Delta Private Jets announces key executive appointments

Industry veterans Jeff Mihalic is now President & Chief Executive Officer and Lee Gossett is Senior Vice President – Operations & Chief Operating Officer

If you read Private Jet Card Comparisons, you will know Delta Private Jets has a new boss since we broke the news back on November 11, but it’s now apparently official, and comes with a second appointment we hadn’t previously covered. Jeff Mihalic who is the new CEO replaces Gary Hammes, who has taken a new leadership role in Delta Air Lines Technical Operations and is serving on the Board of Directors for Delta Private Jets to allow for a smooth transition. At the same time, Lee Gossett is now Senior Vice President – Operations and Chief Operating Officer.

“Delta Private Jets is a thriving organization built on best industry practices of taking care of our clients and our people better than anyone else,” Mihalic said. “Since taking on this role, I have been meeting with our employees and clients to understand their perspective on our business so that we can deliver on our long-standing commitment to superior luxury travel.”

In a press release from DPJ, Gossett said he is excited to work with Mihalic on the Delta Private Jets leadership team. “Our clients expect and deserve the best operational performance in the business,” Gossett said. “I look forward to working closely with Jeff to support our incredible team in building on our offering to drive business growth for the long term.”

A 40-year aviation industry veteran, Mihalic brings a wealth of leadership experience that will help Delta Private Jets continue to grow. He joined Delta in 2015 to launch Delta Material Services (DMS), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines. He had been President of DMS and served on its Board of Directors before assuming his current position.

Prior to joining Delta, Mihalic was Senior Vice President of Greenwich AeroGroup, where he led three portfolio companies providing maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) and manufacturing services in the corporate and military aviation sectors for Boeing, Dassault, Pilatus and Sikorsky. Before that, Mihalic was Senior Vice President – Operations for Q Aviation, a commercial aircraft leasing business. Mihalic also served as the President and CEO of Intermet Corporation, an automotive components manufacturer.

Mihalic’s experience also includes a stint as Vice President and General Manager of Customer Service for Commercial Aircraft at Bombardier Aerospace, leading an international team of 1,200 employees. There, Mihalic was responsible for supporting Bombardier’s worldwide fleet of commercial aircraft and profit centers for training, spare parts and aircraft maintenance.

Prior to Bombardier, Mihalic held several senior management positions with United Airlines in the company’s surplus aircraft sales group, as well as key roles in engine maintenance operations and strategic planning. Mihalic began his career at Boeing as an engineer responsible for the implementation of interior manufacturing processes and flight line operations supporting the introduction of the company’s 767 model airplane. Mihalic earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Colorado and an MBA from the University of Puget Sound.

Gossett is now responsible for driving operational excellence, safety, and regulatory compliance throughout all areas of the business. As COO, Gossett will develop teams that drive superior results for Delta Private Jets’ clients and develop future leaders. Gossett is responsible for the safe and compliant execution of all maintenance, flight operations and system operations related activities for Delta Private Jets. He also serves as the Director of Maintenance (DOM) for the operating certificate and all regulatory activities.

Gossett joined Delta Private Jets after spending 26 years at Delta Air Lines, where he served as Vice President of Line Maintenance. There he managed a budget of more than $600 million, oversaw maintenance on nearly 800 aircraft and managed more than 3,800 employees worldwide. Gossett led his team to record levels of on-time departures and achieved the lowest cancellation rate for maintenance. Gossett also served as Delta’s DOM for 10 years.

Gossett is a veteran of the United States Air Force, where he served as a B-52 mechanic. He holds an Airframe and Powerplant mechanic license and an Associate’s Degree from Louisiana Tech and The Community College of the Air Force. He has also completed Emory University’s Executive Development Program at Goizueta Business School.