Belgrade, Montana-based aircraft sales, Phenom 300 charter operations, aircraft management and pilot training company Summit Aviation has appointed Julian Tonsmeire as VP aircraft management and acquisitions.

Tonsmeire fell in love with aviation at an early age and because of that has no shortage of aviation experience, having been in the industry for over two decades. He has had experience in all aspects of the industry including flight operations, aircraft management, safety management systems, maintenance oversight, aircraft scheduling, regulatory compliance and more. He is also a former professional pilot with pilot-in-command experience in light business jets and regional airline operations.

"At Summit Aviation, one of our top priorities is ensuring our clients have an extraordinary experience regardless of the services they are provided, but when it comes to aircraft management and acquisitions, the fine details are especially important to get right. When I met Julian, I knew that he was a perfect fit. Not only does he have extremely impressive operational experience, but he also has the transactional experience we were looking for from his time with Embraer Executive Jets, and on top of that, he is a type-rated Phenom 300 pilot. These capabilities, along with his positive attitude and alignment with our core values, ensure our customers are in the best hands. We are fortunate and excited to have him on our team," says owner and president Ben Walton.

When it comes to aircraft management and acquisitions, Tonsmeire knows the business best and will guarantee customer satisfaction through his unmatched customer service and knowledge. Prior to joining Summit Aviation, was chief revenue officer for Sky Harbour Group, regional sales director in the Rocky Mountain region for Embraer Executive Jets, as well as the chief commercial officer for Mountain Aviation.

“I'm really grateful to be an aviation sales professional with significant experience in business jet operations,” says Tonsmeire. “We work around such incredible machines; I feel so fortunate to still fly them. I understand all aspects of business aviation but focus on seamless transactions. I'm a long-time admirer of Summit Aviation and am so excited to be joining Ben and the team."