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.
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.
