About ERAU Asia Institute

Dr. John Watret, Chancellor for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Worldwide provides leadership and strategic direction that fosters growth, maintains academic integrity and promotes efficient operations for the Worldwide Headquarters in Daytona Beach, Florida and the over 125 campus locations worldwide. 

Under his leadership, the Worldwide campus, which serves more than 18,000 students annually, has experienced an increase in accredited programs, an expansion of highly qualified faculty and staff, and the introduction of research initiatives all of which help to advance the university’s relationships throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and South America. In 2016 and 2017, U.S. News & World Report named Embry-Riddle Worldwide number one in the country for online bachelor degrees.

Watret is active with organizations both nationally and internationally, serving as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Asia, Ltd. in Singapore; as an appointed board member for the University of Florida Online Campus; as a elected member for the Flight Safety Foundation Board of Governors; and as a board member for the Aerospace Alliance, Inc. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society (FRAeS) and has been a featured speaker and panelist at several national and international conferences. During his 26-year tenure with the University, Dr. Watret has served in several administration roles and he is a tenured Professor of Mathematics.

A licensed private pilot, he holds a Ph.D. and Master of Science in Mathematics, both from Texas A&M University, and a bachelor’s degree with honors from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland.

He and his wife, Elizabeth, reside in Ormond Beach, Florida and have one daughter.

Randy Howard joined Embry-Riddle as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer in September 2014.

During his 20-year career in the U.S. Air Force, he held a variety of positions, including Assistant Professor of Finance and Business Administration at the Naval Postgraduate School, Comptroller Squadron Commander for Ellsworth Air Force Base, Senior Financial Economist for the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Cost and Economics, and Chief Financial Officer of the Air Force Academy.

After retiring from the Air Force in 2006, Howard joined Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., as Associate Vice President of Finance and Assistant Treasurer. Three years later he was promoted to his most recent position, Vice President for Business Affairs and Treasurer. In that role, he was involved in all the business and financial operations of the university, responsible for budgets totaling more than $500 million. Howard supervised finance and business services, state and federal government relations, human resources, internal audit and advisory services, auxiliary services, facilities master planning, and building construction. He was also a member of the Ball State University Foundation board. 

Howard holds a Ph.D. in Finance and Business Administration from the University of Georgia, an M.S. in Operations Research from the Air Force Institute of Technology, and a B.S. in Chemistry and Mathematics from Birmingham-Southern College.

In his role as Vice Chancellor & Head of Asia, Matthew Flaherty is responsible for providing leadership and strategic direction to expand the university’s presence in the Asia Pacific region while ensuring that the education and training programs are relevant, innovative, engaging, and effective. He takes great pride in his continuous promotion of academic distinction and research productivity, building upon the international reputation of excellence held by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

As a student at Embry-Riddle’s Prescott, Arizona campus, Matthew worked as a part-time campus tour guide and flight instructor and later in the Office of International and Graduate Admissions after finishing his degree. He later accepted an opportunity to relocate to Dubai, United Arab Emirates where he was Head of Marketing and Admissions at Dubai Aerospace Enterprise Flight Academy and Director of Admissions at Michigan State University Dubai. Having spent over 20 years extensively traveling to nearly 75 countries throughout Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe he has gained a cultural competency and understanding of educational systems from around the world.

Matthew holds an MBA in Aviation and a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Studies from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Daytona Beach and Prescott Arizona campuses.  He teaches Aviation Legislation and Introduction to Aeronautics as an adjunct instructor in the College of Aeronautics. Matthew is a member of the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Asia Ltd. Board of Directors, and co-chairs the campus Industry Advisory Board. In April 2020, he was appointed to the Singapore Aviation Academy Advisory Board.

Matthew remains actively engaged in the aviation/aerospace industry and maintains currency on his FAA commercial pilot’s license and instructor rating. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking, entertaining and traveling as well as caring for his two Shiba Inus Rudder and Tango. 

Charlie Sevastos joined Embry-Riddle as an Associate General Counsel in 2007 and was appointed General Counsel in 2011, responsible for all legal matters affecting the university.

Prior to Embry-Riddle, Charlie’s legal career started as a trial attorney in both criminal and civil litigation.  He held positions as an Assistant Public Defender and as trial counsel with the Florida Department of Transportation and the Florida Attorney General’s Office.  Charlie was awarded Board Certification in Criminal Trial Law by The Florida Bar during his time as a litigator.  Board Certification is a level of expertise held by only 7% of Florida lawyers. 

Charlie’s service in the United States Army began with Infantry and Airborne training, then assignment to an Infantry brigade in the Panama Canal Zone.  The brigade performed a variety of missions, including physical security of the Panama Canal, long term field deployments, and training visiting military units in counter-guerrilla operations for the Jungle Operations Training Center at Ft. Sherman, Panama.  From Panama Charlie returned to the U.S. for fifteen months of flight training at Ft. Rucker, Alabama, and graduated as a Warrant Officer with two advanced aircraft qualifications.  Charlie was then assigned to a Combat Aviation Battalion in Germany as a flight officer, and flew the AH-1S Cobra Helicopter during his tour of duty there.

Charlie received his B.A. with honors from Rollins College, and his J.D. from the University of Florida College of Law.  He is admitted to the Bar as an attorney in Florida, Maine, the District of Columbia, and the federal courts of the U.S. Middle District of Florida.  He is also a Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil and County Court Mediator, is qualified as a Florida Court-Appointed Arbitrator, and volunteers as a mediator in small claims court in Volusia County.

Laurence Chin was United Airlines’ General Manager for Singapore and Offline Sales from 1998 until he retired in 2019. He has over 37 years of experience in the service and travel industry. In his career, he held senior operational and management positions for various companies based in the UAE, Bahrain, Switzerland, Thailand and Singapore. He was a founding member, principal training and management consultant to the Service Quality Centre, a joint venture between Singapore Airlines and the then National Productivity Board, and consulted with many leading organizations, such as United Overseas Bank and NTUC, in change management.

He has contributed his experience on many boards and committees, including the Singapore National Wages Council, the Singapore National Employers Federation, the American Chamber of Commerce, the Industrial Relations Panel (Air Transport), the Board of Airline Representatives and the IATA Agency Program Joint Council. In 2011, he also served as Vice Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Council of American Chambers. In 2015, he was appointed as a charter member of the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Asia Advisory Board. In the community, Laurence sat on the Government’s Citizens Consultative Committee and served as president of the Lions Club of Singapore. Laurence Graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1982 with a BSc in Aviation Maintenance Management from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida.