Founded in 2009, Mente Group has boldly led private aviation for 15+ years with an expert team equipped with decades of experience.
No private aviation company combines Mente’s suite of services, dedicated team, quality of values and data, and functional capability to complete your project.
Brian Proctor is founder, President and CEO of Mente Group, LLC. He founded Mente in 2009 and has been serving private aviation clients for over 23 years. Having been involved in over $8 billion in aircraft transactions and over $7 billion in aviation business planning, Brian’s experience is sought by corporations and individuals, worldwide.
After serving for six years in the US Army as an infantry Ranger and intelligence officer, Brian left the military to pursue a career in the private sector. After working at Transamerica Corporation, Mr. Proctor served as consultant, COO and President of the world’s second largest consultancy and broker/dealer.
Brian has served on boards for: International Aircraft Dealers Association (IADA), Jet Aviation Advisory Board, and the Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas. He also previously served as Chairman of IADA, and most recently, The IADA Foundation. He holds a BA degree in International Studies in Politics and Diplomacy from the University of Richmond and an MBA from Southern Methodist University. He is married with three children and resides in the Dallas, Texas metroplex.
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An entrepreneur at heart, Steve’s career is driven by a lifelong passion for aviation. His extensive background spans leadership roles including CEO and business owner, President of a major charter company, Vice President of Sales, and Director of Aviation for a Fortune 500 corporation. Throughout his career, Steve has consistently exceeded sales and revenue goals, leading teams that outperform expectations and deliver measurable results.
Steve’s love for flying began at age 14, training alongside his father. Since then, he has amassed thousands of flight hours across both airline and corporate operations. His flight experience includes mid- and large-cabin Gulfstream aircraft, as well as large-cabin Bombardier models.
A graduate of the University of Georgia, Steve is also an accomplished guitarist and avid motorsports enthusiast, embodying the same passion and precision in his personal pursuits as in his professional life.
Jay is the Managing Director for the Midwest at MENTE Group.
As a 20-year veteran in the industry, Jay has sales and operational experience for the aircraft manufacturer as well as the private sector. Most recently he spent 12 years selling new and preowned Cessna Citations and Beechcraft King Airs for the aircraft manufacturer. Jay received many accolades over his tenure that he attributes to the strength in customer relationships. As a Flight Instructor and Airline Transport rated professional pilot with over 4,500 hours flight experience, Jay has held multiple roles in his career including, Sales & Aircraft Demonstration, 135 charter captain, part 91 transportation captain, Banner Tow Pilot, fractional aircraft sales and management. He holds a Jet type rating in the Cessna Citation 525 series of aircraft. Prior to his Business Aviation focus, Jay was the Sales & Marketing, revenue management and planning director for a portfolio of commercial real-estate and hotel properties in the Chicagoland area.
Jay earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Commercial Aviation from the University of North Dakota. Outside of his passion for aviation, Jay is an avid Runner, Cyclist, and Ice Hockey player/Youth Hockey Coach. He calls Kansas City home where he resides with his wife and daughters.
Stephanie is an accomplished Human Resources professional with more than 15 years of progressive experience spanning all facets of HR, including talent acquisition, employee relations, benefits administration, organizational development, and HR operations. Since joining the firm in 2022, she has served as Vice President of Human Resources, where she leads people strategy and partners closely with senior leadership to drive organizational performance and culture.
Throughout her career, Stephanie has earned a reputation for building strong, trust‑based relationships, elevating HR infrastructure, and delivering measurable results. She has successfully led teams supporting mid‑sized organizations, guiding them through periods of growth, change, and operational complexity.
Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Texas A&M University and a Master of Science in Operations Management with a concentration in Human Resources Management from the University of Arkansas. She is an active member of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and maintains both the SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM‑CP) and Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certifications.
Outside of work, Stephanie is involved in her church community, and enjoys going on walks, baking, and proudly cheering on her two children at their sporting events.
Jeff Dorrough is the Vice President, Asset Management with Mente Group, LLC.
He is the lead appraiser and consultant for internal clients, as well as, external assignments. Jeff is a Senior ASA appraiser with the American Society of Appraisers in the field of Machinery and Technical Specialties with fifteen years of experience with business aircraft. Jeff is also a graduate of Southern Methodist University with a major in Finance from the Cox School of Business.
Mr. Dorrough was previously the Asset Manager and lead appraiser for Bombardier Pre-Owned Aircraft Sales from 2002 thru 2015 where he was directly responsible for managing the asset portfolio and valuation process. He was responsible for performing all aircraft valuations including, Comparable Analysis, Trade Value Calculations, Residual Value Projections, and Damage Assessments, while providing quarterly market commentary. Mr. Dorrough was instrumental in the writing and negotiation of trade policy for Bombardier Pre-Owned Aircraft Sales, and assisted in the creation of damage assessment criteria which has been adopted by ASA for their education curriculum, as well as, several private industries.
