Part 135 cargo airline Ameriflight has appointed Alan Rusinowitz as president and chief operations officer. This executive team addition comes on the cusp of chief executive officer Paul Chase tendering his resignation.

Rusinowitz will be responsible for planning and executing current and future business operation strategies. He will amplify Ameriflight's vision as a leader in scalable, outsourced aviation services to the regional express airfreight market.

“The board and I are confident that Alan is the optimal person to build on Ameriflight's momentum,” says owner and chairman Jim Martell. “He is a well-established leader with significant experience working in our niche of the airline industry, delivering value to both customers and employees, and attaining key performance goals through effective asset utilisation. We are pleased to have him on board.”

Rusinowitz joins Ameriflight as a results-driven business leader and a hands-on executive with a demonstrated record of growing shareholder value by leading companies through strategic operational improvements and development. He's highly regarded for his successes in airline operation management, as well as his focus on safety culture and continuous improvement. His vast background and successes in leading a variety of extensive projects brought him to the attention of Ameriflight.

“It's an honour to join such a notable, industry-leading company. I have worked alongside Ameriflight in the industry for decades and have been impressed with the recent strategic moves it has made,” says Rusinowitz. “I have inherited a great group of people with a strong vision and safety culture. As president, my intention is to continue Ameriflight's commitment of building a diversified aviation services platform, by focusing on our current and future business opportunities, including our expedited supply chain Solutions operation, integrator operation and emerging technologies.”

With over 40 years in the industry, Rusinowitz has an extensive background in aviation that includes a rare blend of senior leadership experience in airline operations and business management. Most recently, he served 22 years at Martinaire Aviation as executive vice president and chief operating officer. Notably, he was a key leader in overseeing the development and implementation of the company's strategic business goals and objectives, as well as successfully leading this year's stock sale of Martinaire and its subsidiaries.