Chairman & Owner
C. Gregory Evans, known to all as “Greg,” is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and lifetime advocate for the business aviation industry. Since 2007 he has served as Universal’s Chairman of the Board. Greg’s father, Tom, founded Universal Weather. Greg has spent…
Chief Executive Officer, Universal Weather and Aviation
Ralph J. Vasami leads Universal’s day-to-day operations, setting and communicating the company’s vision, priorities for growth and efficiencies, policy and procedures for global compliance and service standards…
Chief Operating Officer
Charlie is a skilled executive with 25+ years of experience in the business/corporate aviation services industry.
Charlie joined Universal at its Headquarters in Houston, Texas, in 1999 with a focus on business development…
Executive Vice President, Digital Product Development, Global Product Strategy
Guido is an accomplished executive with a proven track record of leading strategic digital initiatives. As the head of our digital transformation efforts, Guido is responsible for the financial and…
Executive Vice President, and Chief Financial Officer
John oversees Universal’s finance, treasury, accounting, tax, financial planning, and analysis, Human Resources and has the Air Culinaire Worldwide business unit reporting to him…
CEO, Air Culinaire Worldwide
Cliff’s career and passion for the culinary industry began when he worked in the deli in a supermarket in his teens and continued through college. Cliff eventually moved into executive roles, becoming the CEO of his first company…
Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing
Originally from the UK, Jonathan has a BA (Hons) from Brighton University before completing a Post Graduate Diploma in HR Management. While working at British Airways as an…
Chief Legal Officer, Senior Vice President and Corporate Secretary
Omar joined Universal in April, 2015 and leads the company’s global legal, compliance and ethics, corporate secretary organizations. With more than 20 years of legal experience…
Executive Vice President, Sales & Marketing
Originally from the UK, Jonathan has a BA (Hons) from Brighton University before completing a Post Graduate Diploma in HR Management. While working at British Airways as an HR Manager Jonathan transitioned to an operational management leadership role in BA’s commercial ground handling business at London Heathrow Airport. A division of this business, BA Executive Aircraft Services was Jonathan’s conduit to the Business Aviation world and Universal. Jonathan joined the Universal team in 1997 initially in Sales and business development. Prior to relocating to Universal’s HQ in Houston in 2014, Jonathan was the Regional VP for the EMEA region. Today, Jonathan is EVP of Sales and Marketing and was appointed to the Universal Board of Directors in 2020.
Executive Vice President, Digital Product Development, Global Product Strategy
Guido is an accomplished executive with a proven track record of leading strategic digital initiatives. As the head of our digital transformation efforts, Guido is responsible for the financial and operational aspects of these initiatives and plays a crucial role in identifying growth opportunities and pursuing potential partnerships, mergers, and acquisitions.
Prior to his current role, Guido served as the Vice President of Global Product Strategy, where he directed initiatives that generated significant value for our clients and improved our core mission management business. With extensive experience in the global business aviation industry, he has been an integral part of our team at Universal since 2006.
Guido has a diverse professional background which includes experience in start-ups as well as work and residence in Brazil and Spain. He holds an MBA from the University of Houston, a Certificate of Advanced Study from the Thunderbird School of Global Management, and a BA in Plan II from the University of Texas at Austin.
Chairman & Owner
C. Gregory Evans, known to all as “Greg,” is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and lifetime advocate for the business aviation industry. Since 2007 he has served as Universal’s Chairman of the Board.
Greg’s father, Tom, founded Universal Weather. Greg has spent his entire career with Universal, which began in 1978, and is recognized as a fierce advocate for business aviation operators’ interests. He is passionate about the industry and fighting for increased operational flexibility and global access.
In various leadership roles with the National Business Aviation Association, Greg was instrumental in defeating legislation calling for the airlines’ so-called privatization of the air traffic control system. In recognition, he was awarded the prestigious NBAA Silk Scarf Award in 2019.
For many years, Greg has generously donated his resources, time, finances, and even his aircraft to support those in need. In 2010, Universal and Evans were awarded Gulfstream’s Outstanding Flight Award for helping transport severely wounded veterans to medical appointments and events in their honor.
Greg is also a proud supporter of his alma mater, the University of St. Thomas, where he graduated with a double major in business administration and consumer behavior marketing.
In 2023, Greg was inducted into the Living Legends of Aviation.
