Falcon Aviation Services, Inc., has added three new members to its staff of aviation professionals. Lidden Pate has joined the Falcon management team as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), while Ray Sluk has joined the company as Director of Business Development and Andrea Van Buren has joined Falcon Aviation as Operations Manager.

Pate, as CFO, will be responsible for the company’s financial operations including aircraft sales, leasebacks, managed aircraft, charter aircraft and maintenance support services. Pate is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and spent seven years as a Supply Corps Officer in the U.S. Navy. He has a diverse business background that includes serving as manager of business development for American President Lines, an international shipping and logistics company and as a general business consultant with J.A. Saveker Company, where he concentrated on operational and financial controls. He is also a business owner, having founded Ace Aviation Insurance in 2000.

As Director of Business Development, Sluk will be responsible for aircraft acquisition, including charter and managed aircraft, flight school fleet growth and marketing. He is a former Vice President of Federal Express, International Operations and is the founder of his own leadership and logistics consulting company, Exponential Business Improvement. Sluk received his undergraduate degree in business logistics from Pennsylvania State University and his MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. He is also a pilot and flight instructor.

In her new role, Van Buren will oversee all daily operations involving maintenance, flight operations, marketing development, coordination of charter flights and business development. A graduate of Auburn University with a degree in aviation management, she has been flying for 13 years and is a certified commercial pilot. She is a first lieutenant with the Civil Air Patrol and PDK Senior Squadron’s Personnel Officer and a Mission Observer. She previously worked as aircraft sales coordinator at Epps Aviation at DeKalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK).

“With this new team, Falcon Air Services is positioned for growth opportunities,” said President and CEO Dan Waters.

Based at Peachtree City Airport-Falcon Field, Falcon Aviation Services, Inc., operates an air charter company, Falcon Air, LLC; a maintenance company, Falcon Aviation Maintenance, LLC; and Falcon Aviation Academy, LLC, a professional flight training school that provides career pilot training and development. Based in Peachtree City, the company has locations at Atlanta’s DeKalb-Peachtree Airport and Ben Epps Field in Athens, Ga.

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