Atlanta-based Volato, a shared ownership provider and HondaJets operator, has announced the addition of two executive hires, in industry veterans Jim Lawson and Brent Elum. Lawson joins as vice president of air carrier operations and director of operations, and Elum has been named as vice president of client engagement and service design.

Lawson is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and U.S. Naval War College. He served on active duty in the U.S. Navy from 1989 to 2007, and still serves as a captain in the U.S. Navy Reserves. His most recent title is Commanding Officer, Navy Emergency Liaison Unit for Navy Region Southeast. Lawson was also a contract NASA test pilot for six years. He is a licensed airline transport pilot and flight instructor.

Elum, holds a B.S in Aviation Management from Ohio University's Russ College of Engineering. He launched his career as a customer service agent for British Airways and gained executive operations experience at NetJets and Delta Private Jets, where he served in various leadership roles. As a self-employed aviation consultant for the past four years, Elum offered creative design techniques to enhance the private and commercial aviation customer experience for various companies.

“As Volato continues to gain traction as a unique choice for private air transportation among high net worth individuals, these two hires help reinforce two pillars of our business; service and safety. Brent's service experience and meticulous attention-to-detail will ensure the experience delivered to owners and their guests is above expectations,” says Nicholas Cooper, co-founder and chief revenue officer of Volato.