Why visit ACE ’24?
flyExclusive has appointed two key business leaders, Matthew Lesmeister and Mike Guina.
Lesmeister will serve as executive vice president and chief of staff, overseeing management of best practice, cross-functional alignment and operational efficiency. Additionally, his operational experience will be valuable as a leader in its strategy and business development efforts.
COO Guina has been promoted to president, responsible for leadership of flyExclusive's fleet, dispatch, maintenance and pilot operations. He will also be a leading voice in all of flyExclusive's strategic initiatives.
"Matthew brings financial and operational expertise that will foster strategic alignment across our organisation," says CEO and founder Jim Segrave. "We look forward to leveraging his public company experience as we execute on our growth and vertical integration plans.
"Further, Mike has been an instrumental member of the flyExclusive family from the beginning, going back to the early days of Segrave Aviation. He brings deep industry and institutional knowledge that will position flyExclusive to be the leading private aviation company of the future."
Lesmeister served most recently as vice president, transformation and strategy at Fox Factory, a publicly traded designer and manufacturer of premium products for sport and off-road vehicles. There, he developed investment strategies that led to a global transformation, integrated several acquisitions across global business units and drove continuous operational improvement. Prior to joining Fox Factory in 2016, he served in various roles of increasing responsibility at United Technologies Corporation, an aerospace and defence technology conglomerate. Lesmeister has an MBA from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a bachelor's degree from Quinnipiac University. He is a licensed pilot and an aviation enthusiast.
"It's an honour to join flyExclusive during this period of growth and an unwavering focus on operational excellence," says Lesmeister. "Jim and the team have built a world class private aviation company in Kinston, and I'm inspired by their commitment to perfecting the customer experience. I look forward to leading the company through its vertical integration strategy and driving efficiencies across the business, for the benefit of employees, customers and shareholders."
Prior to joining flyExclusive, Guina served as executive vice president of Delta Private Jets where his responsibilities included all aspects of operations, sales, product development and revenue management. He joined Delta Private Jets with the acquisition of Segrave Aviation in January 2010, where he had spent the previous six years also as executive vice president. Previously, Guina spent 10 years with Air Partner, rising to president of US operations and a board member.
"I've dedicated my career to building private aviation companies," says Guina. "Working alongside Jim for the past nearly 20 years, I've witnessed first hand his visionary approach to our industry. I look forward to stepping into my new role and leading the team through our next phase of growth and innovation."