Q&A with Ryan Petersen

Ryan Petersen, Director of Sales Engineering
Location: Minneapolis, MN, US

How long have you been at Jetcraft?

About 2 and a half years. I was originally a Sales Engineer working with a few different Sales Directors and now have shifted to the Director of Sales Engineering.

What are your responsibilities within the global Jetcraft team?

I work with the sales engineering team on how they interact with and support their sales directors. Functions include market summaries, research, valuations, training and helping with the marketing of aircraft.

Describe a typical day or week in your role.

It can start early in the morning as the Sales Engineering team and offices are in multiple time zones around the world including the United States, Hong Kong and Europe. I typically start by checking emails to get caught up on activities and tasks and move into project-based work later in the day. When I became the Director of Sales Engineering, my role shifted from supporting Sales Directors to supporting the sales engineering team and making sure they have the tools that they need to do their job.

What do you love most about your job?

I really enjoy my Jetcraft and industry colleagues and the passion that everyone brings to our business. It’s a contagious atmosphere to be a part of which encourages competition and success.

Describe the company culture at Jetcraft.

What I find most interesting about our company culture is the ability to interact with many people and personalities around the world. It provides a great perspective to the global aviation market, allows us to have a truly global reach and it’s one of our largest competitive advantages.

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

Being able to take a complex plan and turning it into reality. Aircraft transactions can have different structures and it is important for customers to gain trust in Jetcraft. We want people to see us as a ‘full service’ shop that can navigate clients seamlessly through the process of buying and/or selling an aircraft.

Who or what has been your greatest professional influence?

My father, he got me started in aviation. I remember climbing into our Cessna 182 and experiencing flight for the first time with him. Seeing the success in his business career and how he used aviation shaped who I am today.

Describe yourself in 3 words.

Loyal, Diligent and Understanding

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

The Challenger 300 is a great platform with a standup cabin. Also having the ability to travel internationally would be important.

What stands out to you as good customer service?

Listening to who you’re working with, managing the expectations and being able to follow through with what you say you’re going to do. These are simple thoughts and can really shape how something turns out.

Finally, what is your favorite hobby.

Being from Minnesota, we spend a lot of time outdoors in the summer and with that, I’ve always enjoyed being able to spend time on the lakes. A few years ago, I bought a ski boat and it’s great being able to get out on the water for an early morning or late afternoon/evening waterski run.