Jim Blessing

AirFleet Capital

President 

Jim Blessing is the President of AirFleet Capital, Inc., a small privately-owned finance firm focused on aircraft lending to the owner-pilot segment of the aviation industry. At AirFleet he oversees all functions of the company, to include strategic planning, marketing and sales, and participates regularly with credit evaluation and underwriting. He joined AirFleet in 1999 and has helped participate in its growth from a new entrant in aircraft lending to one of the larger firms in the segment.

Prior to AirFleet he was the CFO for an aviation company with a focus on government contracting, providing logistical support through the Department of Defense and United Nations special programs groups. The company owned and operated special-use aircraft and was an FAA Repair Station with focus on regional airliners, cargo and special-mission aircraft.

Jim has worked in the field of aviation for his entire career, receiving his BS in Aviation Management from Florida Institute of Technology in 1992. He has been a pilot since 1988, is a lifetime member of EAA, AOPA and the Seaplane Pilots Association, and a proud member of Alpha Eta Rho. Aviation is in his family’s DNA, as he was originally inspired to pursue an aviation career by his father who served in the USAF. His wife Cathy is also a pilot with both instrument and seaplane ratings (and an active career in air traffic control systems design).

Outside of AirFleet, Jim is the President of the National Aircraft Finance Association (NAFA), serving his 4th consecutive term as President. NAFA represents the aircraft lending community with nearly 200 member companies. The Association recently celebrated it’s 50th anniversary, and its mission is to facilitate the exchange of ideas and capital that finance the world’s business and general aviation aircraft.

Nicole Cunha

Kincaid Mendes Vianna Advogados

Lawyer

Nicole Cunha is an aviation lawyer at Kincaid | Mendes Vianna Advogados, with over 20 years of experience advising leading domestic and international clients across the aviation sector. Her practice is focused on complex regulatory and transactional matters, with a strong emphasis on aviation finance, including cross-border structures and leasing transactions. Nicole regularly advises lenders, lessors and operators on sophisticated financing arrangements and is actively involved in discussions on market trends and evolving financing structures in the aviation industry.

Clay Healey

AIC Title Service

CEO

Biography coming soon

Glenn Hediger

Aviation Financial Consulting

President

Glenn has over thirty five years of general aviation experience, almost twenty years serving as Tax Director of multinational publicly traded and privately held organizations. Glenn has industry specialties in both inbound and outbound multinational consolidated corporate business entities. Before founding Aviation Financial Consulting in 2009, Glenn was part of the Tax Service and Consulting practice for RSM US in the Washington, DC and New York Metropolitan Areas. Glenn’s practice areas included Accounting for Income Taxes ASC740, Tax Credits and Incentives, Accounting Methods, Cost Segregation and Capitalization, and many other areas. Glenn served as the national leader of the RSM US Business Aviation Tax and Consulting practice.

Prior to joining RSM US, Glenn was Tax Director for a publicly traded pharmaceutical research company, where he had global tax responsibilities in areas including tax compliance and planning, SEC public disclosure reporting, corporate tax accounting, international R&D, transfer pricing, and foreign currency risk mitigation.

Glenn developed his aviation expertise over 16 years as the Tax Director of Dassault Falcon Jet, the U.S. arm of the French maker of business aircraft. While at Dassault, he directed the U.S. company’s tax function, as well as serving as a leader in Dassault’s U.S. government affairs activities.

Glenn is an active member of the Tax Committee for the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and was deeply involved with the Global Business Alliance (GBA) while at Dassault. He was a regular participant in the Council On State Taxation (COST) Fair Share Coalition and other COST initiatives. He is well versed in aviation related tax issues and presents aviation tax educational sessions often at NBAA-BASE, industry conferences, and internally to CPA firms around the country.

He worked closely with industry groups and legislators to extend and modify bonus depreciation benefits for general aviation, worked directly with Treasury and the IRS to develop functional regulations on depreciation, capitalization/repairs, commuting, and in other regulatory projects. He has written aircraft-related state tax legislation and effectively lobbied for business changes during state legislative sessions. Glenn continues his advocacy work on the Federal and state levels through associations and individually.

