Q&A with Anne Behrend

Anne Behrend, former Chief Financial Officer, Jetcraft
Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA
[email protected]

How long have you been at Jetcraft?

It’s hard to believe, but I have been with Jetcraft just over 19 years!  When I started with the company, we had one office in Raleigh, and I was one of 6 people working for the company at that time.

What are your responsibilities within the global Jetcraft team?

I am privileged to serve as the Chief Financial Officer, and have the responsibility of overseeing worldwide financial, treasury and human resource functions within the company.  I have a wonderful, dedicated team that works alongside me to handle the day-to-day requirements of these functions.

Describe a typical day or week in your role.

I’m not sure there is a typical day!  I often start out my day with a list of what I would like to accomplish, but will often have to delay that work when requests to study new deal or business opportunities arise.  I enjoy studying and analyzing new opportunities in order to ascertain the financial impact of the opportunity.  Typically, my busiest times are at the end of the month, particularly if it’s also a quarter-end.  My team and I stay very busy summarizing financial results and projections in order to prepare concise, meaningful financial reports for the management team.

What do you love most about your job?

I love the variety of work that I am able to do, and the opportunity to continue to grow and learn every day.   It has been incredibly rewarding seeing the tremendous growth the company has experienced.  We are truly a global company, and as we have grown, I have grown as well.

Describe the company culture at Jetcraft and what it means to you?

Jetcraft is a family and I am thankful for that.  Even though we have grown from 6 team members in one office to 50 team members in multiple offices around the world, we have managed to maintain the family feel.  Very often, small companies will lose the family dynamic when experiencing rapid growth, but Jetcraft’s owners and management team continue to invest in an annual company retreat where we all gather together in one location for 3-4 days.  This has proven to be a wonderful opportunity for new and existing team members to meet face-to-face and get to know one another.  I believe there is nothing that cements a team more than spending time together.  Over the years, I have seen the Jetcraft team unite and rise to the occasion to help out a fellow employee whether it be health-related, a natural disaster or personal issue, and that is what a family is all about.

What do you want your customers to experience when dealing with Jetcraft?

I want Jetcraft customers to know that we are a committed partner to meeting their aviation-related needs.  They will receive impeccable service and we will continually strive to exceed their expectations.

Who or what has been your greatest professional influence?

I would have to say that Jetcraft’s founder, Bucky Oliver, has been my greatest professional influence.  My prior work experience was not in the aviation industry, and Bucky has been a wonderful resource for learning about aviation.  He has always, and still does, challenge me to grow and learn.   I am a very detail-oriented person, and Bucky has helped me to learn to step back and look at the “big picture” which has been important particularly as I have grown into the CFO role.  As a funny aside, when I first started with Jetcraft, I was a bit of a nervous flyer.  I had the opportunity to fly with Bucky piloting a Cessna Citation I/SP early on in my Jetcraft career, and Bucky invited me to sit in the co-pilot seat.  As I settled into the seat before takeoff, Bucky handed me this giant manual, and instructed me to tell him how to fly the aircraft. Needless to say, we had some good laughs about this.  Bucky is a wonderful pilot, and I am now much more comfortable flying.

Describe yourself in 3 words.

Reliable, Diligent, Honest

What stands out to you as good customer service?

I believe good customer service is achieved when the customer’s needs and wishes are heard, understood and then acted upon smoothly and efficiently.  Nurturing and cultivating long lasting relationships is also an important part of this.

Finally, what is your hidden talent or hobby?

I love music and have played the flute since I was in 7^th grade.  (Without saying the exact number of years, let’s just say I’ve been playing for WELL over 30 years!)  I have also played in our handbell choir at church for 8 years.

In addition to playing flute at church, I am a member of the Indy Winds Flute Choir, a group of 25 – 30 flutists, that performs 3 concerts a year.  We also perform at other events around the community.  I combined career and hobby this past December when I played with a small group of flutists at the Indianapolis International Airport (pictured).  We provided holiday music to travelers for a few hours on the Friday afternoon before Christmas.