Mr. Dorrough conducts speaking engagements and is very active in many business aircraft societies such as: NARA, NBAA, NAFA and his local chapter of ASA located in Dallas Texas.
Mariana Santos is Vice President of Strategic Consulting at Mente Group.
Mariana has over 20 years of experience in business and commercial aviation.
Over the course of 15 years with Embraer, Mariana gained solid experience and knowledge. Between 2014-2019, she served as Sr. Sales Engineer in North America, directly contributing to substantial sales results for their Executive Jets division. During this time, she co-created and managed their analytics-based fleet evaluation program tailored to Corporate Flight Departments. Prior to that, from 2010 to 2012, she managed the Legacy 650/600 product strategy, developing strategic roadmaps focused on short and long-term competitiveness. Between 2004-2010, as a Flight Operations Engineer for their Commercial division, she served as operational liaison to multiple US airlines, contributing to safe and efficient operations of a growing fleet of regional jets.
Prior to joining Mente in 2020, she briefly ventured into the commercial supersonic world with Boom, the Denver-based start-up.
Mariana is a Brazilian native with dual US-Brazil citizenship. She earned her MBA degree in 2014 from Hult International Business School at San Francisco and her Bachelor of Science in Aeronautical Infrastructure Engineering in 2003 from ITA (Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica), Brazil’s most prestigious engineering institution.
Vince Restivo comes to Mente Group, LLC with over 32 years in business aviation beginning with Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation in 1984. Over the next 25 years, he contributed successfully in various roles of increasing responsibility with
Gulfstream, from Initial Phase Manufacturing to Flight Test to Completion Integration and Test Engineering, Vince gained vast experience and knowledge in avionics and cabin systems design, integration, connectivity, test and certification. With the logarithmic advances in business aviation technology, Vince moved to Completion Sales, where the need for a strong technology background coupled with the ability to connect with customers was essential. Helping customers navigate the vast array of integrated high-tech systems as well as voice and data communications options became a refined skill that aligned with his passion to help people. With the
importance of the aircraft interior becoming a priority in the purchase decision process, his combined avionics, technology and interior knowledge allows him to seamlessly communicate with customers from the C-suite to the hangar. While Director of Completion Sales, his passion for excellence in the customer experience and a discriminating eye for detail and quality led him to implement further enhancements in process, product offerings and systems capabilities. Vince actively participated in the development of Gulfstream interiors, cabin systems and completion process from the G-IV to the G650. Leveraging his ability to quickly perceive customer needs and bridge the technology and interior systems gap, Vince was appointed Regional Vice President – Aircraft Sales for Gulfstream based in Singapore.
Recognized for his knowledge and experience in business aircraft interiors, technology, connectivity, design, process and customer experience, Vince was appointed Vice President – Completions for Hawker Beechcraft Corporation. Following the successful transition of the Hawker Completion Center in
Little Rock, Vince founded Addo Virtus Advisors, an advisory firm specializing in completion management,
business process and metrics focused on providing both operational and transactional value throughout the aircraft acquisition and ownership life-cycle.
Vince holds AS Degrees in Electronics Technology and Avionics. He has served as a panelist for theArkansas Governor’s Aerospace Summit, been interviewed for various trade publications, appeared on “Wealth in the Sky” TV program focused on business aviation and has written white papers aimed at making technology understandable at the user level.
Vince and his wife Cynthia have three adult children and four grandchildren.
Peter Finseth is the Director of Business Analytics at Mente Group, LLC.
Prior to joining Mente, Peter worked in the Financial Services industry for 20 years with a focus in the mortgage industry for the last 15 years. Most recently, he worked at Fannie Mae as a Senior Business Analyst supporting the REO Valuations business. Peter has a broad background including Financial Planning & Analysis, Financial Modeling, Business Intelligence tools, and programming experience.
Peter earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Texas at Austin. While working full time, he later earned his MBA from the University of Texas at Dallas. Peter is an active member of the North Texas soccer community. He started his own soccer club back in 2008 and actively coaches teams ranging in age from 10 to 17 years old.
Craig is currently the Director of Asset Management with Mente Group in Dallas, Texas where he is an appraiser and consultant for internal clients, as well as, external assignments. Craig is a Senior ASA appraiser with the American Society of Appraisers in the field of Machinery and Technical Specialties with thirteen years of experience with business aircraft.
Mr. Cox was previously the COO and senior appraiser for SAI Valuations, LLC from 2005 thru 2018 where he was directly responsible for managing the valuation process. He was responsible for performing all aircraft valuations including, Comparable Analysis, Residual Value Projections, and Damage Assessments.
Mr. Cox has appraised more than 4000 aircraft and/or aviation related assets with a total appraised value of over 20 billion dollars.
