Meridian is pleased to announce that Emil Iannone has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Meridian Air Charter. He will be responsible for managing and streamlining the charter business, including charter operations, charter sales, aircraft management and marketing. Mr. Iannone has served as Director of Operations since 2013, when he returned to Meridian after 13 years in the financial industry. Mr. Iannone is based at the company’s headquarters at Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, NJ.
The organizational restructuring comes as part of the company’s overall growth strategy, and is designed to allow Dennis O’Connell, President of Meridian Air Charter, more time to focus on other critical aspects of the charter business. These include owner relations, aircraft maintenance, and accounting. Together, Mr. O’Connell and Mr. Iannone will be responsible for the strategic direction of the charter organization.
“I am very excited for this opportunity,” says Iannone. “I’m honored to be working side-by-side with Dennis to help ensure our charter operations meet the needs of a rapidly changing marketplace and continuing to grow our charter and aircraft management operations. I look forward to contributing to Meridian’s ongoing success.”
Mr. Iannone started flying in the mid-1980s at Teterboro Airport before attending American Flyers Academy. After graduating and earning his CFI, he returned to Meridian as an instructor pilot, moving up the ranks to Chief Pilot. In 1994, he was promoted to Director of Operations, overseeing the daily operations of Million Air Charter, when the company was part of the franchise. Iannone also spent some time during his early career flying for a private flight department. He is type rated in Gulfstream, Learjet and Cessna Citation aircraft.
In 2000, Mr. Iannone was offered the opportunity to take his talents and expertise to a New York City investment banking firm. As Senior Vice President, he oversaw the daily operations of several key areas of the company, including security, purchasing, and ground transportation. His managerial skills translated well from aviation to this environment and he spent a successful tenure there. In 2013, the allure of aviation brought him back to Meridian, when he rejoined the company as Director of Operations.
“We are very pleased to have Emil managing the day-to-day operations of Meridian Air Charter,” adds Ken Forester, CEO. “He has the operational experience and people skills to help navigate the challenges of the ever-changing charter landscape. Having operations, sales and marketing under his leadership will help us to compete more effectively in today’s marketplace. Emil’s new position will also allow Dennis greater bandwidth to focus on the other key areas of the operation. Together, they will be a powerful team in moving the business forward.”
Tag: promotion
Meridian, the award-winning private aviation company based at Teterboro Airport, is pleased to announce the promotion of Nora Jacob to Customer Service Supervisor. Her primary responsibilities will be to oversee the work performance of the customer service team, collaborate with management to assure that the customer experience continues to meet or exceed expectations, and to assist our customers with their service requests in a professional and friendly manner consistent with Meridian values.
Nora started with Meridian in 2011 as a Customer Service Representative working at the front desk in the FBO lobby. In 2015, she expressed interest in a cross-functional assignment to expand her horizons, and was soon transferred into a newly created position called Customer Assurance with Meridian Air Charter. After several months in her new role, she realized that her true calling was Customer Service, and she returned to the front desk where she accepted more responsibility, including serving as an assistant to the FBO President and Vice-President.
Betsy Wines, VP of Customer Service and Human Resources, had this to say, “Nora was instrumental in creating a Customer Service training program that we use with our new hires. She is respected by her co-workers and they often turn to her for advice and mentoring. This promotion was a natural step for Nora in her role at the front desk.”
Please join Meridian in congratulating Nora on her promotion!
Meridian, the award-winning private aviation company based at Teterboro Airport, is pleased to announce the promotion of Anthony Lanzone from Detailing Supervisor to Detail Manager. Mr. Lanzone began his career at the company as a part-time detailer in 2004, when Meridian Jet Center was known as Million Air Maintenance. At the time, there were only two detailers in the department. He was eventually hired as a full-time employee, and by 2007, he was promoted to Detailing Supervisor. Today, the Detailing department is part of Meridian Jet Center and has a full time staff of eight. For a brief period in 2005, the Detailing department became part of Meridian Air Charter, but it was decided that in order to better service transient aircraft, the department should be structured with aircraft maintenance.
Anthony’s responsibilities involve all aspects of detailing, including both interior and exterior of the aircraft. For example, he is responsible for cleaning and detailing all company operated and transient aircraft, monitoring flight and cleaning schedules, managing bright work schedules and interior deep cleaning services, and managing and supervising department staff in work functions and shift schedules. Anthony and his team work closely with flight crews, flight operations, and maintenance personnel on all aircraft detailing matters.
John Langschultz, VP of Meridian Jet Center, had this to say, “The Detailing department is an integral part of our aircraft maintenance business, and Anthony has been doing an outstanding job in keeping things running smoothly. We often receive last minute requests for detailing services, and he makes it happen even under the most difficult of circumstances. Our number one priority is to make sure that our customers are happy, and Anthony is always proactive in the fulfillment of that responsibility. Our customers often remark at how nice their aircraft looks after Anthony and his experienced team have completed a job. This promotion is well-deserved, and we are looking forward to more good things to come from Anthony as we expand our business to Hayward, CA.”
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Meridian Names Ladouceur Vice President
Teterboro, NJ, November 23, 2011 – Meridian Air Charter, the charter sales arm of Meridian, is pleased to announce that Andrew Ladouceur has been promoted to the position of Vice President of Charter Sales and Client Services. Ladouceur has extensive industry experience, having worked in corporate aviation for over twenty years. He graduated from the State University of New York at Farmingdale with a degree in Aviation Management. Andrew began his career at Meridian in 2003 as Director of Charter Sales, and he was responsible for managing and developing the Air Charter group over the last 8 years.
Dennis O’Connell, President of Meridian Air Charter, had this to say, “We at Meridian feel that Andrew’s promotion was an appropriate way to recognize the many contributions that he has made to the development and growth of our charter business over the years. He truly understands the needs of our clients, and how to navigate the rough waters of a business that can be very difficult to manage at times”.
In his new role as VP, Mr. Ladouceur will continue to be responsible for managing the Air Charter business domestically, as well as have new responsibilities for seeking to grow the business internationally as private aviation expands into emerging markets.
About Meridian:
Meridian is a full-service, private aviation company based in Teterboro, NJ, located just minutes from New York City. The company has earned numerous industry awards and accolades for its outstanding service and state-of-the-art facility. Meridian owns and operates businesses that include Aircraft Management, Aircraft Maintenance, Air Charter, and a world-class Executive Terminal / FBO that was completed in 2006.
The historical roots of Meridian originated in 1946 when company founder and former WWII test pilot, Ken Forester, Sr., began converting military transport aircraft for executive operation. Opened at Teterboro in 1958, Meridian was one of the early pioneers of private aviation in the New York City market. Today, the company is led by Ken Forester, Jr., making Meridian the longest continuously operating aviation services company in the New York Metropolitan Area, and the only remaining family-owned business at Teterboro Airport (TEB).
For more information, please visit our website at www.meridian.aero or call us at 201-288-5040.