Kenneth Ricci has spent over 25 years developing innovative services in the aviation industry. Kenn founded Corporate Wings, an aircraft management and charter operation providing charter flight service to corporate clients. He expanded Corporate Wings’ operations to include other aviation support services including aircraft maintenance, fueling and storage.
 Kenneth Ricci In 1998, Kenn revolutionized the fractional aircraft ownership industry by founding Flight Options. His marketing and strategic leadership took the company from inception to annual sales of more than $600M in a period of 4 years. A pioneer in the field, Flight Options outperformed over 50 other start-ups in this industry. Flight Options merged with Raytheon Travel Air in 2002, and with a fleet of over 200 aircraft, 1,500 employees and almost 1,000 pilots, Kenn had grown Flight Options to rank as the second largest company in the industry. In July of 2008, Kenn was once again named Chairman of Flight Options. Through Corporate Wings, Kenn recently restructured the Mercury Air Centers, a $200mil company operating aircraft support facilities at 24 different airports. Acquiring a stake in 2005, Kenn, as CEO of the company realigned its operating divisions, deployed $245mil of invested capital and sold the Company to Macquarie Infrastructure Trust in 2007 in a deal valued at $615mil. Under Kenn’s leadership, Corporate Wings was named to the Inc. 500. For nine consecutive years, Corporate Wings was included in the Weatherhead 100. He is also a four time recipient of the NEO success award for business growth. Kenn was 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. Kenn graduated from the University of Notre Dame and the Cleveland Marshall School of Law. He holds an airline transport pilot license with more than 6,000 hours. A member of the Young Presidents Organization, Kenn also serves on the Business Advisory Council of the University of Notre Dame and the Board of Trustees of University Hospitals, Gilmour Academy, The Catholic Leadership Institute, and several Corporate Boards. Kenn’s management strategies have been featured in the Wall Street Journal and Inc. Magazine. He is the Author of “Management by Trust”, a book featuring practical management techniques for building employee trust and success. |
