Photo by: Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force

Who we are

Top Aces is the global leader in advanced combat training, providing the operational training needed to prepare allied air forces for modern warfare. We support military customers across Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Ukraine, and the United States.

Our foundation

Built on solid, strong, and unwavering values, we deliver excellence in every mission

Our purpose

Prepare the next generation of combat leaders.

our vision

Be the most trusted provider of innovative defence training solutions by continuously elevating the standard in an industry where “Experience Matters”.

our mission

Deliver safe and highly professional defence training solutions to ensure our customers' current and future operational readiness.

our values

Service • Integrity • Excellence • Together

Since 2019

We have flown more than 5,000 adversary air training sorties against fifth-generation fighter fleets, including the F-35 and F-22.

Our operational expertise is enabled by the world's largest fleet of commercially operated tactical aircraft, including the only privately owned F-16s. Our pilots include graduates of the prestigious Fighter Weapons Instructor and “Top Gun” programs, while our advanced technologies – including the industry's only AI-driven constructive wingman – deliver realistic, scalable training for today's evolving threat environment.

our impact in numbers

Photo by: Aviation PhotoCrew
  • 160,000+
    Accident-free flight hours
  • 100+
    Fighter pilots
  • 16,000+
    Flight hours annually
  • 800+
    Employees
  • 140+
    Aircraft
  • 22 yrs
    Average maintenance engineer experience

Board of Directors

Ken Rotman

Chairman

Mr. Rotman has been a Director of Top Aces and a member of the Human Resources Committee since 2017 and been involved with the company in different ca...

Mr. Rotman has been a Director of Top Aces and a member of the Human Resources Committee since 2017 and been involved with the company in different capacities since 2005. He is the C.E.O. and a Managing Director of Clairvest Group Inc., a Toronto based merchant bank with over $4 billion of assets under management that makes investments of $20-100 million in support of management owners in target industries, including specialty aviation.

Mr. Rotman has worked at Clairvest since 1994, was promoted to Co-President in 1999, Co-C.E.O. in 2000 and C.E.O. in 2018. During his tenure at Clairvest, he has overseen over $2.3 billion of long-term private equity investments in 67 companies across numerous different industries, as well as the realization of $4.3 billion from the sale of 45 of those investments which had a cost of $1.1 billion. Mr. Rotman has been personally involved in investments in the defense, specialty aviation, solar, behavioural health, home medical equipment, auto parts, oil field services, electronic security, cable television, textile manufacturing, waste management and bottled water industries.

In addition, Mr. Rotman was the Chairman and co-founder of Wellington Financial, a leading North American specialty lender to emerging companies, primarily in the technology arena. Prior to joining Clairvest, he spent just under three years in New York at E. M. Warburg, Pincus & Co. principally focusing on private equity investments in media and communications transactions in North America and the United Kingdom.

Mr. Rotman earned a B.A. from Tufts University in 1988, a M.Sc. from the London School of Economics in 1989 and a M.B.A. from New York University in 1991. He is currently a Director of the following corporations: Clairvest Group, Top Aces, NovaSource Power Services, NexTech Solutions, Accel Entertainment, Air Tindi and Momentum Solutions. He also sits on the not for-profit boards of HonestReporting Canada and The LSE North American Advisory Board and was previously a director of the University Health Network, The Power Plant Art Gallery and The Canadian Opera Company.

Joseph E. Fluet

Boardmember

Mr. Fluet has been a Director of Top Aces since August 2018.As CEO and founder of MAG Aerospace (MAG), Mr. Fluet provides corporate leadership and str...

Mr. Fluet has been a Director of Top Aces since August 2018.

As CEO and founder of MAG Aerospace (MAG), Mr. Fluet provides corporate leadership and strategic vision for MAG, the industry’s most comprehensive “tip to tail” services provider for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), able to support federal, international, and commercial customers worldwide with ISR training, operations, and sustainment support. MAG, headquartered in Fairfax, Va., is a privately held, private equity backed company.

