Press Release
Issued by National Business Aviation Association.
September 8, 2026
The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) today announced the 2026 Business Aviation Top 40 Under 40, which recognises rising leaders who are driving innovation within the industry.
"We are excited to welcome this year's class to the NBAA Business Aviation Top 40 Under 40," said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen. "These honourees represent a diverse mix of experience and talent and are already contributing to their communities and mentoring the next generation of business aviation professionals. They are rising stars who are meeting our industry's challenges and driving business aviation forward."
Candidates are nominated by other industry members and the final Business Aviation Top 40 Under 40 recipients are selected by NBAA's Young Professionals (YoPro) Council, a group of business aviation professionals and NBAA staff liaisons working to build relationships between the industry's emerging leaders.
The 2026 Business Aviation Top 40 Under 40 recipients are:
Airport Business:
– Bridget Gonchar, Signature Aviation
– Erick Lanier, Tri Cities Airport
– Audrey Myers, Atlantic Aviation
– Ysabella Tetley, Henriksen Jet Center
Broker/Sales:
– Michael Barber, JetAviva
– Cameron Harris, Textron Aviation
– Bobby Perez, CAM, Clay Lacy Aviation
– Melissa Tarkett, World Fuel Services
Business Management:
– Eloy Freitas, CAM, Clay Lacy Aviation
– Jennifer Hoffman, Azure Flight Support
– Joanna Kiel, Embraer
– Amy Karnikian, Crowell & Moring LLP
– Peter Makredes, Sol Aerial Surveys
– KJ McCarter, Aviation Tax Consultants
– Eric Ramsey, Higginbotham
– Ryan Rudolph, Bark Air
– Michael Vanacore-Netz, Global Air Charters, Inc.
– Clayton Walters, Wheels Up
– Noah Yarborough, Signum Aviation
Flight/Cabin Attendant:
– Charli Miro, Part 91 Flight Operation
– Lindsey Savko, LinRose Worldwide LLC
Innovation and Technology:
– Eloa Guillotin, Beyond Aero
– Ashley Hanson, Deere & Company
– Sarah Rith, Amazon
– Emily Tobler, 4Air
Maintenance:
– Jake Ansbach, Otter Air Services, LLC
– Adam Barron, ACI Jet
– Brandon Doramus, Textron Aviation
– Tom Leone, Duncan Aviation
– Mitch Lutze-Morris, Fargo Jet Center
– Veta Traxler, West Star Aviation
Marketing:
– Lindsay Allmon, The Blackhawk Group (Blackhawk Aerospace, AVEX Aviation, Finnoff Aviation Products)
– Carolina Moreira, MedAire, Inc.
Pilot:
– Chad Decker, The Whitewind Company
– Jamie Ingall, CAM, Part 91/Part 135 Flight Operation
– Melanie Hight, OpenAir
– Charles Roberts, ENG Aviation
– Michael Smith, CAM, Adam Aviation Ltd
Scheduler/Dispatcher:
– Susan Aucoin, Dell Technologies.
