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Our aviation professionals are here to serve you and enhance your flight and operations experience.
Andy Priester is the Chairman of George J. Priester Aviation and its affiliated companies, representing the third generation of Priesters at the helm of what is recognized as one of the largest and oldest family-owned management and charter organizations. The Priester family’s aviation legacy, which began in 1945, includes notable achievements such as the ownership of Palwaukee Airport—now known as Chicago Executive Airport—operating a flight school, managing multiple Fixed Base Operators (FBOs), providing Part 145 maintenance services, and running an aircraft sales division.
In 2022, Andy spearheaded the strategic acquisition of Mayo Aviation, a client-centric, family-run business with a long history akin to Priester’s. The following year, he further expanded the company’s reach by integrating Hill Private Aviation, a renowned aviation services provider based in the Southeast. George J. Priester Aviation concentrates exclusively on aircraft management and global charter services. Under Andy’s leadership, the organization has significantly expanded its fleet, growing from seven to over 85 aircraft managed across three brands and 20 bases worldwide.
Andy is a proud University of Dayton Flyer and holds a Master’s degree from Concordia University. Andy serves on the board of the Air Charter Safety Foundation and the Advisory Board for the O’Malley College of Business at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Additionally, he is a guest lecturer at both the University of Dayton and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where he shares his extensive expertise with the next generation of professionals. He is also a former Chair of the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) and YPO Chicago – Windy City.
His daughter Madison oversees the marketing efforts at George J. Priester Aviation, while his son Quinn plays professional baseball for the Boston Red Sox. Andy is actively involved in philanthropy, supporting local initiatives such as food pantries, the Chicagoland Urban League, and Feed My Starving Children. In his leisure time, he enjoys outdoor activities with family and friends, whether in the mountains, on the water, or exploring nature.
Andy Priester is the Chairman of George J. Priester Aviation and its affiliated companies, representing the third generation of Priesters at the helm of what is recognized as one of the largest and oldest family-owned management and charter organizations. The Priester family’s aviation legacy, which began in 1945, includes notable achievements such as the ownership of Palwaukee Airport—now known as Chicago Executive Airport—operating a flight school, managing multiple Fixed Base Operators (FBOs), providing Part 145 maintenance services, and running an aircraft sales division.
In 2022, Andy spearheaded the strategic acquisition of Mayo Aviation, a client-centric, family-run business with a long history akin to Priester’s. The following year, he further expanded the company’s reach by integrating Hill Private Aviation, a renowned aviation services provider based in the Southeast. George J. Priester Aviation concentrates exclusively on aircraft management and global charter services. Under Andy’s leadership, the organization has significantly expanded its fleet, growing from seven to over 85 aircraft managed across three brands and 20 bases worldwide.
Andy is a proud University of Dayton Flyer and holds a Master’s degree from Concordia University. Andy serves on the board of the Air Charter Safety Foundation and the Advisory Board for the O’Malley College of Business at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Additionally, he is a guest lecturer at both the University of Dayton and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where he shares his extensive expertise with the next generation of professionals. He is also a former Chair of the National Air Transportation Association (NATA) and YPO Chicago – Windy City.
His daughter Madison oversees the marketing efforts at George J. Priester Aviation, while his son Quinn plays professional baseball for the Boston Red Sox. Andy is actively involved in philanthropy, supporting local initiatives such as food pantries, the Chicagoland Urban League, and Feed My Starving Children. In his leisure time, he enjoys outdoor activities with family and friends, whether in the mountains, on the water, or exploring nature.
Brent has served as George J. Priester President and CEO since 2024, having previously served the company as President of Mayo Aviation. He has been in the business of aviation since 1994 and flying before that. Throughout his career he has worked with a variety of aviation services, touching aircraft owners and management, charter operators and passengers, and sales, fleet operations and management. In all cases, his priority has been to serve the customer and provide the best possible aviation experience. He joined Mayo Aviation in 2019, where he led operations of the Rocky Mountain-located base. He has facilitated ways to make aviation better for clients and strategically eliminates obstacles for owners to get the most out of their aircraft. He is a strong supporter of the company’s work with Flight for Life Colorado, and prioritizes time spent with his family. He attended Denver’s Regis University and has held a private pilot’s license since 1990.
