STRATOS JET CHARTERS - Key Persons
Anthony Angelini can't be away from the ocean for long. When not getting his saltwater fix fishing with his family in the Bahamas, the Fort Lauderdale native shares his passion for sales and helping people get to their destinations. Working since he was 15, Anthony put himself through school at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, where he majored in Integrated Business. Fortunately, he ended up in aviation, and eventually with Stratos Jet Charters. Anthony appreciates that Stratos CEO and President Joel Thomas puts full trust in his team to deliver the best possible experience for clients. "It's all about building and nurturing relationships. This is my passion. I love helping my clients. Even if I'm not able to make a sale, I'm so happy just to educate my clients and build relationships with them."
A native of West Palm Beach, Florida, Brittany was born into an aviation family. Her love of travel and aircraft comes from her grandmother, who retired with United Airlines and her mother who is a longtime veteran in the private aviation industry.
After graduating from the University of Alabama with a Bachelors of Science degree in Management and Hospitality, Brittany relocated back to her hometown to work in the hospitality industry.
Brittany's career then shifted towards sales, where she soared at catering to clients' every need and going above and beyond to ensure they receive the best possible experience. Her strong work ethic and knowledge of the aviation industry aligns with Stratos Jet's winning philosophy to build and nurture relationships with their clients. Whether you're flying for business or pleasure, Brittany is excited to assist you with your travel needs.
When she is not working, you can find Brittany departing on a trip herself or spending time at home with her dogs or somewhere on the water, with her family and friends. She looks forward to assisting you with your next travel adventure!
Daniel Morejon is very family and friend oriented. He loves to surround himself with sports and invests much of his free time in the gym. Daniel grew up playing football and played at the collegiate level for Ohio Northern University. Shortly after his football career, he became a firefighter/paramedic and is now in aviation.
Job Titles:
- Chief Operating Officer - COO
A visionary executive with demonstrated success in highly competitive markets. Darren Engle has over twenty years of industry experience in the technology sector with a focus on high-growth. He's held executive-level titles in both product and service-based organizations from start-up to mid-cap and is considered by cohorts and peers to be a results-oriented serial entrepreneur with a tenacious drive for securing customer loyalty, building intellectual capital, increasing brand recognition, and maximizing earning potential in team-centric environments.
Dedicated to solving social and business problems with industrial analytics, data science, and servant leadership, Mr. Engle is well-versed in
David has extensive operational and finance experience working with companies to accelerate growth by developing comprehensive plans and strategies across a broad range of categories and business models. He has worked within a wide range of industries over the past 10 years, assessing and implementing transformative processes, financial models, and systems. Before this, David held a variety of positions for 17 years with Charles Schwab. As a Managing Director at Schwab, he had responsibility for multiple revenue products, including Initial Public Offerings & Secondary Offerings, Load Mutual Fund trading, Options & Futures trading and East Coast High Net Worth active trading clients.
David is involved in the Orlando Community. David is a past Treasury and Board Member of Habitat of Humanity Seminole and Apopka and is currently the chair of the Investment Committee. He was also on the Board of Directors for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Central Florida and has chaired a number of Fundraising events. David was the community liaison for Charles Schwab in Orlando and directed employee volunteer efforts at Ronald McDonald House, Second Harvest, and Green-Up Orlando.
David holds a Bachelor of Science in Financial Management from Southern Illinois University and a master's in business administration from the Crummer Graduate School at Rollins College.
Glenn Walters grew up in a suburb of the Windy City and is now a proud Floridian - though he remains a Chicago Bears fan. Since joining Stratos in 2018, Glenn has built a reputation for providing clients with the best aircraft options and connecting them with preferred operators. He believes that asking the right questions and working with clients to meet their needs is what sets him and the Stratos team apart from other private charter brokers. "The travel industry is a huge world, but it's a small world when it comes to those who fly privately consistently. As the first point of contact, it's our job to meet client expectations while providing them with the very best customer experience," he says. When not cheering on the Bears, Glenn loves to head to St. Petersburg or travel abroad.
