Chicagoland aviation firm Sage-Popovich has promoted Shawn Farrington to VP of flight operations. Farrington has been with the company for over five years and in that time has ascended from a ground-level position to management.

“Shawn's work ethic and drive is inspiring,” says company president Petar Todorovic. “In just five short years, he's taken every opportunity to grow his skills and add value to every department within the company. We're proud to have him as a new vice president and excited to see what he'll achieve next.”

Chairman Nick Popovich adds: “Shawn gives me great confidence that we are transitioning our company to some amazing young people that will continue the growth of the aviation industry.”

Farrington joined Sage-Popovich in 2016 as an aircraft detailer before becoming a ground/line service and maintenance support technician. From there, he transitioned to the company's parts distribution centre where he participated in inventory audits and inspections for various airlines, OEMs, part distributors and resellers. Additionally, he was involved on various liquidations Sage-Popovich was engaged with for bankruptcy court proceedings.

Following that, Farrington joined the flight department in the role of flight coordinator. In this role, he excelled in scheduling and logistics for all Sage-Popovich aircraft and trips. His interpersonal skills and attention to detail helped him build strong relationships with third-party vendors and clients.

While working as a flight coordinator, Farrington enrolled in additional schooling to become an FAA licensed dispatcher. His education continued with in-house classes and informal training. After which, he was promoted to his new role of VP of flight operations.

Additionally, Farrington is an army aviation veteran, an Indiana native and lives in northwest Indiana. He is also involved with Sage-Popovich gifting programmes like the VAC (Veterans Airlift Command), which provides free transportation for wounded veterans. He coordinates all the VAC flights on Sage-Popovich aircraft.