific theater, and Audrey was a US Navy WAVE. When they returned to civilian life in Illinois they had a wider perspective and perhaps a certain fearlessness. Their desire to live “more broadly” was heightened by the living conditions, on and off campus, for returning vets. Their experiences in the war, especially Charles Jr.’s, did not lend themselves to small talk with other vets, most of whom had not seen combat. They wanted more. So, after graduating and getting married, they bought an airplane, though neither had a pilot’s license, committed to living life on a broader scale.
They learned to fly.
Mottier grew up in a flying family and while at UIUC, he earned his pilot’s license from the storied Aviation Institute. As a Master’s candidate, Mottier designed an innovative angle of attack indicator for general aviation aircraft. When Mottier’s graduate advisor, Professor Rodney D. Hugelman told him of a possible opportunity at a small aviation component manufacturing company in Rockford, Illinois, Mottier rented a plane and flew to his first interview where he was hired as an engineer.
One wonders how many of the other candidates for the position flew to the interview as a pilot, but, regardless, Mottier made the right first impression.
Mottier quickly became integral to the company, which grew and was acquired by GE. But he never hung up his wings, continues to log hours as a pilot, and last month flew back to campus from Cincinnati to appear at ISE as an Engineer-in-Residence.
Mottier’s second hobby is historic automobile rallying, and he’s been competing for over two decades, mostly overseas.
Even in his hobby as an aviator, Mottier is a philanthropist. He regularly flies medical or mercy flights for Patient Airlift Services, shuttling cancer patients, wounded vets, and burn patients, among others, to where they can get continued care.
As Mottier is clearly excelling at work, and shows few signs of impending retirement, one might wonder how or why a chief executive chooses such elaborate and immersive hobbies? The answer may be this simple: no matter how many responsibilities you have, you can’t worry about work when you are trying to land a plane in dodgy weather, or edge pass another rally car on the two-lane roads of Scotland.
“Have a hobby that requires you to focus. Get your mind off of work and other things,” he recommends.
Some cognitive scientists, athletes, artists, and other practitioners refer to this immersive concentration experienced by pilots and others as “flow,” or “being in the Zone.” It’s a state as useful for work as it is for play, and the good news is you don’t need to engage in risky, expensive, or otherwise prohibitive activities to experience the benefits.
We thank Brad Mottier for his service, his support, and his wisdom on finding a work-life balance all his own.