Joel Thomas - CEO, Chairman, President
Job Titles:
- CEO
- Chairman
- President
- President & CEO, Instrument Rated Pilot
- Stratos' CEO
Joel Thomas appointed as Chairman of the Air Charter Association of North America
Joel Thomas still remembers the day he fell in love with aviation. His dad, who had just earned his private pilot's license, picked Joel up from school, took him to the Orlando Executive Airport, and told him they were going for a burger-in the Bahamas. Soaring above the barrier islands in his dad's 1960 V-tail Bonanza M35 for the first time, Joel was hooked.
After attending the University of Central Florida where he worked toward a finance degree, Joel went on to work as an investment advisor at a large investment firm. His passion for aviation led him back to the local airport where he spent so many boyhood summers, and to a chance encounter in which Joel's dad hinted he would make a great jet charter broker.
In 2006, Joel founded Stratos Jet Charters, Inc. Since then, Joel has focused on guiding his company with a vision to always do what's best for the customer, to help them make informed buying decisions, and to always recommend only the safest options. Through his advocacy for safety in the private jet charter services industry, he has served as president and chairman of the Air Charters Association of North America (ACANA), and Stratos was one of the first jet charter companies to become an ARGUS Certified Broker.
Joel has led Stratos toward a number of significant firsts. This includes the Marketplace platform that gives travelers unrivaled access to aircraft availability and quotes, and the SOAR program that combines the guaranteed availability of membership with the flexibility and savings of on-demand jet charters.
More than 15 years into the business and now with his own pilot's license, Joel is still as passionate about flying and providing a private flying experience that raises the bar for safety, service, and client education.
Job Titles:
- Managing Partner - Palm Beach
When Kerry Hill heard Stratos CEO Joel Thomas speak at an aviation safety meeting in Miami in 2012, she was so impressed with his ethics and commitment to safety, she knew she had to continue her aviation career with Stratos. Today, Kerry is proud to serve clients across South Florida and the United States as well as Canada, Europe and Australia. After graduating from New York University with a bachelor's degree in communications, Kerry worked as a TV news reporter and raised two daughters before beginning her career in private aviation. When she's not assisting clients with their flights, Kerry enjoys playing tennis in a women's league in Palm Beach County, traveling with her husband and daughters, and spending time with her two dogs, a German Shepherd and a Pomeranian. If you ask Kerry what's most important in her role helping clients make the most of their travels, she says, "Getting to really know my clients, their likes and dislikes, is key. I want to go above and beyond their expectations and provide the personal touch they deserve."
Kyle Jones has always had an interest in aviation. While his grandfather served as a Delta Air Lines captain for 35 years, Kyle's path took him to the military. After graduating high school south of Atlanta, he found himself stationed in St. Louis, MO, Columbus, GA, Fort Bragg, NC, and Vincenza, Italy. He served for six years and considered pursuing aviation in the military but was eager to have other life experiences. After finishing engineering school and working in luxury car sales, Kyle met Stratos CEO Joel Thomas in Florida. He was encouraged to join the Stratos team, as it meshed his interpersonal and organization skills with his love of aviation. "I love aviation, so working with Stratos makes me more passionate and eager to represent the company and discuss all issues with my clients and be 100 per cent transparent." Kyle's military days haven't completely left him. Instead of running obstacle courses, he now competes in CrossFit competitions and the occasional 5K race.
Leslie grew up loving travel, adventure, and the outdoors which led her to aviation in 2009. She received her pilot's license in 2011 and a B.S degree in Aviation Management in 2012. Between 2011-2014, she visited Florida multiple times and knew she always wanted to move to Florida one day to enjoy the active outdoor lifestyle all year round. She finally made that wish come alive this year by moving from Virginia to Orlando. She enjoys walking her dog, wakeboarding, flying, and tennis. She is looking forward to exploring more of Florida on her time off.
At the age of 19, Mark Willberg decided to leave his childhood home in Fort Lauderdale in pursuit of a true college experience in central Florida. A musician at heart, Mark spent his weekends frequenting local concerts, some of which he played in, after weekdays filled with arduous studies. During his final year at the University of Central Florida, Mark decided to spend a year in the Pacific Northwest in Seattle, Washington. So much flying back and forth must've stuck, because shortly after his move back, Mark found himself as a trip support associate at Stratos Jet Charters, Inc after receiving a hybrid degree in English/Communications. In the office, Mark supports the charter team by making booking all the way to wheels-up as seamless and stress-free as possible for all parties involved. At home, Mark is an avid vinyl record collector and runner. "Whether I'm speaking in regard to the work itself or the team that I work with, it's easy to say that being a member of the Stratos team is the best job I've ever had".
