On the Move: September 2026 Aviation, Airline & Aerospace Executive Changes
Each month, Frank Jay & Associates tracks the executive moves shaping the airline, aviation, aerospace, MRO, aviation services, and business aviation sectors. September 2026 brought CEO and senior leadership changes at GOL, Citadel Aviation, Fly Alliance, Lufthansa Technik, SkyWest Airlines, United Cargo, and other organizations across the aviation ecosystem. Below is the full company-by-company roundup.
AAR: Admir Akiti was promoted from Senior Supply Chain Manager to Director of Supply Chain & Analytics. Sanjay Sood joined as SVP and Chief Digital & Technology Officer, coming from Chief Technology Officer at CDW.
AFI KLM E&M: Sylvain Fagot was appointed SVP Components, succeeding Francois Gueguen, who is moving to Transavia France.
Air Canada: Eric Garat was promoted from Senior Manager, Product Management to Director, Digital Products. Sandra LeBlanc was promoted from Senior Manager, International Network Planning to Director, Partnerships. Sean Davidson, previously Senior Advisor, Communications at Toronto Airports Authority, joined as Director of Media Relations and Spokesperson.
Air India: Tewolde Gebremariam was named CEO, succeeding Campbell Wilson. He was previously CEO of Ethiopian Airlines.
Air T, Inc.: Jeffrey Domick joined as Executive Director. He was previously President of ATSG.
Air Transport Services Group: Ash Hall, previously with Lincoln Electric, was appointed SVP, Enterprise Strategic Sourcing and Procurement. Matthew Scagnelli, previously with Leaf Home, joined as CHRO.
Airlines for America: Anna Celani, previously an attorney at the FAA, joined as Director and Assistant General Counsel.
AIRTEC: Jayson Wilson was promoted from COO to President.
Alaska Airlines: Bernadette Berger was promoted from Director of Innovation to Director of Experience Strategy and Design. Brett Catlin was promoted from VP to SVP, Network, Loyalty & Partnerships. Charlotte Flanagan returned as Director, Employee Services, coming from Director, People & Culture at Group14 Technologies. Drew Hanft joined as Director of Data Engineering. Duncan Wooster was promoted from Interim Chief Pilot SFO to Director, Base Chief Pilot SFO. Greg Oltmanns, previously Employment Counsel and Director at Unifi, joined as Senior Corporate Counsel—Labor & Employment.
American Airlines: Dan Bartel was promoted from SVP & Chief Procurement Officer to Chief Procurement and Supply Chain Officer. David Velasquez joined as Director of Warehousing & Distribution. George Stahle moved from MD Regional Planning, Strategy, and Operations to MD Investor Relations. Kevin Brickner is retiring as SVP Technical Operations. Maranda Rosenthal was promoted from MD, Associate General Counsel to VP Deputy General Counsel. Michael Wanner was promoted from MD CLT Control Center to VP CLT Hub Operations. Nate Gatten, EVP American Eagle, Corporate Real Estate and Government Affairs, is departing to become VP of Government Affairs at Apple. Ron DeFeo is departing as EVP Communications and Marketing. Stephen Neuman was promoted from SVP Global Head of Government Affairs to Chief Government Affairs Officer.
ATPCO: Ben Gibbs, Director of Revenue Management at British Airways, joined ATPCO’s Board of Directors.
Avelo Airlines: Gabriela Oliveira Del Mastro, previously Director, Fleet at PHI Aviation, joined as Head of Fleet.
BAE Systems: Frank Holmes was promoted from Senior Manager to Director, Contracts.
Boston Consulting Group: Carlos Garcia Martin joined as Managing Director & Partner based in Madrid, coming from Partner at Oliver Wyman.
Breeze Airways: Heidi Darling moved from Director Inflight Services to Director Inflight Training & Standards.
CAE: Elie Nasser joined as Head of Global Network Services, coming from Saputo Inc.
Citadel Aviation: Fred Cromer was named EVP and CFO, coming from EVP and CFO at Spirit Airlines.
Comlux America: Timothy Marshall, previously Senior Director of Operations at Sierra Nevada, joined as VP Operations.
Contrail Aviation Support: Stu Weinroth joined as CEO, coming from ATSG as VP Commercial Operations & Acquisitions.
Delta Air Lines: Andrew Dunbeck was promoted from GM Flight Safety to Director, SMS. Bjay Pak, previously Partner, Litigation & Trial Practice Group at Alston & Bird, joined as SVP, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary. Dekita Crawford was promoted from GM, Airport Operations to Director, Airport Experience.
dnata: Luis Macias joined as Director of Training. He was previously Director of Compliance and Safety and Director of Aviation at Fly USA.
