Change of the Guard

Atlantic Aviation, the Plano, Texas-based FBO giant with 103 locations on airports from Addison to Waukesha has announced that Jeff Foland will succeed Mr. Lou Pepper as the company’s Chief Executive Officer, effective 14 August 2023.

Mr. Pepper has served in the capacity of Atlantic Aviation CEO for upwards of thirty-years and will continue to ply his considerable expertise and experience to Atlantic Aviation’s benefit as a member of the company’s board of directors.

The incoming Mr. Foland’s C.V. includes nearly three decades of experience in the aviation, travel, and transportation industries, including stints as a senior executive at United Airlines and Hertz Global Holdings. Foland comes to Atlantic Aviation from The Parking Spot, the U.S.’s largest near-airport parking operator and real-estate owner, over which he’s presided as president and CEO since 2018.

Dash Lane, a partner at global investment firm KKR, stated of Mr. Foland: “Jeff is a highly accomplished and innovative leader with a strong track-record of overseeing growth at industry-leading companies, and a deep commitment to providing an unmatched customer experience. These characteristics make Jeff a great fit to lead Atlantic Aviation as the company accelerates its investments in safety, industry-leading hospitality, technology, and sustainability to deliver best-in-class service and long-term growth.”

Mr. Foland set forth: “I am delighted to join Atlantic Aviation at an exciting time in the company’s history. The company is in a very strong position thanks to the foundation and growth that has been built under Lou’s leadership, and I deeply admire the organization’s dedication to providing customers with the highest levels of safety and quality service.”

Foland added:  “I look forward to joining the highly-talented Atlantic Aviation team to further capitalize on the numerous opportunities that lie ahead and to continue delivering exceptional value to our customers, employees, and communities in which we operate.”

Under Mr. Pepper’s leadership, Atlantic Aviation grew from 16 FBO locations into one of the world’s leading FBO networks. As the driving force behind Atlantic Aviation’s safety-first culture and commitments to customer experience, sustainability, and convenience, Pepper has left a lasting impact on the company and the FBO industry.

Mr. Lade continued: “On behalf of the board and the entire Atlantic Aviation family, I would like to thank Lou for his exceptional leadership over the past thirty-years. As a result of Lou’s long-standing service, Atlantic Aviation is in the strongest position in its history, and I am confident that the company will continue to thrive under Jeff’s leadership. We are very pleased that Lou plans to continue to contribute his deep experience as a member of Atlantic’s Board.”

Reflecting upon his time at Atlantic Aviation’s helm, Mr. Pepper confided: “It has been a pleasure to work with the incredibly talented and passionate Atlantic Aviation team as we built the company into the industry leader it is today. I am incredibly proud of everything we have accomplished and built together. I am confident in Jeff’s ability to lead Atlantic Aviation through its next phase of growth, and I look forward to supporting Jeff and the company through my Board role.”

The last several years have seen Atlantic Aviation strategically add to its presence at key destinations. In summer 2022, the company acquired Blue Heron Aviation, thereby extending the reach of its services to Providenciales International Airport (PLS) in Turks and Caicos. The acquisition at DAL is the largest single FBO purchase Atlantic Aviation has made in the last ten-years.

Atlantic Aviation’s facilities provide a full suite of critical services to the business aviation sector. In addition to ramp space, fueling and line services, ground transportation, catering, and aircraft hangaring and deicing, Atlantic offers operators comprehensive aircraft logistical and maintenance services, to include: Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO); one-time-parts provision and/or comprehensive part supply-chain management, and avionics installations, upgrades, and repairs.

FMI: www.atlanticaviation.com