Mr. Fluet has founded and led multiple highly successful companies in a wide variety of industries.  He sits on numerous corporate and non-profit boards and committees.  Earlier in his career, he served as Washington, D.C. Attorney specializing in government contracts and international law.  Prior to that he served as a judicial law clerk to the Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.  Mr. Fluet has also had a distinguished career in the military and national security. His career includes service in both active and reserve forces, spanning 20 years in a variety of aviation units. A veteran of conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other overseas locations, he is an experienced combat commander with expertise in security, combat aviation, special operations, and counter-narcotics.

Mr. Fluet hails from Boca Raton, Florida and is a member of the Virginia, Florida, and District of Columbia Bars.

Drew Hickey

Boardmember

Mr. Hickey has been a Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Top Aces since 2017.Prior to joining the Board, Mr. Hickey was a director and Chair...

Mr. Hickey has been a Director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Top Aces since 2017.

Prior to joining the Board, Mr. Hickey was a director and Chair of the Audit Committee of Discovery Air Inc. from 2017 to 2018.  Prior to that time, he acted as Managing Director, Head of Investment Banking in London for Scotiabank Europe plc and was a member of the London Executive Committee. Mr. Hickey focused on cross border M&A, capital raising and lending to global energy businesses from 2006 to 2016. Previously, Mr. Hickey worked at CIBC in Toronto in various Investment Banking roles including M&A, Head of Mid-Market Investment Banking and Mezzanine Lending from 1998 to 2006.

Mr. Hickey is currently the CFO at Loop Industries.

G. John Krediet

Boardmember

Mr. Krediet has been a Director and member of the Human Resources Committee of Top Aces since 2017. Mr. Krediet is chairman of C.F. Capital Management...

Mr. Krediet has been a Director and member of the Human Resources Committee of Top Aces since 2017. 

Mr. Krediet is chairman of C.F. Capital Management LLC, an investment company which he founded in 1987.

Mr. Krediet is a director of Clairvest CVG a Toronto-based private equity firm which manages about C $1.7 billion. He is an active member of the investment and compensation committees. He is also a board member of Top Aces Inc. and Can-Eng.

Between 1987 and 2009 he was actively involved as CEO and or chairman building businesses in the soft drink and bottled water industries.  Before founding his own company, Mr. Krediet worked for Citibank, AmroBank and G.E. Capital. He has a masters degree in Economics from the Erasmus University in Rotterdam

Adm. Michael Mullen

Boardmember

Admiral Mullen has been a Director since 2017.Considered one of the most influential chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in history, Admiral Mullen ...

Admiral Mullen has been a Director since 2017.

Considered one of the most influential chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in history, Admiral Mullen takes a fresh approach to the most important geopolitical issues of the 21st Century, including America’s position in the world and how economic health directly impacts our national security.  He believes our national debt is our greatest security threat.

Admiral Mullen, who spent four years as chairman—the top military advisor to Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama—is a broad-minded, intellectually curious leader widely recognized as an “honest broker” by policymakers, members of Congress and senior military officers.  He brought bold and original thinking to the work of strengthening the U.S. military and advocating for those who serve.

Admiral Mullen oversaw the end of the combat mission in Iraq and the development of a new military strategy for Afghanistan, while promoting international partnerships, new technologies and new counter-terrorism tactics culminating in the killing of Osama bin Laden.

A 1968 graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, Admiral Mullen sought challenging positions including command at every level to develop his leadership skills during his naval career.  He rose to be chief of naval operations prior to assuming duties as chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff.  In an unprecedented in-depth feature article, Fast Company called him “not just a new model for military officers-and a new kind of business titan-but also a case study in 21st Century leadership”.

