NBAA Names the 2025 Business Aviation Top 40 Under 40

Contact: Dan Hubbard, 202-431-5970, dhubbard@nbaa.org

Washington, DC, Sept. 4, 2025 – The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) today announced the 2025 Business Aviation Top 40 Under 40, which recognizes rising leaders who are driving innovation within the industry.

“NBAA is proud to welcome the newest class of Business Aviation Top 40 Under 40,” said NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen. “This year’s honorees bring a wide range of experience and skills, showcasing leadership across numerous sectors within business aviation. Each year we receive hundreds of nominations, and the 2025 class truly represents the best of the best in our industry.”

Candidates are nominated by other industry members and the final Business Aviation Top 40 Under 40 recipients are selected by NBAA’s Young Professionals (YoPro) Council, a group of business aviation professionals and NBAA staff liaisons working to build relationships between the industry’s emerging leaders.

The 2025 Business Aviation Top 40 Under 40 recipients are:

Airport Business

• Lance Bagnoff – Allegheny County Airport Authority
• Maria “Majo” Perdomo Cuevas – Million Air
• Cole Hartfiel – Sacramento County Department of Airports
• Emily Herron – Henderson City-County Airport
• Ryan O’Rear – Williston Basin International Airport
• Myles Parris, C.M. – Hillsborough County Aviation Authority

Broker/Sales

• Kyle Canna – Guardian Jet
• Antonio Ferrara – Aviators for Autism
• Nikki Higgins – Jet Aviation
• Tom Lelyo – Jet Life Aero
• Christian Schuster – Textron Aviation
• Kara Wolf – Honeywell Aerospace

Business Management

• Theresa Daly – Bombardier
• Rachel Douglass – Textron eAviation
• Jamie Harder – Duncan Aviation
• Michael James – WAir Charter & Travel
• Brandon Martini – Stratus Financial LLC
• Patrick O’Brien – Execaire Aviation
• Kelly Pryor – Thrive Aviation
• Josh Reckley – Otter Air Services
• Miller Stallings – TITAN
• Joseph Michael Toomey – Clay Lacy Aviation

Innovation and Technology

• Joshua Bell – Textron Aviation
• Mikael Cardinal – Unither Bioelectronics
• Cynthia Comer – Wisk Aero 
• Shawna Livingston – Raisbeck Engineering Inc.

Maintenance

• Stephanie Alexander – Duncan Aviation
• Joseph “Jesse” Hipp, CAM – IAC/Expedia Global LLC
• Kyle Long – Heritage Aviation
• Steve F. Loree – Loree Air, Inc.
• John Markoski – Honda Aero
• Jacob Mergler – Jets MRO
• Amanda Ochs – Spirit Aeronautics
• Mitch Patterson – Executive Jet Management (EJM)

Marketing

• Linda Li – Banyan Air Service

Pilot

• Mike Bradfield – Textron Aviation
• Sierra Marie Curtis – Benson Pacific
• Brandi L. Rector – Semper Fly Helicopters

Scheduler/Dispatcher

• Kody Bjork – Clay Lacy Aviation
• Andrew Stylianou – Pfizer

Learn more about the 2025 Business Aviation Top 40 Under 40 recipients.

Learn more about the NBAA Business Aviation Top 40 Under 40 program.

This year’s class of Business Aviation Top 40 Under 40 recipients will be recognized at the 2025 NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), place Oct. 14-16 in Las Vegas. Watch: NBAA 40 Under 40 award recipients talk about their plans for this year’s NBAA-BACE and explain why you need to be there.

NBAA-BACE is the world’s most powerful business aviation event of the year, showcasing the industry’s latest innovations and services, and hosting the leaders who are shaping its future. Learn more about NBAA-BACE.

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Founded in 1947 and based in Washington, DC, the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) is the leading organization for companies that rely on general aviation aircraft to help make their businesses more efficient, productive and successful. The association represents more than 10,000 company and professional members and provides more than 100 products and services to the business aviation community, including the NBAA Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (NBAA-BACE), the world’s largest civil aviation trade show. Learn more about NBAA at nbaa.org.

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