Jens Hennig, GAMA

GAMA

Vice President, Operations, Safety & Security

Jens Hennig is responsible for GAMA’s activities for advancing safety, security, and operations. He is the association’s primary staff person on air traffic control modernization and issues impacting aircraft flight operations.

Jens’ engagement in policy and rulemaking committees during the past two decades covers a wide range of safety and security policy topics including ADS-B rule development and implementation, standards for navigation and communications, and pilot qualifications. He chaired FAA’s airman training and testing standards rulemaking committee which developed today’s framework for U.S. pilot training and also managed the agency’s review of the Part 135/125 air carrier regulations.

Jens has served in the aircraft manufacturer seat on the U.S. Transportation Security Administration’s Aviation Security Advisory Committee (ASAC) and serves as its general aviation subcommittee chair. He also served as co-chair of FAA’s Aircraft System Information Security / Protection working group on cybersecurity.

Mr. Hennig provides technical analysis about security, funding,  and air traffic control modernization to GAMA’s government affairs team. He has testified about NextGen and homeland security before the U.S. Congress.

He has been a member of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) Flight Standards subcommittee since its formation in 2005, focusing on the agency’s extension of scope and the establishment of a safety agreement between the European Union and the United States. He served as chair of EASA’s Operational Suitability Data rulemaking group for type design changes and was a member of the committee that developed the regulatory amendment for operation of single engine turbine airplanes in commercial service as well as rulemaking tasks focused on surveillance and data link services. Previously Jens served as the GA manufacturing industry’s representative on the Joint Aviation Authorities Operations Sectorial Team.

Hennig is actively involved with advancing data collection about the general aviation industry and frequently presents overviews of the state of general aviation, including the quarterly industry aircraft shipment report and about the manufacturing industry’s impact on the economy and a positive trade balance.

Jens has served on the RTCA Advisory Board since 2019 and the RTCA Program Management Committee since 2013. He joined the National Aircraft Finance Association (NAFA) board in 2022 and is serving a second three-year term through 2028.

Having joined GAMA in 2003 as Manager of Operations after a stint as manager of flight operations for contract training at Embry Riddle, Jens has advanced to Vice President, Operations, Safety & Security. Originally from Örnsköldsvik, Sweden, he holds a Bachelor of Science with honors in Aerospace Engineering from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and a Master of Business Administration in Aviation.

Janine Iannarelli

Par Avion

Founder and President

Janine Iannarelli is the founder and President of Par Avion Ltd., an international aircraft brokerage firm, established in Houston in 1997. Par Avion specializes in the exclusive representation and acquisition of business aircraft whose area of expertise lends itself to a variety of small, super midsize and large cabin jets. An industry veteran, Ms. Iannarelli has more than 35 years of business aviation experience and 400+ transactions to her credit having represented a diverse group of corporations, family offices and private individuals worldwide. As an aviation mobility consultant, she assists Clients with assessing their air transportation needs and finding the optimum solution. In addition to her duties at Par Avion Ltd., Ms. Iannarelli serves as an independent board member of Heritage Aviation, an MRO based in Burlington, Vermont.

Iannarelli is a member of the National Business Aviation Association; the European Business Aviation Association where she was elected as the Chair of the Associate Members Advisory Council (AMAC) and seated on the board of Governors and serves as the Chair of the EBAA AMAC Sales & Acquisition committee; Women in Aviation, International, and the American Marketing Association. In 2014, Iannarelli was appointed to the Texas Aerospace and Aviation Advisory Committee by Governor Perry and made presiding officer by Governor Abbott in 2016, serving in that capacity through April/2020.

Among the accolades and awards bestowed upon Iannarelli throughout the course of her career is induction into the Aviation Hall of Fame of New Jersey, shortlisted for inclusion among the “99” finalists for the National Aviation Hall of Fame, being named a Texas Executive Woman on the Move, one of Houston’s 50 Most Influential Women and receiving the Girlstart’s leader in STEM award. In 2019 Corporate Jet Investor named Ms. Iannarelli as one of America’s Top Dealmakers.