Since retiring from the Navy, Admiral Mullen has joined the boards of General Motors, Sprint and the Bloomberg Family Foundation. He teaches at the Woodrow Wilson School of International and Public Affairs at Princeton University. He is also known for his efforts on behalf of service members, veterans and their families. He is renowned for his role in dismantling “don’t ask, don’t tell” and allowing gay service members to serve openly.

Today, he shares with audiences his deep experience in leading change in complex organizations, his assessment of geopolitical relationships, diversity implementation, crisis management, economic policy, risk management and the growing and existential threat of cyber.

Alan Torrie

Boardmember

Mr. Torrie has been a Director and member of the Top Aces Audit Committee since 2017 and brings more than 25 years of experience as a senior executive...

Mr. Torrie has been a Director and member of the Top Aces Audit Committee since 2017 and brings more than 25 years of experience as a senior executive leader in the health and life science industry.

From 2017 to 2018, Alan was President and Chief Executive Officer of Discovery Air Inc. His responsibilities included the development and execution of the company’s overall strategic direction and leading enterprise performance to achieve both its short-term and long-term business results.  

Mr. Torrie served as President and CEO of Morneau Shepell, from 2008 to 2017; President and CEO of MDS Diagnostics; Executive Vice President of MDS Inc.; and Chief Operating Officer of Retirement Residences REIT (Revera).

Alan has also served on numerous community boards including past Chair of AMREF Canada (African Medical Research and Education Foundation) and past Chair of Trillium Health Partners. He is currently a director and Chair of the Finance Committee of Appleby College and the Chair of Extendicare Inc.

Earlier in his career, Alan was the CEO of Joseph Brant Hospital.   

Cynthia Garneau, LL.B, ICD.D

Boardmember

Ms. Garneau became a Director and Member of the Human Resources & Compensation Committee of Top Aces Holdings Inc. in December 2022.Previously, sh...

Ms. Garneau became a Director and Member of the Human Resources & Compensation Committee of Top Aces Holdings Inc. in December 2022.

Previously, she was the President and Chief Executive Officer of VIA Rail Inc. from May 2019 until May 2022. She also was a member of the Board of Directors for this Crown Corporation and worked closely with the various federal government agencies and numerous stakeholders across the country.

Prior to that, Ms. Garneau worked at Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Ltd. for 15 years, where she acted as President between 2016 and 2019 and led all Canadian operations for Bell Helicopter. Ms Garneau also held various leadership roles at Bombardier Aerospace between 1995 and 2004.

Possessing over 25 years of experience in the transport industry, she is known for her collaborative approach and contributing by sitting on various Boards, including the Railway Association of Canada, the International Union of Railways where she was Chair of the Regional Assembly for North America, the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada, where she also served as Chair, and Aéro Montréal Aerospace Cluster in Quebec. She has also been a Board member of the Fondation de l'Hôpital Régional de St-Jérôme and of National Youth Orchestra of Canada.

In addition, Ms. Garneau was a member of the Economic Strategies Table on Advanced Manufacturing (2017-2018), an initiative launched by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development as part of the Government of Canada’s Innovation & Skills Plan, which is made up of industry leaders.

Possessing a Bachelor of Specialized Education as well as a Bachelor of Law, both from Sherbrooke University, she has been a member of the Québec Bar since 1994.

Edouard Ringuet

Director, Private Equity

Mr. Ringuet is a senior director in CDPQ’s private equity team, where he is involved in the origination, execution, and strategic oversight of large-c...

Mr. Ringuet is a senior director in CDPQ’s private equity team, where he is involved in the origination, execution, and strategic oversight of large-cap direct investments in private and public companies. Since joining CDPQ in 2017, he has led the execution of several major transactions, notably in the transportation, aerospace and defense sectors. He is based in Montreal and serves as a member of the board of directors of various portfolio companies. 

Prior to joining CDPQ, Mr. Ringuet worked in professional services at PwC. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce and a Graduate Diploma in Public Accountancy from McGill University. He holds the titles of Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), Chartered Business Valuator (CBV) and Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA).