Part 135 airline Ameriflight has appointed Patrick Fluegeman as president and chief operating officer. He will be responsible for planning and executing current and future business operation strategies, amplifying the company's vision as the leader in scalable, outsourced aviation services to the regional express airfreight market.

"The board and I are confident that Patrick will be a great fit for building on Ameriflight's momentum," says owner and chairman Jim Martell. "He is a well-established leader with an extensive background in the aviation industry that includes a unique blend of airline operations, corporate strategy, finance and business development. We are pleased to have him on board."

A proven leader, Fluegeman's vast background and successes in leading safe and reliable airline operations, as well as his strategic insight, brought him to the attention of Ameriflight. Most recently, he spent seven years with ABX Air, a cargo airline operating a fleet of Boeing 767 freighters for customers in the e-commerce and express delivery markets. He held a handful of operation leadership roles, ending his time there as chief operating officer. Notably, he successfully added aircraft to their fleet, expanded their operations in Europe and South America, implemented new operating systems and secured a new six year collective bargaining agreement with the ABX pilot group. Prior to this, he held a number of finance leadership roles with the cargo airline Southern Air and with the financial services firm Deloitte.

"It's a tremendous opportunity to join such a long-standing, industry-leading company," says Fluegeman. "As I have gotten to know the team, it has become clear to me that Ameriflight operates with purpose and is passionate about its mission of Delivering More Than Cargo. As president, my intention is to continue Ameriflight's vision and its commitment to building a diversified aviation services platform by focusing on safety, first and foremost, as well as customer service, new business growth and our people."