Here it is for ya.
From: Christine Herchick
Sent: Thursday, December 19, 2013
To: All Employees
Subject: Flight Options End of Year Announcement from Kenn Ricci
Dear Flight Options Team Member,
With the acquisition of Flexjet by Directional Aviation Capital (DAC) complete, the senior leadership team and I have been in the midst of conducting a deep analysis of both organizations.
In any transition, you strive to retain what works and search for opportunities for improvement. The senior leadership team and I are focused on identifying and enhancing best practices across the company. Now, more than ever, we need to keep an open mind to new ideas and also realize that just because something is being reviewed or changed, it is not a reflection on any deficiency or shortcoming; but reflective of a change in vision and a desire for us to be the best at what we do.
Having been involved in acquiring companies before, I can tell you that we can all do two things to make it a success. First, is to stay focused on providing an excellent customer experience. Second, is to overly communicate. Don?t be afraid to ask for information or provide excess information when you are asked.
Staying with the theme of communicating, I wanted you to be aware of some of my thoughts on how I see our leadership team and their responsibilities shaping up for the future:
I have asked Mike Silvestro as CEO of Flight Options and Deanna White as CEO of Flexjet to work together to drive the revenue and operational strategies for our two closed fleet business units. In this joint effort, Deanna will assume responsibilities for the Finance and Operations teams while Mike will assume responsibilities for the revenue and owner-facing teams including Sales, Marketing, Contracts, CAM, and Strategy. Mike and Deanna will work with Kevin Vaughan, from the DAC team, to develop business plans and drive improvements across the organizations.
We have also identified key resources within our organizations to assume additional responsibilities. As a first step, Megan Wolf will assume the role of VP of Owner Experience across both organizations ? overseeing Flight Options? Owner Services group, as well as Flexjet?s Customer Account Management team. Additionally, in the coming weeks, we will establish shared services across the storefronts. In the initial phase, Flight Options and Flexjet?s Legal, Human Resources, and Information Systems departments will combine their teams to drive efficiencies while maintaining and enhancing the vital support they provide. As part of this effort, Deb Perelman will lead the Legal team. Bob Sullivan, with the support of Amy Mallouf from Flexjet, will lead the Human Resource group. Cathy Santeiu from Flexjet will assume the role of VP of Information Technology.
After the holiday season, I invite you to join me on January 29 in the Flight Options ramp and right side training rooms for an employee meeting. At this meeting, I will discuss the future vision for Flight Options. The invites for this meeting will be sent to you shortly.
As we begin this new chapter in our organization, we remain committed to our Three Fundamental Principles, as well as to providing a premium private jet travel experience. Thank you for your continued dedication and hard work. I look forward to the New Year and the tremendous opportunities that lie ahead for all of us. Have a safe holiday season with your families.
Best,
Kenn Ricci
Principal, Directional Aviation Capital