Mr. Thomas W. Mitchell, Executive Vice President of Essex Aviation Group, Inc. brings nearly 40 years of experience in the business aviation industry.
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Executive Vice President
Thomas W. Mitchell
Mr. Thomas W. Mitchell, Executive Vice President of Essex Aviation Group, Inc., leverages over 45 years of experience in the business aviation industry. Mr. Mitchell joined Essex Aviation Group (“EAG”) in 2014, bringing a variety of unique skills and experiences that have consistently contributed to EAG’s valuable client-facing recommendations and insights. Tom’s extensive aviation experience includes aviation consulting, aircraft operations, senior management roles of large aviation companies, asset value analysis and working with lenders and aviation attorneys on a variety of significant aviation industry-related projects.
Tom held positions with Jet Aviation for nearly twenty years, including Senior Vice President and a member of the Board of Directors. As part of his responsibilities and leadership, he was directly accountable for four (4) U.S.-based FBO facilities including Jet Aviation’s FAA Part 145 Certified Repair Stations at Teterboro, NJ, Bedford, MA, West Palm Beach, FL and Dallas, TX. These facilities provided aircraft support of heavy maintenance, paint, interior, avionics and structural engineering for various mid-size and large-cabin size business aircraft.
Tom then served as a department manager for a Fortune 100 company, where he contributed to implementing and monitoring operating budgets and managing the technical activities of the company’s five (5) large-cabin, long-range business aircraft. He also managed new aircraft completions and refurbishment projects by way of personal oversight, contract negotiations, monitoring vendor performance and final delivery. Tom introduced a series of risk management programs and co-authored the development of the company’s “Safety Management System.”
Early in his career, Tom served as a Director of Maintenance for FAR Part 135 charter providers, operating business aircraft and helicopters. He gained hands-on aircraft maintenance experience and designed and built an authorized turbine engine repair facility that performed major repairs on Pratt and Whitney, Lycoming turbine and General Electric engines.
Tom is an FAA licensed Aviation Maintenance Technician and holds an FAA Inspectors Authorization. He has attended Harvard Business School’s Executive Education Program for Senior Executives, American Management Corporation’s Marketing and Accounting Principles, ARGUS’ Safety Management Systems course and Flight Safety International’s Cockpit Resource Management. Tom has also received technical training on Cessna, Bombardier, Dassault, General Electric, Gulfstream, Rolls Royce, Honeywell and Pratt & Whitney products. Tom’s management, operational and technical experience, combined with his varied business achievements, offers a valuable perspective for clients making a variety of decisions in today’s business aviation landscape.
“Essex Aviation facilitated an end-of-lease process for a large aircraft and assisted us with structuring a subsequent lease extension. The transactions had several challenging issues that required expert counseling and negotiation. The Essex team is friendly, prompt, easy to work with, and most importantly, simply the best at what they do. We couldn’t be happier with the outcome.”
Joe Stone, CFO
Sartini Enterprises, Inc.
“Lee and Tom are the dynamic duo you've been looking for. Their collective skills provide exacting coverage on every detail needed when considering an airplane purchase or refurbishment. I worked with them on a lengthy process, from identification of plane, purchase, full refurbishment, staff assignments thru delivery. I was never once disappointed. Perfect personalities for even the pickiest of clients!”
Heidi M.
“Knowledgeable. Informed. Competent. Thorough. Practical. Candid. Professional. Responsive. Efficient.”
Tony R., CFO
Northeast Based Family Office
“Essex Aviation’s guidance and data analysis was crucial to our successful first CJ3 lease and later our CJ4 purchase. The expertise of Essex allowed us to understand more fully our flight metrics, history, costs and how to match our future aviation needs with available options in a way that would not have been possible on our own.”
Alexandra Glazier, President and CEO
New England Donor Services
“Lee, Tom and the team at Essex have worked with us over the years on a variety of fixed wing, rotor and other special projects, performing to superior standards throughout. We initially went through an industry downselect to compete them against their peers and they surfaced as the best fit for us. We continue to be very happy with the relationship.”
Mike D.
Northeast Based Family Office
“We had a very positive experience with Essex. We found them to be competent, professional and objective. They dedicated a significant amount of time to providing an extremely insightful evaluation of our aircraft division. The report detailed strengths and weaknesses in our operation, together with constructive recommendations . They interacted very well with the staff and were able to elicit accurate and honest information.”
Michael M.
Northeast based Family Office
“Throughout my career as a family office executive, Essex Aviation has been my go to aviation expert. Lee and Tom have guided me through the most complex aircraft acquisition while being able to meet difficult client deadlines. The Essex team has provided key analysis ranging from the mundane, such as the interpretation of the placement of a placard on an aircraft to negotiations relating to an engine care program. Lee and Tom are key partners in all aspects of family office aviation matters.”
John Castrucci, Family Office Executive & Founder
Global Family Office Advisors
“I engaged Essex Aviation to prepare an analysis of large cabin aircraft that best met my needs. Their process was comprehensive and thorough. After an exhaustive search of available aircraft, they represented me on the acquisition, negotiation and importation of a long range aircraft and then oversaw a comprehensive customization of the entire plane. Throughout the process, Essex was a knowledgeable, trustworthy and detail oriented partner.”
Daniel R.
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