Ramesh Punwani

Ramesh Punwani, veteran businessman and aviation specialist, has been appointed chief financial officer (CFO) of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the primary agency for air travel and safety. His appoi-ntment was announ-ced late March by FAA Administrator Marion C. Blakey.

As CFO, Punwani will oversee the FAA’s $14-billion budget as well as the development and agency-wide application of cost accounting and financial management systems. Punwani joins the agency from Cendant Corporation where he was senior vice president for global strategy. Cendant is a publicly traded company with multi-billion dollar revenues and controls Avis and Budget rental car chains, the Century 21 real-estate brokers chain as well as hotels like Days Inn and Super 8 motels.

“We needed someone who could balance a $14 billion checkbook, and we found him,” Blakey said. “Ramesh brings financial, management and technical skills that are tailor-made for the agency. He knows budgets and he knows aviation. It’s just the right mix for the FAA.”

Punwani’s background in aviation and the travel industry spans over three decades that includes CFO and vice president positions for Pan American World Airways, Tower Air and Trans World Airlines.