Mr. Cox conducts speaking engagements and is very active in many business aircraft societies such as, NBAA, NAFA and his local chapter of ASA located in Chicago, Illinois.
Ryan Kahle is the Sales Director at MENTE Group and manages all aspects of aircraft transactions.
Ryan is an Auburn University alumnus, where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aviation Management and a Minor in Business. While in school, Ryan also earned his private pilot certificate and instrument rating through Auburn’s Part 141 program in ASEL aircraft.
Ryan joined our Mente Group Transactions team as a Market Analyst in 2021. Within his first year in the aviation industry, Ryan earned his IADA broker certification and listed his first aircraft the following year, and many more followed.
Beyond his listings, Ryan has significantly contributed to the team by assisting with market data analysis, managing showings and closings, conducting pre-buy inspections, and participating in over 50 aircraft transactions. His dedication, market insights, and aircraft expertise have made him an invaluable asset to Mente Group.
Tracy Yeager is the Contract Manager at Mente Group.
She attended Midwestern State University, Texas Christian University and the University of North Texas. She grew up in Texas and is blessed with an awesome family, including two sons. Tracy has extensive administrative experience and is thrilled to be in the Aviation Industry and working with such an amazing team!
Brent served as a Regional Sales Manager at Gulfstream Aerospace from 2021 to 2025, where he generated sales opportunities through targeted marketing and cold calls. He also supported Regional VPs by hosting aircraft demos and maintaining client relationships. Before that, he worked at Textron Aviation, where he served as Regional Sales Director from 2015 to 2019, specializing in sales of the Caravan, King Air, and 525 series jets, and he consistently exceeded historical sales numbers in his territory. Brent also worked as a Business Development Representative at Northern Jet Management, prospecting for new business for the company’s fractional aircraft program. Earlier in his career, he was an Account Manager and Client Relations Representative at Pentastar Aviation, leading the startup of a new management base in Grand Rapids.
In addition to his civilian career, Brent served in the United States Navy and Navy Reserve from 2010 to 2018, where he held the positions of Naval Gunfire Liaison Officer and Fire Team Leader. He was a subject matter expert who provided company-level training to over 100 Marines, U.S. Special Forces, and international partners.
Brent is a husband and a proud father of three. Outside of his professional life, he is actively involved in the Michigan grass-roots hockey community, a certified private pilot, a former stock car team owner and driver, and has served on the Board of Directors for Immanuel Lutheran Church and the Zoning Board of Appeals for the City of Hudsonville, MI.
Drew manages MENTE Groups’ marketing and advertising, joining the team in early 2024. He graduated from SMU with a double major in Journalism and Sports Management, with a specialization in marketing. He began working in digital content and advertising in the ministry space and later transitioned to marketing for a large regional bank.
Before his role at Mente, he was an editor for multiple published books, a digital content coordinator for a large organization, and a marketing & advertising manager for a regional bank with $500M in assets.
Drew implements cutting-edge marketing and digital content best practices for our clients and organization and has Adobe accreditation on multiple platforms, such as InDesign and PremierePro. He is passionate about activating brands with data-driven work in digital channels and using data tools to optimize SEO, advertising, and marketing strategies, with accreditation in Google Search Console, AdWords, and Analytics.
Drew brings his passion for marketing and advertising from the banking industry to aviation, and we are excited to have him on staff!
Seth, is the newest market analyst at MENTE Group.
Seth is a recent graduate of Auburn University, earning a B.S. in Aviation Management, and he brings a passion and strong education to his new role. With experience in flight operations as an intern at Delta Airlines and entrepreneurial and leadership roles through his academic excellence, Seth is a perfect fit for his role at MENTE Group.
Seth will support the transactions team and be active in numerous aviation markets, with research and transaction assistance. Seth is based in our Frisco office and we are excited to have him on our team!
Jonathan Carrera is a digital media and marketing professional with significant experience in the private aviation and luxury construction sectors. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington, where he was the main presenter for his senior design capstone project on the preliminary design of a twin-engine propeller aircraft.
Jonathan has 7+ years of experience in the private aviation industry, including roles in retail sales, marketing, and business development. He served as the Director of Digital Media and Market Researcher for Leviate Air Group, where he specialized in market research and analysis, providing quarterly market reports, aircraft valuations, and aircraft management analysis to sales and charter teams. He also founded Jet Photos and Videos, a media production service.
A Dallas Native, Jonathan is married with two children and enjoys serving as a weekly volunteer and leader at Shoreline City Church in Dallas.
We are thrilled to have him on the team and look forward to his contributions to Mente Group!
From the world’s largest corporation to end-users unsure of plane ownership, we have the tools and team to maximize private aviation for our clients.
Founded in 2009, we have served the private avaition industry for 15 years, adding value and clarity for every client.
No matter your aviation need – we have the solution.