Brent has served as George J. Priester President and CEO since 2024, having previously served the company as President of Mayo Aviation. He has been in the business of aviation since 1994 and flying before that. Throughout his career he has worked with a variety of aviation services, touching aircraft owners and management, charter operators and passengers, and sales, fleet operations and management. In all cases, his priority has been to serve the customer and provide the best possible aviation experience. He joined Mayo Aviation in 2019, where he led operations of the Rocky Mountain-located base. He has facilitated ways to make aviation better for clients and strategically eliminates obstacles for owners to get the most out of their aircraft. He is a strong supporter of the company’s work with Flight for Life Colorado, and prioritizes time spent with his family. He attended Denver’s Regis University and has held a private pilot’s license since 1990.
Kozin joined Priester in 2004 where she began her career as a trip coordinator in the Logistics department. Over the years, Kozin was instrumental in developing Logistics into a global 24/7/365 operation, and ultimately promoted to Vice President of Flight Logistics. Prior to joining Priester, Kozin worked for the Chicago Executive Airport (KPWK) studying and benchmarking airport noise. Kozin is a graduate of Lewis University with a B.S. in Aviation Administration, International Business and holds an FAA Approved Aircraft Dispatcher License.
Ally Waterloo brings to Priester Aviation more than 7 years of Human Resources experience. Ally joined the Priester team May 2022 where she leads talent development, benefits, onboarding and recruiting functions. Prior to joining Priester, Ally spent much of her career in the manufacturing industry and various industries as a business partner. Ally holds a Master’s degree in Conflict Resolution & Mediation from Roosevelt University.
Carl Bennett serves as Vice President of Quality and Safety for Priester Aviation and Colorado-based Mayo Aviation, which joined with Priester Aviation in 2022. His role extends to both companies. Bennett is an accomplished aviation safety and regulatory expert with more than 35 years of experience in Part 135 on-demand passenger and cargo operations. He also holds a Master of Science (MS) degree in Aviation Safety from the Florida Institute of Technology College of Aeronautics.
In 2021, Bennett was among a select group to receive the Dr. Tony Kern Professionalism in Aviation Award, bestowed annually by the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) to those who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in support of aviation safety. Bennett was also a founding board member of the Regional Air Cargo Carriers Association (RACCA), a contributor to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Part 135 Aviation Rulemaking Committee and is a past Chairman of the Radiopharmaceutical Shippers and Carriers Committee (RSCC).
Rich Ropp serves as Chief Sales & Service Officer and comes to Priester with 30+ years of industry experience in aircraft management and aviation sales. Ropp opened the base location in his native St. Louis for Jet Linx Aviation. In addition to serving as the company’s Base President of St. Louis, he was responsible for leading its growth as Vice President of Business Development and Aircraft Management Sales. Ropp also served as National Sales Director at Jet Aviation, where he was the single point of contact for major clients and flight departments to the global platform of services. His experience includes driving aircraft management and jet card membership, as well as developing and executing strategic plans, and building up teams.
Over the past several years, he was instated as President for the Greater St. Louis Business Aviation Association (GSLBAA) and as a Board of Directors Member for Wings of Hope in Chesterfield, Missouri. He was a member of NBAA’s Schedulers and Dispatchers Committee for six years. He is an active member of Calvary Church and served as a small group leader, greeter, and Sunday school teacher in the children’s ministry. Additionally, he was a coach for a fourth-grade girls’ basketball team through CYC. He always finds time for family, is a daily runner, loves to cook, prefers to be outdoors whenever possible, and absolutely loves to travel.
Anthony Burks brings more than 20 years of aviation experience to his role as President of Priester Aviation. Burks joined the Priester team in 2010 where he began as a logistics coordinator. Burks was later promoted to Vice President of Flight Logistics, then to Vice President of Flight Services, which led him to his current role as President of Priester Aviation. Anthony holds a B.S. in Aviation Science from Saint Louis University (Parks College) as well as a Commercial Single and Multi-Engine Pilot Certificate and Aircraft Dispatcher licenses.