EERO Group: Neel Jones Shah launched EERO Group as Co-Founder and President. He previously served as EVP Cargo at Delta Air Lines and VP Cargo at United Airlines.
FlightSafety International: DeWayne Dixon was promoted from Regional Director, Training Operations to VP Operations.
Fly Alliance: Christopher Tasca was promoted from President to CEO.
flyExclusive: Brian Reid, previously Chief Revenue Officer at FlyHouse, joined as Chief Commercial Officer.
Gogo: Brandy Ann Roberts was promoted from Director to VP Global Key Accounts.
Gol Linhas Aereas: Albert Perez was promoted from COO to President & COO. Andre Fehlauer was named CEO, succeeding Celso Ferrer. Fehlauer was previously CEO of Livelo, a leading Brazilian loyalty program.
HAECO: George Edmunds moved from CEO of Hong Kong Aero Engine Services Ltd. (HAESL) to Group Director, Component and Engine Services at HAECO.
JetBlue: Chris Martin joined as Director of Tech Engineering and Architecture. Eva Ongeri, previously Principal at Kearney, joined as VP Customer Support. Faisal Ahmed was promoted from Director, Transatlantic Operations & Business Partner Development to MD Airport Business Operations & Performance. Jeff Hart, previously with Southwest Airlines, joined as MD Airport Operations. Jeffrey Winter was promoted from VP Flight Operations to SVP Flight Operations, Inflight Experience & Technical Operations. Jill Berberich was promoted from Director to MD, FP&A. Nikolaos Sakkas was promoted from MD to VP People. Robin King was promoted from MD Talent and Crew Relations to VP JetBlue University. Ron Calvin was promoted from Director, Inflight Operations to MD Inflight Planning & Operations.
JSX: Adam Brunette was promoted from Director FP&A to Senior Director Finance. Alaina Johnson was promoted from VP Finance to SVP Operations.
Lufthansa Technik: Harald Gloy was appointed to become CEO, succeeding Soeren Stark, in February 2027. Gloy is currently COO.
NetJets: Amanda Kanai joined as Senior Director, Talent Development and HR Business Partners.
Next Level Aviation: Mike Fleener was named SVP—Global Sales.
Northern Jet: Casey Cox was promoted from Director of Owner Development to VP Aircraft Management.
SkyWest Airlines: Bryce Bailey, previously MD Planning, was named VP Commercial Contracts. Nikki Vejnar was promoted from GM Hub Operations SLC to Director, Airport Operations. Wade Steel was promoted from Chief Commercial Officer to President & Chief Operating Officer.
Southwest Airlines: Ben Blinn was promoted from Director to MD Crew Recovery. Dave Doty, Senior Manager, Network Planning, left the airline to become Director, Air Service Development at Voltair Aviation. Robert L. Jones, Jr., previously VP Labor Relations at Spirit Airlines, joined as Senior Lead Counsel/Chief Negotiator.
United Airlines: Chris Busch, previously VP Cargo, was named President of United Cargo, succeeding retiring Jan Krems. Jacob Mathew joined as Director, Digital Technology—Airport Operations. Jordan Bykowsky moved from Director Airport Operations Customer Service to Director, Transformation & Change Management. Kevin Lynn moved from Director Strategy & Advanced Analytics to Director, Crew Scheduling Technology. Michelle McCrackin Juarez moved from Director, Talent Management & Talent Strategy to Director, HR Business Partner. Nader Padidar was promoted from Senior Manager Procurement, Process & System Optimization to Director, Center of Excellence. Nancy ByunRiedel rejoined as MD Station Operations SFO. Thomas Marcet was promoted from Senior Manager, Flight Operations Crew Scheduling & Administration to Director, Flight Operations Efficiency & Analytics.
Vista: Daniele Deiana was promoted from EVP to President, UK & Ireland.
Wheels Up: Lauren Rothman joined as Director of Partnerships & Referrals. She was previously Brand Partnerships Manager at Porsche Cars North America. Mark Briffa stepped down as Chief Sales Officer. Michael Bowman took on the newly created role of EVP Global Corporate Sales, moving from head of sales for Delta Air Lines and Wheels Up, a joint position he had held since 2023.
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Methodology and sourcing
Frank Jay & Associates compiles On the Move from company announcements, professional profiles, and direct industry reporting. Appointments are presented as reported and may have announcement or effective dates outside the calendar month. This roundup was published in the September 2026 edition of Aviation Executive Monthly. Read the complete September issue.