Meet the Leaders

With more than 100 combined years in the aviation industry, our seasoned leaders guide and

inspire our organization through their passion and dedication.



Having grown up at his parents’ flight school, Nick was immersed in the world of private aviation at an early age. He flew his first plane at an age when most kids are learning how to ride a bike. By the time he was 16, Nick was licensed to fly solo which is also when he achieved his mechanics certification. By age 19, Nick was piloting jets.  As CEO of Ventura, Nick leads an extraordinary team of pilots, mechanics, operations, sales, and customer service professionals that help people experience private aviation the way it should be. Outside of Ventura, Nick writes and performs music, snowboards, bikes, and talks big ideas with anyone he can.



Sam is deeply passionate about everything aviation. He began flight training at the young age of 13 and aviation has been a part of his life since then.  And he’s done it all – from aircraft sales to management, private charter, and flight instruction. As Ventura’s Chief Operating Officer, Sam oversees operations and sales and implements Ventura’s strategic objectives with a specific focus on aircraft management, sales, and charter operations. Sam leads with a transparency-first mindset and believes that clients deserve to know every aspect of owning a plane. Sam is a tinkerer at his core, so when he’s not at Ventura fine-tuning processes to improve operations, he can be found tinkering on projects and machines at home. Outside of Ventura, Sam is also a flight instructor, teaching the next generation of aviators.



Mitesh has built a career working with growth-stage companies by supporting entrepreneurs through various stages of development and inflection points. As Ventura’s Chief Corporate Development officer, Mitesh is responsible for sourcing new business opportunities, M&A activities, banking relationships, and evaluating new strategic growth initiatives. Mitesh serves on the Maureen Tarascio Foundation and is a Trustee of Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care, a United Nations recognized, non-profit organization that provides holistic care to the underserved. Mitesh is an alumni of the University of Pennsylvania – The Wharton School, where he concentrated on Entrepreneurial Management and Finance. He lives in Long Island, NY with his wife and two children.



Kristin Emy has over twenty five years of strategic planning, financial and operational experience. She is acting Chief Financial Officer and a member of the Strategic Team at Ventura. She wishes she could fly a plane and/or fix one but enjoys being inspired by all those around her at Ventura who can. She has been a partner at the private equity firm Raisol Capital, previous experiences include being part of a team that grew a startup to a successful exit, management consulting for Fortune 500 companies and running international equity investment deals at NewsCorp. Kristin has an MBA from MIT Sloan School and an M.A. from The Johns Hopkins University. Her hobbies include spending as much time with her kids as their busy schedules allow and searching out adventure with her husband, family and friends.



Having wanted to become a pilot at the age of 8, Scot could name any plane that was at the airport or in the sky and recite its unique facts from all the aviation books he had memorized. He took his first flight lesson at the age of 15 and continued his education at The Ohio State university with a degree in Aviation Management. Scot spent 15 years at the airlines as a pilot, instructor, check airman and in management. In 2016 he became the Vice President of Flight Operations for a 135 operator and helped them become one of the largest 135 operators in the nation. In mid 2022, Scot joined the Ventura team and has focused on culture, growth, efficiencies, and other ways to make Ventura one of the best places to fly. Scot and his wife and 3 kids reside in Houston, TX and enjoy traveling, adventures, and fun with friends and family.



Casey has more than 10 years of experience in senior-level human resources roles, most recently as an HR executive for one of the largest travel management companies in the world, with HR oversight for the U.S., UK, and France.  In her role as Vice President of People at Ventura, Casey leads the human resources team and provides strategy and direction for all HR functions for Ventura. Casey is SPHR certified, has a PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, and graduated from law school with an executive Juris Doctorate. Outside of work, Casey enjoys running, kayaking, and biking. Her favorite pastimes include hanging out with her furbabies and then her husband and child (in that order!)



Gregory Tarascio grew up second generation in a flight school family business. He began his career as a Maintenance Account Manager and eventually served as an A&P Mechanic, keeping the business’s charter jet fleet flying and well maintained. Greg also  supported the customer service side of Ventura’s maintenance business. Eventually, he was promoted to Director of Maintenance and has been instrumental in helping Ventura earn their Argus Platinum certification and “10 or More” upgrade to their charter certificate. Outside of Ventura, Greg’s hobbies include playing video games, watching baseball (his favorite team is the New York Mets), and is also an avid drummer.



Bill is the Founder, President and CEO of Aviation Management Systems, Inc. He has been providing management, technical, operational, and asset based consulting services to aircraft owners and operators for more than 40 years. Considered to be one of the leading experts in the industry, Bill has written a number of articles on the aviation industry and is a frequent speaker at conferences. He has also served several boards including the National Aircraft Finance Association (NAFA) and National Aircraft Resale Association (NARA) and is a member several industry associations.  Bill holds an Airline Transport Pilot license for both fixed and rotary wing aircraft with type ratings in both business jets and helicopters. He has more than 6,000 hours of flying experience, including international operations in the Far East and Europe. Bill serves as a Strategic Advisor to Ventura.



Safety

At Ventura, safety is Job One. That’s why we’re proud to say that since 1955, Ventura has been operating with a perfect safety record. We consistently exceed the FAA’s stringent requirements...

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Private Charters

Think private aircraft charters are just for the privileged few? Prepare to be astounded. Whether for business or leisure – or a combination of the two – jet charters are, for many, well with...

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Aircraft Sales

Whether you fly 50 or 150 hours a year, owning your own plane can be one of the best financial decisions you’ll ever make. Like other valuable assets, aircraft ownership can be a shrewd inv...

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