Jim Rankin has joined West Star Aviation as its new CEO. Bob Rasberry is now chairman of the board, with Rodger Renaud continuing as president and chief operating officer at the company.
Rankin began his career in aviation as a pilot, flying for Midwest Airlines and accruing more than 11,000 flight hours. He held positions as chief pilot and director of operations, before being named president and CEO at Skyway Airlines, a regional airline subsidiary of Midwest Airlines, in 2000. He then accepted the position of president and CEO at Air Wisconsin Airlines, a 70-aircraft American Eagle carrier. Most recently, he was the president and CEO of Oregon-based Columbia Helicopters. Rankin will be based at West Star Aviation’s facility in East Alton, Illinois.
“I am pleased to have Jim join our team,” said Rasberry. “He has a 30-year aviation background with more than 18 years of experience in the CEO role, successfully leading executive teams and companies. Jim’s customer and employee-centric focus aligns perfectly with our company values, paving the way for a smooth transition. I will continue on with the West Star family as chairman of the board, working with Jim and the management team to continue our heritage of providing an industry-leading customer experience, and maintaining our commitment to our employees.”
“I’m extremely excited to be joining West Star Aviation, the number one MRO provider in the industry,” said Rankin. “West Star is a customer- and employee-focused company and I’m looking forward to leading the West Star team as we add new hangar capacity at both our East Alton and Chattanooga locations.”
May 10, 2018