He is now focused on continuing to adapt Universal to the ever-changing landscape of international aviation, delivering the industry’s first solution that spans the spectrum of high-touch to high-tech. He also continues to dedicate his time to fighting critical battles for our industry and the evolving needs of its customers. Greg is supported by his wonderful wife, Claudia, and is committed, with his daughters, Sarah and Catherine, to transform Universal becoming a third-generation family business.
Chief Executive Officer, Universal Weather and Aviation
Ralph J. Vasami leads Universal’s day-to-day operations, setting and communicating the company’s vision, priorities for growth and efficiencies, policy and procedures for global compliance and service standards, and strategic planning.
Ralph joined Universal full-time in 1982 as a meteorologist in the company’s White Plains, New York location, having been associated with the company earlier as an intern.
Ralph eventually transferred to Universal’s Houston headquarters, where he served in various management and executive roles before being named President in 2004 and CEO in March 2007. Ralph has traveled extensively in these roles, meeting with customers to ensure Universal’s services and products align with industry needs.
He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Meteorology from Northern Vermont University in Lyndonville, Vermont.
Ralph is an active member of the Houston chapter of Vistage, the world’s largest CEO membership organization. He has attended the Center for Creative Leadership and Kellogg School of Management. He is on the Board of Directors for the “WISE” program, an experimental learning program now active in over 90 high schools around the U.S.A., helping to reduce dropout rates and keeping students focused in their senior year on key community and topics of interest. Ralph also serves on the Board of Communities in Schools Bay Area, helping to transform students from at-risk of dropping out to proud graduates.
Ralph also served as an advisory board member of Texas Citizens Bank in Houston, Texas for 9 years.
Chief Operating Officer
Charlie is a skilled executive with 25+ years of experience in the business/corporate aviation services industry.
Charlie joined Universal at its Headquarters in Houston, Texas, in 1999 with a focus on business development and franchising the ground handling division. He led the enterprise business in the APAC region by relocating to Hong Kong from 2012 to 2017. On his current assignment, Charlie is back in Houston as the Chief Operating Officer, responsible for improving margins, augmenting processes’ efficiencies, obsessing with quality improvements, and supporting the company’s digital transformation.
Charlie is passionate about building long-term customer relationships and creating value for shareholders. His analytical, strategic, and entrepreneurial spirit and extensive international business experience in emerging markets have yielded success with acquisition projects, start-ups, and the re-engineering of mature businesses.
While living abroad, he was elected Board Member and Chairman of the Asian Business Aviation Association for four years, transforming and growing the lobbying association into a regional force of change, doubling its income and membership and improving business aviation in Asia via many policies and regulation improvements for the business aviation industry in Asia.
Born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, with Italian heritage, Charlie obtained a BS in Mechanical Engineering at Universidad Metropolitana in Caracas (1997), later completed an MBA at the University of Houston (2001), has attended multiple executive and leadership education courses at Harvard Business School. Fluent in Spanish and English. He is also a certified rescue diver, an FAA private pilot, and the owner of a cirrus aircraft.
Chief Legal Officer, Senior Vice President and Corporate Secretary
Omar joined Universal in April, 2015 and leads the company’s global legal, compliance and ethics, corporate secretary organizations. With more than 20 years of legal experience, Omar has developed extensive experience in transactional, international, corporate securities, compliance and corporate secretarial law. Omar joined Universal from Seabed Geosolutions Inc. an international seismic survey company based in the Netherlands where he most recently served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel. Earlier in his career, Omarl served as Senior Counsel for Anadarko Petroleum Corporation and GeoMarket General Counsel for Schlumberger Ltd.
Executive Vice President, and Chief Financial Officer
John oversees Universal’s finance, treasury, accounting, tax, financial planning, and analysis, Human Resources and has the Air Culinaire Worldwide business unit reporting to him.
Before joining Universal in 2017 as Director of Financial Planning and Analysis, John served in various financial and accounting capacities for public companies. In addition, John serves on the Board of Directors of Mission Northeast, a not-for-profit organization. John graduated from the University of Houston – Downtown with a BBA in Accounting.
CEO, Air Culinaire Worldwide
Cliff’s career and passion for the culinary industry began when he worked in the deli in a supermarket in his teens and continued through college. Cliff eventually moved into executive roles, becoming the CEO of his first company in 2000. He led three other companies as CEO before joining Air Culinaire Worldwide in 2009. Under Cliff’s leadership, Air Culinaire Worldwide is a fast-growing, passionate company with a diversified customer base fueling impressive growth.