Christiansen is the former vice-chairman of the ACSF and is proud to serve now as its chairman. His impressive and diverse background in the aviation field, from his early start as a U.S. Army aviator flying helicopters, to charter sales representative, sales manager, vice president of sales and eventually president, makes him the ideal candidate for this position.

Some of his achievements from the late 80s to early 90s include managing a fleet of approximately 70 aircraft as president for Jet Aviation Business Jets and serving as president for Executive Jet Aviation of Columbus, Ohio. He was subsequently recruited by the Rockefeller family to be president of its aircraft management company, Wayfarer Ketch, located in White Plains, New York. 

While at Wayfarer, Christiansen and his team started StarShares, a new fractional aviation company. Wayfarer was eventually sold to TAG, and a 50/50 partnership with Cessna was formed that created CitationShares. Christiansen was a member of the board of directors of CitationShares.

In 2001, Christiansen re-joined Executive Jet, now known as NetJets Inc., to undertake the project of bringing the NetJets fractional aircraft ownership product to existing corporate flight departments for supplemental lift. He was promoted to president of NetJets Aviation in January 2007. 

Christiansen has been very active in the aviation community. In 2002, he finished his tenure as chairman of the National Air Transportation Association, a Washington-based advocacy group representing FBOs, charter operators, flight schools and other general aviation businesses. He was also chairman of the Fractional Ownership Aviation Rulemaking Committee that developed the new FAR Part 91K to regulate fractional operators. 

In March 2010, Christiansen was appointed vice president of sales, central U.S. at Hawker Beechcraft, where he currently manages a sales team responsible for the sale of Hawker jets in the central U.S. 

“Jim has been an invaluable member of the ACSF Executive Committee, and I am delighted to see him in this new role,” said ACSF President James K. Coyne. “With his knowledge and experience as a leader in the charter industry, I have no doubt that he will support and sustain the Foundation’s ongoing and future activities.”

Click here to read James C. Christiansen’s full bio.