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It wasn’t the luxury of private jets or visions of a family business that started George Priester down the runway of Priester Aviation in 1945. It was friendship and a desire to help.
“My grandfather was exceptionally intuitive and hardworking,” recalls George’s grandson Andy Priester, CEO and third-generation chairman of George J. Priester Aviation. “He was a railroad fireman; he shoveled coal into steam engines on trains and fixed cars on the side to make ends meet. When someone came into the garage with an airplane that needed to be repaired, he took the opportunity and grew it into Priester Aviation.”
Three generations later, the Priester family now runs the largest family-owned management and charter company in the world, with a fleet of more than 90 aircraft worldwide, from Bangkok to Chicago. But while the fleet has grown, Priester values remain the same.
“I enjoy the excitement of aviation, but more than that, I value the legacy my family has created," says Andy. “Our company is built on client relationships and trust, which began with the first plane my grandfather fixed.”
“Do What You Love”
On top of luxurious travel, personalized private aviation provides flexibility and efficiency, allowing customers to spend less time waiting in airports and more time dedicated to the things they love.
“There’s a positive learning curve when customers move from commercial airlines to private aviation,” says Andy. “Say you’re taking a weekend ski trip to Colorado; without private aviation, you drive to the airport on Friday morning, wait hours for a flight, land in Denver, and then drive a few more hours to reach the mountains. Private aviation allows you to land in the mountains and spend more time on the slopes.”
In addition to cutting down on hours spent traveling, this personalized approach is centered on getting to know the client and learning how to personalize their experience, whether that means preparing mint juleps and breakfast for a flight to the Kentucky Derby or getting beach toys and coloring books for a family trip to the beach.
Acquiring a Fleet
When Andy took charge of the family business, his vision for growth involved creating strategic partnerships by acquiring like-minded companies across the country under the umbrella of George J. Priester Aviation.
The goal isn’t to change companies, but to enhance them with shared resources and values to better serve the customers who trusted Priester Aviation for generations. Since 2022, Mayo Aviation and Hill Private Aviation have joined Priester Aviation under the George J. Priester Aviation family of companies. Mayo Aviation and Hill Private Aviation are both second-generation, family-led companies in Denver and Atlanta with roots dating back to the 1950s.
“I made a commitment to the Mayo and Hill families that their companies will continue in Denver as Mayo Aviation and in Atlanta as Hill Private Aviation because that name means something to the community,” says Andy. “Together, we can approach the market to demand better pricing on insurance, maintenance, and fuel with unified systems that create a more efficient product for customers and aircraft owners across the country.”
888-323-7887 priesterav.com
303-792-4000 mayoaviation.com
678-539-6313 hillprivateav.com
Contact Info:
Name: Maddie Priester
Email: Send Email
Organization: George J. Priester Aviation
Address: Chicago Executive Airport -- 1061 S. Wolf Rd. Chicago, IL
Phone: (847) 537-1133
Website: https://gjpaviation.com
Release ID: 89139655
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