HighTech Finishing, an aviation interior plating company based in Houston, Texas, has hired Amanda Gilley Taylor to the position of national sales manager.

Taylor joins HighTech after an extensive career as a customer sales executive for companies that deliver products for aircraft interiors. In her new role with HighTech, she will be responsible for refocusing the customer buying experience with an emphasis on HighTech's artisan craftsmanship and quality approach to the decorative plating of aircraft interior parts.

“There is so much potential in the aviation industry right now, and we have a great team at HighTech to capitalise on those opportunities,” she says. “Decorative plating is the crown jewel of an aircraft's interior scheme, but it often doesn't get the recognition it deserves. I look forward to supporting our current customers and leveraging my professional relationships in the industry to create new, long-lasting customer accounts.”

Under Taylor's direction, HighTech will be expanding into new customer markets. Utilising the company's trusted brand recognition in the aviation industry, she will support North American expansion into OEMs and refurbishment centres. Amanda will also support global expansion efforts reaching into the European and Middle Eastern business aviation markets. There are additional opportunities to support charter companies and seek out partnerships with fractional and management companies.

“Amanda is the ideal fit to take on the role of national sales manager because of her experience in the aviation industry and her track record of customer success in previous roles,” says Rick Niefield, VP of sales and marketing. “Her enthusiasm and passion for the aviation industry, coupled with her commitment to our company's core values of integrity and customer relationships, are the winning combination we were looking for to support our growth objectives.”

Prior to joining HighTech, Taylor represented veneer and custom carpet companies that provided products for aviation interiors. She also supported a start-up company in the mid-2000s, where she started to build key relationships in the industry.

“I am a product junkie, and decorative plating will be no exception. I am thrilled that my relationships in the industry led me to this family at HighTech,” she goes on. “I have seen some incredible facilities during my career, including logging and slicing veneer overseas, several different carpet mills with their unique intricacies and now this delicate art of decorative plating. However, my favourite experiences will always lie with my customer interactions. In my perspective, when I save my customers' projects by offering solutions to problems or obstacles, that's when everyone wins.”