Q&A with Peter Antonenko

Peter Antonenko, Chief Operating Officer, Jetcraft
Location: Minneapolis, MN, USA
[email protected]

How long have you been at Jetcraft?

I joined Jetcraft in November 2006.

What are your responsibilities within the global Jetcraft team?

Management of legal and transaction management matters, corporate and transaction strategy, marketing and IT oversight, member of the board of directors, and manage outside counsel.

Describe a typical day or week in your role.

I typically start the day addressing current deals that are either pending or working to become pending. This includes working with the legal, transaction management and sales teams, and coordinating with other members of the board on upcoming opportunities. I’ll also handle delegation of deals to the various transaction management team members and to outside counsel who may be assisting us. Depending on the day, I’ll have meetings with the marketing team to discuss upcoming events or other marketing activities, and if a board meeting is coming up, discuss what if anything we’ll need to present to the board on behalf of marketing. As a transaction-focused organization, much of what I do is centered around getting deals done.

What do you love most about your job?

Pretty much everything. I get to do a bunch of different things, both legal and business, I get to network and chat with a variety of people and, perhaps most importantly, I am able to learn something new every day and have a lot of responsibility for general company operations and aircraft transactions. I’m also in a very fortunate position where I can walk the line of both business and legal; I have the legal background to guide my strategy and thought process, along with the deal acumen and experience to negotiate the business and legal aspects of everything we do.

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

It’s like a family. We spend so much of our time with one another. I think I spend more time with Chad, Chris and the others in the Minneapolis office than I do my own family. We are very fortunate to be part of an organization that offers so much camaraderie and flexibility in how we work – being able to work from home whenever needed, for example.

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

That we’re professional, practical, exceedingly knowledgeable, solution oriented, and that we operate with integrity.

Who or what has been your greatest professional influence?

Initially I would say John Ames (former Jetcraft President/CEO). He helped me see a whole new world of opportunities, both as a lawyer and then how I could develop outside of my legal background. He inspired me to be “more” than a lawyer. Then, I’d have to say Chad, Bucky and Jahid. They’ve given me the latitude to grow both personally and as a part of the company.

Describe yourself in 3 words.

Strategic. Creative. Funny. (Not in any particular order!)

If you were to buy a business jet, which aircraft would suit your needs and why?

It probably wouldn’t be a jet. It would be a King Air 200. It’s about all the range I’d ever need, gives lots of flexibility on airports and payload, and I would learn to fly it! If it were a jet, I’d probably get a Citation or other light jet. They do the same as the King Air, but do it (generally) faster and higher.

What stands out to you as good customer service?

Going beyond the customer’s expectations and anticipating their needs. We know what our clients need and are uniquely qualified to anticipate and get ahead of the deals and the client’s needs.

Finally, what is your hidden talent or hobby?

Writing. Even though it’s a big part of what I do in drafting agreements, I am very interested in and enjoy creative writing. I also enjoy the importance of using the correct words to convey a particular meaning. This is partly why I enjoy the marketing piece of my job. To the extent I get to be creative, I really enjoy the process of creating a message. As a hobby, I do enjoy road cycling and am starting to look at getting into fat bikes!

Header Photo: Peter with his wife Anne at a recent Jetcraft family dinner.