CUSTOMER PLATFORM

September 7, 2021

Mente Group Promotes Jim Lewis To Senior Managing Director

Mente Group Promotes Jim Lewis To Senior Managing Director

DALLAS, Aug. 30, 2021 – Mente Group has promoted 46-year aviation veteran Jim Lewis to Senior Managing Director. His experience ranges from early days as a freight and charter pilot and regional airline captain, to chief pilot, flight department manager, sales demonstration pilot, sales manager, director, and vice president.

Jim Lewis

Before joining Mente Group in 2016, Lewis’ sales and marketing tenure included successful careers at leading OEMs, with more than $2.5 billion in aircraft transactions. He spent 16 years serving as the U.S. West Coast director for Galaxy/Gulfstream, and two and a half years at Embraer – responsible in each position for business development and new and active accounts, leveraging his strengths in aerospace technical aspects, aircraft operations, brand building, and developing an extensive list of long-term customer relationships.

“Jim Lewis has expanded the brand of Mente Group in the western United States, Canada and the Pacific region and has proven himself as a valuable contributor to Mente and our clients,” said Brian Proctor, president and CEO of Mente Group. “Our entire team congratulates Jim Lewis on this promotion and we welcome his continuing contributions to our clients’ successes.”

In addition to his role as Mente Group’s overall senior managing director, he will continue to serve clients in 12 western states, western Canada, and the Pacific region from his base in Portland, Ore. Lewis is a member and active with the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), Canadian Business Aviation Association (CBAA), the Columbia Aviation Association, the Cascade Aero Club, the Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association, the Oregon Pilots Association, and he is a frequent industry presenter and speaker.

An active aircraft owner with an Airline Transport Pilot license, eight type ratings, and over 10,000 hours of flight time; he also volunteers his time and airplane for Veterans Airlift Command and Challenge Air missions. Lewis holds a master’s degree in aeronautical science, specializing in management, from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and a bachelor’s degree in natural science from Florida Southern University.

About Mente Group

Mente Group, an aviation advisory and brokerage firm, offers a comprehensive array of aviation consulting services to include fleet planning, buying and selling of new and preowned aircraft, appraisals and residual value forecasting, flight department startups, completion and refurbishment, audits and operational alignment, and Mente 360, which is a scalable, reliable and cost-effective corporate aviation asset advisory program.

With offices in Dallas, Boston, Chicago, Orlando, and Portland, Mente Group professionals have handled more than $10.5 billion in aircraft transactions, compiled more than 60 years of aviation experience, and executed more than 500 business jet deliveries.

Mente Group is an accredited member of the International Aircraft Dealers Association, and a member of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) and the National Aircraft Finance Association (NAFA). For more information, visit mentegroup.com. Mente Group is a holding of Aquila Aviation Ventures LLC.

About Aquila Aviation Ventures

Aquila Aviation Ventures is an investment company formed to serve unmet industry needs and leverage resources across entities to scale for future growth. The company identifies and invests in high-growth firms within the business aviation sector. Under the leadership of CEO Brian Proctor, Aquila holds Millbrook Air, a charter and aircraft management company, and Mente Group. Aquila recently invested in Mente Group, which has permitted it to recapitalize in order to expand its platform and fund high quality products. Aquila is a City+Ventures company.

About City+Ventures

City+Ventures is a premier development and investment company focused on building companies and communities. With Omaha roots but regional and national assets, City+Ventures owns and operates a wide array of businesses, including automotive dealerships; carwashes; an aviation investment, aircraft management, charter and consulting group; real estate management; and construction-related businesses, in addition to holding a real estate portfolio. In August 2020, City+Ventures’ proven track record of reinvention and financial success earned it the No. 71 spot on the Inc. 5000 Company list. For more information, visit city-ventures.com.

 

Media Contact:

Aquila / Mente

Jim Gregory; 316-558-8578, or [email protected]

James Gregory Consultancy LLC

TESTIMONIALS

plane

Mente Group is an industry leading company that provides an aircraft valuation program that is essential for flight departments to know and understand the fair market value of their aircraft. This program allows for customization of depreciation curves, aircraft detail and comparisons, valuation of the optional equipment installed, and updating the current flight times to have the most complete fair market value of your aircraft on a monthly basis. Mente Group also has a licensed Aircraft Appraiser on staff to provide annual aircraft appraisals for property tax valuations. We have saved significant sums of money on property taxes every year. Finally, Mente Group provides outstanding brokerage services and analysis of the flight department needs in terms of aircraft and personnel required based on company’s travel requirements.

-Manager of Aircraft Maintenance – Fortune 500 company

It was not just the very professional way that Mente Group handled the disposition of our current aircraft and the acquisition of the new aircraft that sets them apart. They provided us with an extraordinarily detailed analysis that helped clarify our decision. They also provided completion insight that I don’t believe anyone else in the industry has resident in their firm. Finally, they helped our treasury department mitigate a tax issue on our existing airplane with the assistance of their asset advisory team. I simply don’t know of any other firm that has the breadth of knowledge that Mente Group has.

-Vice President of Flight Operations

It has been great working with Mente Group.  As always, they expertly handled the relationship piece and kept us in the loop so we could keep our principal informed and calm. I assumed from the beginning that Mente would be a good fit, primarily because I personally know most of the team quite well.  That confidence was validated every step of the way.

-Retired Aviation Industry Executive

I would highly recommend Mente group in both the sales and acquisition of an aircraft.  They took the time to clearly understand my needs, provide competitive information, assist in the negotiation process, and complete both a sales and acquisition process. Their follow up and communication was exceptional throughout the process and second to none.  There is only one place I would turn for help in my next acquisition.

-CEO

I meant it when I said what a pleasure it was to work with professionals for a change.  It was refreshing to deal with calm, rational people who worked towards mutually beneficial solutions.

-Vice President – Aviation Lender

I wanted to thank you for the terrific job Mente did helping us acquire our new G450. This being our first aircraft we had no clue where to start or how to avoid the pitfalls in the marketplace. Mente took us by the hand and led us through the process with tremendous patience. For us, Mente’s most valuable asset is your ability to read and react to market conditions quickly to provide strategic guidance. We got much more airplane than we dreamed possible by listening to your counsel.

Thanks again for a great experience!

– Director of Marketing and Public Relations