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AVIAA grows customer success team to support extended membership

AVIAA is actively growing its customer success team as well as enhancing its data infrastructure to support an extended membership of almost 500 aircraft.

AVIAA’s customer success team works closely with members to help them understand the process and analytics of the cost savings. The company’s most recent hire, Matthew Suedkamp, was recently director of flight operations for Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

The expansion of the success team follows AVIAA’s acquisition of Convolus and the establishment of an office in Munich, Germany, headed by Irena Deville, managing director.

Deville said: “AVIAA works with preferred partners in every supply category, from fuel, handling, insurance, maintenance, satcom, and more. Having a dedicated customer success team is a great benefit to our members, ensuring that they’re supported at every level of the procurement process.”

AVIAA has welcomed Don Hitch into the role of vice president of customer success. Hitch joins the business with a firm understanding of how to optimize luxury assets, having established and successfully ran the (Part 91) flight department for California’s The Wonderful Company LLC as vice president of Aviation.

He brings 35 years of experience in Part 91, 135, and 125 flight operations as both pilot and manager. Senior leadership roles include serving as president of AMI Jet Charter, a TAG Aviation subsidiary. Hitch has also served on various NBAA committees and currently serves on the Business Aviation Managers Committee (BAMC), which supports the prestigious CAM program.

Hitch leads a team of aviation professionals, including Lori Jones – director of customer success in the US and Sarah Holian – who supports AVIAA’s UK, European, and Middle Eastern members.

Rick Tilghman, chief operating officer for AVIAA added: “We advise members as they move into new sectors, whether they are transferring from Part 91 to 135 operations; adding a new aircraft type or introducing new capability that may justify adding a new pillar of spend.”

The customer success team also advises members on when there are available slots in training and when best to plan maintenance visits, working on a day to day basis with its supply chain.

Gillian Hayes, chief executive officer for AVIAA, will be speaking at Corporate Jet Investor’s Revolution.Aero conference today (March 11) for the panel: Making Business and Personal Aviation More Efficient.

Photo caption: Matthew Suedkamp, Don Hitch and Lori Jones.

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