TAMPA AVIATION FIRM'S LEADER REFLECTS ON 40-YEAR JOURNEY AND INDUSTRY CHALLENGES

PETER CUNZOLO

From pilot to CEO, he's tackling aviation challenges with new capabilities
By PAM HUFF | phuff@bizjournals.com

Peter Cunzolo may have a pilot’s license, but his work navigating the now 30-year-old ExecuJet Charter Service in Tampa has defined his career.

ExecuJet, based at Sheltair, provides private aviation services, including aircraft consulting, management, charter and maintenance services. The company began in St. Petersburg but moved to Tampa 12 years ago.

In late 2024, ExecuJet received additional certification from the Federal Aviation Administration as an official part 145 repair station. This designation allows the company to offer expanded services, including aircraft maintenance, inspection and repair.

Cunzolo spoke with the Tampa Bay Business Journal about the designation, his career at ExecuJet and what it means to be a leader. This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.

What does this FAA designation mean for ExecuJet?
This really opens up a lot of doors for us and makes us better suited to expand our service offerings for those in the aviation industry—particularly the local clientele that was limited in where they could bring their aircraft for maintenance. With the knowledge base that our company and staff have, it was just a natural thing for us to be able to serve those clients, both here in the area and also in other parts of the country.

How did you get into this business?
I'm a pilot by trade, and I started flying back in 1985. Once I received all my certifications, I started working for different companies and operators, building my time and experience. When the opportunity came up to try to apply for a flight crew position, there was a hiring freeze. At that point, I knew it was time for me to make some strides in my career and pursue the aviation path I really wanted to do.

What’s your favorite part of the job?
You meet a lot of interesting people in this industry, and you get to meet some incredibly nice people who leave you with something that helps you remember them. But my favorite part of the job is when I get to do some mentoring with the staff or collaborate with them on projects. I like to see how the things that I taught them are evident in future projects. I love mentoring; it is very important to me.

Does ExecuJet find its staffing/workforce needs met?
Our industry has always been letting us know. They've been very vocal in trying to prepare the industry through trade organizations and publications. But COVID really changed the landscape. It made that even harder. It also extended into the areas of aviation maintenance technicians. A lot of the pilots retired for various reasons, and this created a big vacuum. You can't just replace that knowledge base and level of experience overnight. Seasoned veterans who safely operated for many years can extend that knowledge and train and mentor others. That’s how I got my start. I'm forever grateful for that.

Who mentored you?
Two gentlemen stand out for me, and they were both prior military. I could almost feel their presence when they entered the room. Some of the guys in my same experience level, maybe it was ego that didn’t let them listen to these two gentlemen. I just knew those were the guys I had to follow. I needed to see what they were doing and learn what they were doing. Being teachable was probably the biggest thing I could do, and I was fortunate because they took me under their wing—so to speak—and I learned so much from them.

What’s a myth about private aviation that you can dispel?
You have C-suite executives trying to secure a new contract or build a new factory with jobs, and they're going to be hiring. Factor each CEO or C-suite executive based on what they produce; boil that bottom-line revenue number down and take it as an hourly component. These guys might be worth $1,000 to $2,000 an hour toward what they put into the company’s bottom line. Would you rather have them visiting multiple sites with multiple clients, securing contracts, and getting multiple visits done in one day? Or would you rather have them waiting at the airport? When you can get that much done in one day and have them back home for quality of life, that’s probably the biggest thing I wish people would know.