Randy Schuette says he has never forgotten the lessons learned while growing up on his family's 300-acre dairy farm in south-central Wisconsin. Hard work, honesty, and treating people with respect are all examples of his upbringing.
Randy received his BS at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and has brought a strong work ethic to every job he has held since, including as a member of the engineering department of a major medical company and in medical sales and sales management.
In 2001, Randy changed directions from medical sales and started selling private aircraft. In 2006 he was recruited as director of sales with Air Orlando Sales, Inc., the world's largest new Cessna aircraft dealer. Looking to further his career, Randy joined Stratos Jet Charters after being recruited by fellow Stratos team member Steve Stogner and Stratos President Joel Thomas.
Bitten by the aviation bug early on, Randy is also a pilot and received his private pilot license in the mid-1980s. He has his single-engine land and single-engine sea, instrument rating, and helicopter pilot rating. Besides flying, Randy is an avid motorcycle enthusiast, and also loves the outdoors.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Trip Support Associate
Rodney Diaz is a trip support associate at Stratos Jet Charters, Inc. Originally from the island of Puerto Rico. At age 11, Rodney moved to Florida to go live with his grandparents. He instantly fell in love with sports after going to his first NBA and NFL games, becoming an Orlando Magic and Jacksonville Jaguars fan. Rodney enjoys going to the beach, playing basketball and visiting family as often as possible. Enjoys traveling and finding "hole in the wall" restaurants when he travels. He attended the University of Central Florida and received a degree in Health Services Administration. After working in healthcare for 6 years, Rodney took on a new challenge and joined Stratos where he supports the charter team to make sure that our clients have an A+ experience. "I'm extremely grateful to be able to be part of this team. It really feels like family."
Job Titles:
- West Coast Sales Director
From the East Coast to the West Coast, Simon Christian believes that safety and customer service are first when it comes to helping clients with their private charter needs. "I like to make sure my clients know that we care about their well-being first and foremost," says Simon. "Our clients are often traveling with their family and friends, and we need to make sure they feel a high level of customer service and care." Originally from South Florida, Simon has lived in Los Angeles for the past seven years and has spent the same amount of time working in the aviation industry. Soon after being introduced to Stratos CEO Joel Thomas through a mutual friend in 2015, Simon realized he wanted to join Stratos. He says the team is one of the best parts of working at Stratos: "We are all hard-working and positive people who want to help each other succeed. A team like this is hard to come by." Fully immersed in the West Coast lifestyle, Simon loves to stay active and enjoys live music and great food. His favorite travel destination is Spain.
With more than 15 years of solution sales and technology recruiting under his belt, Steve Stogner is usually the person you call when you're looking to solve technical problems or shortages. That's how Steve began his journey with Stratos Jet Charters.
Steve originally met Stratos' CEO Joel Thomas when both attended the University of Central Florida. He worked as a director at an IT recruitment firm in his hometown of Orlando before spending some years in Atlanta with one of the world's largest health system software providers.
Job Titles:
- Sales Director - Charleston, SC
With over 5 years of B2B and luxury sales experience, Zach Rankin is a 27 year old, originally born and raised in South Carolina.
Zach is an avid sports fan with strong allegiance to the professional teams in Minnesota due to his father's imparted fandom.
Pursuing this love for sports while combining it with a strong business acumen led him to attend the University of South Carolina, where he graduated with Honors from the Darla Moore School of Business with a BS in Sport and Entertainment Management.
While completing his degree requirements working an internship in San Francisco for Super Bowl 50, he had his first glimpse into the world of private aviation-and was hooked immediately. It was during this time as an intern that Zach originally crossed paths with CEO Joel Thomas at a "Suits and Sneakers" Super Bowl party.
Taking a brief hiatus from the private jet world for medical reasons, Zach spent the next two years working in Healthcare Staffing, specializing there in new client acquisition and contract generation.
However, the "avgeek" in Zach could not keep him away from the industry for too long. This lead him to his present opportunity as a member of Stratos Jets sales team.
When Zach isn't working hard to give you the best solutions available in the charter market, he is playing and watching sports (Go Twins, Go Vikings, Go Wild, and Go Twolves), watching movies, playing with his dog, and volunteering at his local children's hospital.