THE TEAM

John Mannarino, President of Mannarino Systems & Software Inc., founded the company in 1999.  An expert consultant in the field of gas turbine control systems and software, Mr. Mannarino has grown the company into a world-class engineering services firm, specializing in the aerospace, defence, space, simulation, power generation and rail industries.

From 1989 through to 1998, prior to founding the company, Mr. Mannarino was employed by a leading Canadian aerospace engine manufacturer, where he held various roles of increasing responsibility within the engineering organization.

Born in Montreal (Quebec), Mr. Mannarino graduated from Concordia University in 1989, where he received a Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering, and was awarded the honour of Great Distinction along with it. He was also the recipient of the Mechanical Engineering Medal for the highest grade point average among graduating mechanical engineers, the Chait Medal for highest grade point average among all graduating engineers, and Le Prix d’excellence awarded by the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec (OIQ) for outstanding achievement.

In 2016, MANNARINO Systems & Software was awarded the first ever service-based Design Assurance Organization for airborne software and electronic hardware by Transport Canada Civil Aviation – a worldwide first for a service based company.

And in 2017, MANNARINO Systems & Software was awarded the largest ever Canadian SME Offset Investment by Lockheed Martin Aerospace. This agreement enables MANNARINO to develop and commercialize its own proprietary airborne software products and will complement MANNARINO’s existing airborne engineering and certification services.

Mario Iacobelli joined the senior program management and technical development team at MANNARINO in 2003.

As a key member of the MANNARINO senior staff, Mr. Iacobelli leads the development, verification and certification of systems with embedded software, adhering to the guidelines of RTCA/DO-178C for use on both fixed-wing aircrafts and rotorcrafts.

These systems include Full-Authority Digital Electronic Controls (FADEC) for engines, Ground Support Equipment (GSE), Avionics, Health & Usage Management Systems (HUMS) and Fuel Quantity Indication Systems (FQIS). Many of these complex systems are developed in accordance with SAE ARP 4754 standards, including the performance of the System Safety Analysis as outlined in SAE ARP 4761. Mr. Iacobelli is also the MANNARINO representative on the SAE E-36 Committee, dedicated to Electronic Engine Controls.

Prior to joining MANNARINO, Mr. Iacobelli was employed by a major turbine engine manufacturer holding a succession of roles with increasing responsibility in technical and managerial positions, participating broadly in engine control systems design and development activities. His last position was in Project Management, where he managed the development of hydro-mechanical and electronic engine control systems for the small engine family.

Born in Montreal, Quebec, Mr. Iacobelli is a graduate of Concordia University, from which he received a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering. He also received a Master’s of Business Administration degree in Marketing and Finance from McGill University in 2001.

Angelo Labbate joined the senior program management and technical development staff of MANNARINO as an Engineering Program Manager in May 2002. In this role, he leads company projects from their initial phase to completion and represents MANNARINO during customer meetings and software audits with certification authorities.

Prior to joining MANNARINO, Mr. Labbate held the position of Senior Controls Staff Specialist with Pratt & Whitney Canada, where he was employed from 1989 through to 2002, holding a succession of positions of increasing responsibility and participated broadly in engine control system design, development and certification activities.

Mr. Labbate is a graduate of Concordia University, where he received a Bachelor of Engineering degree with Distinction in Mechanical Engineering in 1989. He also worked at Concordia University performing research and development of low cost fuel control systems. Mr. Labbate published a paper entitled “Digitally Controlled Fuel Metering Pump for Small Gas Turbine Engines,” which he presented at the SAE International Congress and Exposition in February 1991 at the Cobo Center in Detroit, Michigan.

Amanda Melles joined MANNARINO in May 2014 as a Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) Software and Airborne Electronic Hardware (AEH) Design Approval Representative (DAR).  Ms. Melles has been working with airborne software and Airborne Electronic Hardware design assurance since 2002, and became a design assurance delegate in 2005.

Having worked with major aerospace industry OEMs, Ms. Melles has been involved with highly complex safety-critical airborne software and AEH systems, including Integrated Modular Avionics (IMA), electronic displays, fly-by-wire, landing gear and air management systems for Part 25 aircraft.

Ms. Melles has participated in the complete life cycle of multiple aircraft certification programs, having been deeply involved in software and AEH certification plans and strategies as well as process improvements.  For several years, she was involved in fly-by-wire software and AEH, resulting in successful certification of large aircraft programs.

Throughout her career, Ms. Melles has accumulated a wide array of experience as it relates to design assurance processes, oversight and audits. She has liaised with multiple certification authorities namely, Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA), the Canadian Department of National Defense (DND), the Canadian Technical Airworthiness Authority (TAA), the National Civil Aviation Agency of Brazil (ANAC), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and the Civil Airworthiness Administration of China (CAAC). Ms. Melles had also led several on-site audits for software, AEH development and verification organizations, including major avionics and flight control manufacturers in the United States. As a result, Ms. Melles has accumulated extensive experience with RTCA/DO-178B/C and RTCA/DO-254 standards, including the writing of all associated life cycle data and compliance reports.

From 2005 to 2010, Ms. Melles was part of the RTCA Special Committee SC-205 “Software Considerations,” responsible for DO-178B updates, where she was part of the Model-Based Development and Verification Sub-Group.

In 2016, MANNARINO Systems & Software was awarded the first-ever service-based Design Assurance Organization (DAO) for airborne software and electronic hardware by Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) – a worldwide first for a service-based company. As such, Amanda Melles heads this effort as DAO Chief Airworthiness Computer Scientist.

Nicolas Ulysse joined MANNARINO in 2012 as a Senior Analyst. In this role, he was provided the opportunity of participating in a wide range of projects from industrial gas turbine control systems & flight simulation, to design & development of safety-critical airborne software developed to RTCA-DO-178B standards. Mr. Ulysse was promoted to Technical Specialist in 2015 and joined the Engineering Project Management team in 2016.

Prior to joining MANNARINO, Mr. Ulysse was employed by a renowned Montreal-based flight simulator manufacturer, where he began in flight dynamic and systems simulation, while simultaneously acting as Flight Control System Specialist/System Integrator before taking on the position of Avionic & Flight Control Systems Simulation Manager.

In 2003, Mr. Ulysse received a MA Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from Concordia University, during which he worked on a Flight Control Systems Modeling project for Bombardier Aerospace. He also holds a Masters degree from a French engineering school specializing in the field of Mechanical Energy.

Jim Palmer began work at MANNARINO in May 2017 as the Director of Business Development. As a member of the MANNARINO senior staff, Mr. Palmer is responsible for establishing and implementing plans for growth in the services and products business lines.

Jim worked for more than 30 years at a leading Montreal high-technology firm with a wide array of international customers in both commercial and military sectors. For the last 12 years, he was the Vice President of Customer Support and Commercial Services (pricing, contracts and subcontracts). Most recently, he was VP Products and Navigation Solutions. In this position, he was responsible for product direction (products, integrated systems and cockpits) and across three company sites. Mr. Palmer also managed strategic planning, engineering, product management, marketing, and program management for a broad product portfolio.

Mr. Palmer’s career is characterized by diverse experience and achievements in the aerospace and defence fields, with notable emphasis on strategy development, negotiation, acquisitions and divestitures, program management, contract management, product support and after sales services, operations management, procurement acquisition planning and sourcing and logistics. He is known for his innovative and long-range business vision, as well as for building mutually rewarding teams and customer relationships.