Ms. Iannarelli is a Fellow with the American Leadership Forum which graduated 25 area community and business leaders as Class LV in the spring of 2022. As a sought-out mentor and inspirational advisor, Iannarelli is a frequent guest lecturer for youth groups and women’s organizations. She is a passionate advocate and supporter of those charities benefitting children and animals. A lifelong equestrian, today Ms. Iannarelli is a breeder and owner of thoroughbred race horses.

A native of Fair Lawn, New Jersey and a long-time resident of Houston, Iannarelli graduated from Montclair State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.

Kristie Greco Johnson

NBAA

SVP Government Affairs

Kristie Greco Johnson is the Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at NBAA, where she spearheads advocacy efforts across federal, state, and local levels. With over 25 years of experience in high-level government and politics, she champions business aviation’s role in the national economy while driving progress in safety, airport and airspace access, and transformative technology. Her distinguished career includes leadership roles within the FAA, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and the Office of the Majority Whip, as well as key positions in congressional and presidential campaigns.

Stan Kuliavas

Levaero Aviation

Vice President, Sales & Business Development 

When making the initial jump from coaching US college basketball to aviation, Stan Kuliavas spent five years with a fractional aircraft provider in Canada, where he played a pivotal role in growing the company’s customer base. Over the past 14 years, Stan has been instrumental in the growth and success of the Levaero Group of Companies, Canada’s exclusive Pilatus dealer, an International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA)-accredited brokerage, and a leading maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) organization, where he is a partner.

Stan holds an Aviation Business degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, a Sports Business MBA, and is a recipient of the NBAA’s Top 40 Under 40 award. He serves as a Board Member of IADA, the collective force influencing and shaping the aircraft transaction industry, and Chairs IADA’s International Committee. Outside of his professional endeavours, Stan enjoys flying floatplanes and is an active volunteer with various charitable organizations. He also serves on the board of Bay Street Hoops, Canada’s largest charitable basketball tournament.

Sebastien Larue

Pratt & Whitney Canada

Director, Business Transformation and Aftermarket Services

Sebastien Larue joined Pratt & Whitney in May 2017 serving several positions such Digital Engine Services Sales Lead & ESP strategy for our General Aviation customers. He is currently Director for Business Transformation and Aftermarket Services. In his responsibilities, he overlook at Long Term Engine leasing solutions & other aftermarket services and products. He also lead enterprise risk management, 3rd party relationship with banks, dealers, brokers, appraisers and financial institutions.

Prior joint Pratt & Whitney, Sebastien spent more than 18 years at CAE inc. where he held many different roles such as product management, marketing and commercial strategy. His last position was OEM Account Manager for Airbus and ATR and Senior Sales Manager for European customers such as Air France, KLM & Finnair.

Christopher Lee

1st Source Bank

President

As President of 1st Source’s Aviation Finance division, Chris oversees a billion-dollar aviation portfolio and leads a team of domestic and international Vice Presidents positioned in satellite offices in various locations. He brings to this role extensive aviation experience from his background in international and domestic aircraft sales, international and domestic aircraft finance, as well as international and domestic piloting.

Chris’s leadership exemplifies his passion for aviation through his personal aircraft ownership, multiple jet type ratings, and interactions with his clients. Chris also serves as a board member of the non-profit group LightHawk which seeks to utilize general aviation to further conservation efforts and he has been active in Big Brothers Big Sisters, Junior Achievement and Habitat for Humanity. His deep aviation knowledge, positive leadership approach and proven dedication to expedited client service helps 1st Source maintain its leadership position in the global aircraft finance market.

Oliver Möhl

Pilatus Aircraft

CEO

Pari Parchi

Panorama Aero

Managing Partner

Biography coming soon 

Luiz Sandler

Jet Match

CEO

Luiz Sandler is the founder and CEO of Jet Match, a boutique advisory firm dedicated to the acquisition, sale and management of business aircraft, based in Brazil. The firm represents buyers and sellers on exclusive mandates across the full range of the market, from light jets to ultra-long-range aircraft, and manages aircraft on behalf of owners. In 2026 it opened Jet Lab, Latin America’s first business aircraft showroom, where clients explore cabin layouts and configure aircraft in virtual reality.

