The Evolving MRO Industry: West Star Aviation's Formula for Success w/ Stephen Maiden and Allen McReynolds

Airplanes aren’t retiring the way they used to. They are more sophisticated than ever before. They are staying around longer and they are getting larger with each generation. This creates a challenge and a lot of complexity for MRO but also a massive opportunity. How do you run an organization with the capacity, talent and sheer size to support all of this growth? That’s something West Star Aviation has figured out at a really high level. As a 77-year old company, the business has a storied legacy. But what they’ve accomplished recently is impressive and they are only getting started! The MRO ecosystem has a lot of demand to go around and a huge customer base to serve, and this is great news. What is the secret to their success? Why did the integration with Jet East go so well? In this episode, I’m joined by the CEO and COO of West Star Aviation, Stephen Maiden and Allen McReynolds. They share their story, how they are solving the talent shortage and why there’s so much business to go around right now. Things You’ll Learn In This Episode An incredible success story West Star Aviation has been around for 77 years. How have they turned a storied legacy into the incredible growth they’ve seen in the last few years? The ecosystem has a ton of demand Airplanes aren’t retiring how they used to. How will this shape the next decade of MRO? The fastest, smoothest, greatest integration in aviation When Jet East and West Star came together, they became a bigger force in the marketplace. Why did this integration work so well? How to find strong technical talent The aviation talent shortage is something we’re all aware of. How do we get young people interested in fixing airplanes? Guest Bio Stephen Maiden is the CEO of West Star Aviation. Allen McReynolds is the president and COO at West Star Aviation. With over 75 years of industry experience, West Star Aviation stands as a leading independent Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) provider. Employing over 3,000 professionals, we offer comprehensive services from our strategically located full-service facilities in East Alton, IL; Grand Junction, CO; Chattanooga, TN; Millville, NJ; Perryville, Missouri; and Statesville, NC, as well as satellite locations in Denver, Houston, Las Vegas, Minneapolis, Chicago, and West Palm Beach. Our extensive capabilities encompass maintenance, paint, interior, and avionics services, supported by the largest Aircraft On Ground (AOG) network in the country, ensuring prompt and reliable mobile repair services nationwide. To learn more, head to https://www.weststaraviation.com/ . About Your Host Craig Picken is an Executive Recruiter, writer, speaker and ICF Trained Executive Coach. He is focused on recruiting senior-level leadership, sales, and operations executives in the aviation and aerospace industry. His clients include premier OEMs, aircraft operators, leasing/financial organizations, and Maintenance/Repair/Overhaul (MRO) providers and since 2008, he has personally concluded more than 400 executive-level searches in a variety of disciplines. Craig is the ONLY industry executive recruiter who has professionally flown airplanes, sold airplanes, and successfully run a P&L in the aviation industry. His professional career started with a passion for airplanes. After eight years’ experience as a decorated Naval Flight Officer – with more than 100 combat missions, 2,000 hours of flight time, and 325 aircraft carrier landings – Craig sought challenges in business aviation, where he spent more than 7 years in sales with both Gulfstream Aircraft and Bombardier Business Aircraft. Craig is also a sought-after industry speaker who has presented at Corporate Jet Investor, International Aviation Women’s Association, and SOCAL Aviation Association. For more aerospace industry news & commentary: https://craigpicken.com/insights/ . To learn more about Craig Picken and the NorthStar Group, visit https://craigpicken.com/ . Check out this episode on our website , Apple Podcasts , or Spotify , and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!