US FBO chain Hawthorne Global Aviation Services has appointed Cameron Burr as executive chairman of the board of directors. Hawthorne has also welcomed Glenn Leonard and Jon Slangerup to the board of directors.

Burr, a managing partner at JetCapital, has been a member of the board since the company's inception in 2011, providing operational and financial advice and leadership. Most recently, he was a co-founder of Aergen Aircraft Leasing before its sale to Apollo Aviation. Burr also serves as a board member of several private equity-backed companies including Aloft AeroArchitects (a sole source supplier to Boeing and a major supplier to Embraer), CyberCorp Technologies, AmFuel and NexPhase Capital Partners.

Vice chairman Dave Hurley says: “Cameron is an excellent choice as chairman of Hawthorne given both his familiarity with the company since its founding and his remarkable experience in the industry. Augmenting that experience with Jon and Glenn puts Hawthorne in an ideal place to grow into the future.”

Throughout his career, Burr has served in executive roles with several companies including executive VP of corporate development and marketing of AvioServ, senior VP of corporate development and managing director of Aerothrust Corporation and multiple positions with POGO Jet.

“I am excited at this new chapter in my work with Hawthorne, and I look forward to continuing to aid in the enhancement of Hawthorne's excellent reputation in our industry,” he says.

Leonard and Slangerup are both new to the board of Hawthorne and have served in multiple executive roles within aviation.

Leonard has worked in corporate, charter, scheduled Part 135, and Part 121 scheduled air carrier operations throughout his 42-year career. Previously, Leonard was co-founder of CAVOK, now owned by Oliver Wyman. Leonard currently serves on several boards, is a licensed pilot with over 10,000 hours and is a graduate of the University of Delaware with a degree in business administration.

Slangerup has over 30 years of executive leadership experience including two decades as a corporate director, president and CEO of public and private companies including Mxi Technologies, the Port of Long Beach and a 20-year career at FedEx, where he progressed to become president of FedEx Canada.

“All three of these gentlemen will be a tremendous asset to the company and we look forward to their leadership,” comments Hawthorne CEO Bryon Burbage. ‘Hawthorne is well-positioned to emerge from the global pandemic as a streamlined organization and having Cameron as our executive chairman as well as Glenn and Jon on the board only enhances that.”

Hawthorne operates six FBOs at Long Island MacArthur airport in Islip, New York; Cobb County International airport in Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago Executive airport in Chicago Illinois; Chippewa Valley Regional airport in Eau Claire, Wisconsin; Tuscaloosa Regional airport in Tuscaloosa, Alabama; and Sioux Gateway airport in Sioux City, Iowa.

Its Long Island MacArthur airport FBO in Islip, New York offers private jet charter, maintenance and avionics as Excelaire; the Chippewa Valley Regional airport FBO in Eau Claire, Wisconsin offers private jet charter and maintenance as Heartland Aviation and the Tuscaloosa Regional airport FBO in Tuscaloosa, Alabama offers private jet maintenance.