Rustin King leads charter sales for the George J. Priester Aviation family of companies, including, Priester, Mayo and Hill Private Aviation. King brings more than 25 years of charter sales and management experience to the position and has a focus on relationships and maximizing efficiencies for our owners and clients. He works closely with the aircraft management team to develop further charter opportunities, if desired, for the more than 80 aircraft managed under the George J. Priester brands.
Greg has been a strategic pioneer in the business world for more than 22 years specializing in private aviation solutions. Greg previously served as an executive at Bombardier, FlexJet and most recently was Vice President of Sales for Fractrade. Greg has completed hundreds of transactions for customers across the globe providing solutions including ad hoc charter, jet cards, fractional sales, and whole aircraft transactions.
James Schnell joined the Priester team in 2005 and now leads the Owner Services Department. As Director of Owner Services, Schnell oversees the client relationships, ensuring the client is at the heart of all we do. Schnell is dedicated to providing a seamless client experience from trip inquiry to day-of trip execution. He is the fourth generation of Priesters to work in a management role. Schnell graduated from St. Norbert College holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications.
Eric Bewersdorf oversees the company’s Maintenance Control Department, bringing over 25 years of experience in aircraft maintenance and a dynamic leadership style. Bewersdorf’s expertise in business aviation has earned him a reputation as a leader in the industry. Eric has spent his time working at several aircraft manufacturers including Raytheon, Hawker Beechcraft, Cessna, and most recently Embraer Aircraft, where he was responsible for managing the company’s fleet, including aircraft used by the sales team and trade-ins. Bewersdorf also has experience with aircraft acquisition, trade-ins, and maintenance for owners and fleet operators. The focus of his efforts is to grow the team to match the pace of the fleet growth utilizing new technologies and maximizing efficiencies. The end goal is to have a maintenance control team that promotes safety above all, exceeding our customer satisfactions and making GJP a destination workplace for maintenance professionals.
Craig Stinson oversees the maintenance and airworthiness responsibilities of Priester Aviation’s managed fleet of aircraft. Craig boasts 30+ years of industry experience working in many hands-on positions on aircraft in both domestic and international operations. Working as a Technical Support Representative for a leading corporate aircraft manufacturer for many years, Craig is analytically and technologically sophisticated, delivering high-quality guidance to maintenance teams while consistently collaborating with aircrews and maintenance operations centers.
Marvin brings over 40 years of diverse experience in aviation, with a distinguished career across a wide range of roles and responsibilities. Since 2017, he has played a key role in ensuring compliance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations, focusing particularly on FAR Part 135 certification and flight operations. In addition to overseeing regulatory matters, Marvin serves as a vital liaison with the FAA and fosters communication between flight crews and other departments, driving continuous improvement and operational efficiency.
Prior to his current role, Marvin held numerous senior positions, including FAR 121 Captain, First Officer, Charter Pilot, Chief Pilot, Director of Aviation for both Part 91 and Part 135 operations, FBO Owner, and College Aviation Adjunct Professor. With 11 type ratings and an FAA Certified Instructor designation since 1986, Marvin’s expertise spans a wide array of aviation disciplines. He is also a graduate of Concordia College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business. His extensive experience and leadership have made him a respected figure in the aviation industry.
Jay Gilbert oversees the company’s global flight operations as the Chief Pilot and is a Captain on Priester’s Hawker 4000. Gilbert was a former Chief Pilot and Director of Operations for two different major management and charter operators. In those roles, Gilbert successfully grew and mentored hundreds of pilots. Gilbert demonstrates a deep understanding of Part 135 regulations and leads initiatives to improve safety and operational excellence. Gilbert holds an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) certificate and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and English from the University of Mississippi.
We’re always looking for hardworking, customer-focused individuals to join our team. Apply today.