Sandler has spent more than 25 years in business aircraft sales and over 30 years in aviation. Across his career he has been involved in more than 130 new and pre-owned aircraft transactions, representing in excess of US$3 billion in value.

He joined Embraer in 2000 in market intelligence and left in 2007 as Sales Manager for Latin America, having been part of the commercial team that launched the manufacturer’s executive aviation business. That year he became Sales Director at Gulfstream’s independent sales representative in Brazil, and in 2013 joined the manufacturer directly as Regional Sales Vice-President for South America, a position he held until 2018. In 2017 he was named Gulfstream’s Top Sales Executive for Latin America & Florida.

In 2018 he moved into the pre-owned market as an independent advisor, in partnership with a US-based brokerage firm, and in 2023 founded Jet Match. The firm also publishes Jet Match Market Intelligence, a proprietary quarterly analysis of pre-owned pricing, inventory and transaction activity. Since 2022, Sandler has served as VistaJet’s ambassador in Brazil.

Before moving into sales, he flew professionally as a corporate and airline pilot. He remains a commercial pilot with an instrument rating, licensed by both ANAC and the FAA — a background that gives him a technical perspective on every aircraft he advises on.

Sandler holds a business degree from Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV) in São Paulo. A native of Brazil, he is fluent in Portuguese, English and Spanish. He is married and has two children.

Mike Smith

Scope Aircraft Finance

President

Mike Smith is President of Scope Aircraft Finance and is based in Columbus, Ohio. Scope is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Park National Bank and an industry leader in providing finance solutions in the high-performance piston, turboprop, and light jet markets throughout the lower 48 States. Mike currently serves on the board of the National Aircraft Finance Association and helps the Ohio Regional Business Aviation Association as Immediate Past President.

Philip Winters

Western Aircraft

Vice President – Aircraft Sales & Charter Management

Phil leads the company’s new and preowned aircraft sales and aircraft management/charter divisions, he has been with Western Aircraft since 1997. Western Aircraft is an authorized Piper dealer and the largest authorized Pilatus dealer in the world representing Pilatus with the PC-12 NG and the PC-24. Additionally, Western Aircraft operates an aircraft management division with an FAR 135 certificate and multiple aircraft, dba WestAir Charter. Prior to joining Western, Phil was a founding member of the Raytheon Aircraft Company (formerly Beechcraft) Resale Group in Wichita, Kansas. Winters’ primary focus is building and leading a team devoted to customer relationships in order to provide the best solutions for all of their aviation needs. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Aviation Technology from LeTourneau University, and has been a pilot since 1990. He holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate, is a Certified Flight Instructor, and an A&P mechanic and regularly enjoys flying the company’s Piper and Pilatus airplanes.

Chris Younger

HCH Legal

Aviation Tax Attorney

Chris Younger is a nationally and internationally recognized aviation and tax attorney providing advice and counsel supporting clients’ acquisition, operation, and disposition of new and used business aircraft and fractional aircraft interests.

Chris counsels clients regarding the negotiation, and review of aircraft co-ownership, management, leasing, financing, and charter operation structures, including related documentation, tax planning and aviation regulatory compliance. Chris was selected by Chambers and Partners in 2023, 2024, 2025, and 2026 for recognition as a member of the elite class of global aviation attorneys providing counsel to high net worth individuals in connection with the sale, acquisition, financing, registration, operation and charter of private aircraft.

Chris performs comprehensive and interdisciplinary analyses of federal income tax, federal excise tax, and state sales and use tax issues affecting HCH clients’ acquisitions, dispositions, ownership, and operations of business aircraft.

Chris also represents HCH clients in connection with federal and state tax audits, including review and appeal of tax assessments. He works closely with clients well before a tax audit begins to ensure that they are compliant with all requirements they must meet to fully support their positions relating both to tax deductions and tax payment obligations that emanate from business aviation activities.