The Everest Executive Team

Kenneth Ricci, Chairman

Kenn Ricci has spent over 30 years developing innovative services in the aviation industry. Beginning with the founding of Corporate Wings in 1980, Kenn led the success of many aviation entities including Flight Options, Mercury Air centers Inertial Airline Services and Nextant Aerospace. Today, Kenn is the principal of Directional Aviation Capital, a private investment firm whose vision and experience bring a unique understanding to financing and enhancing the value of business aviation assets.

Kenn has been honored as an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of Year in 2000 and has been named one the most influential people in aviation by Aviation International News. In 2010 Kenn received the Harvard Business School’s Dively Entrepreneurship Award and recently was the youngest recipient of the prestigious William Ong Award for extraordinary achievement and extended meritorious service to the general aviation industry.

Kenn is a graduate of The University of Notre Dame and The Cleveland Marshall School of Law. He is an airline transport pilot license with extensive international experience and was Governor William Clinton's pilot when he ran for President in 1992.

Michael Rossi, Chief Financial Officer

Mike Rossi began his aviation career at Corporate Wings in 1984 and has spent the last 25 years developing innovative business strategies within the industry. Mike also served as the President of Inertial Airline Services through 2001.

Today Mike is a principal in Directional Capital, which invests in and operates various segments of General Aviation: Charter, Management, Fractional, Aircraft Maintenance and FBO’s. Mike’s other business interests include involvement with the accounting firm Rossi, Schlotter & Co., CPA which has assisted many businesses in the areas of planning and growth.

A graduate of John Carroll University, Mike is a Certified Public Accountant and holds a Series 7 License.

Chris Herzberg comes to Everest with over 30 years of general aviation experience with emphasis in Fractional Management, FBO leadership, customer relations and brand standardization.

After studying Business Administration at Kent State University, Chris joined Corporate Wings, an industry leading fixed-base operation, located in Cleveland and Columbus Ohio, Rochester New York and South Bend Indiana.

In 1998, Chris became Executive Vice President of Operations for Flight Options. In this role Chris oversaw flight, owner services, aircraft scheduling, logistics and crew scheduling for an aircraft fleet of over 200 aircraft.

Chris left Flight Options in late 2004 to become President of Corporate Wings, and then COO in 2006. Chris returned to Flight Options as the company’s Chief Operating Officer in 2008.

Prior to Everest, Chandra was the Director of the Fuel Management Program for Sentient Flight Group where she built the operational platform and strong service culture for fuel management. Before Sentient, Chandra was a Regional Manager for Ascent Aviation Group, a leading distributor for ConocoPhillips. In this role, Chandra focused on downstream distribution of aviation fuels and branding FBOs. Prior to Ascent, Chandra was a sales and account manager for a national aviation fuel reseller. Before starting her career in fuel, Chandra worked for Delta Air Lines in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Chandra received her Bachelors of Business Administration degree from the University of Oklahoma with a dual major in Management and Marketing.

Since joining the Everest business in 2008, Damon has also held positions as Treasurer, and Senior Director of Financial Planning at Sentient Flight Group. Before that time, Damon was the Operational Controller at Standex International, Inc. (NYSE: SXI), and Manager in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group and the audit group at Ernst & Young in Texas. Damon has leadership experience in Corporate Finance and Accounting, including financial operations, financial planning and analysis, treasury, corporate audit, mergers and acquisitions, internal controls, and private and public company financial reporting. Damon is a licensed C.P.A. in the State of Texas and holds a Bachelor Degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Masters of Business Administration from Northeastern University.