Magellan Jets Accelerates Growth Strategy; Appoints Two Industry Veterans to Lead Next Chapter of Expansion

The company's three-year growth plan is rooted in acquisitions, platform expansion, and the launch of Certified Advisor by Magellan Jets

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Magellan Jets, a leader in private aviation known for category-defining safety standards, elevated service and hospitality, and a technology platform purpose-built for scale, today announced the next phase of its growth strategy.

The newly expanded leadership roles of industry veterans, Matthew Harris and Josh Lesnick, are designed to accelerate the company's acquisition, advisor, and platform expansion plans. Both executives bring decades of experience spanning private aviation, luxury hospitality, and high-net-worth client service.

The announcement comes on the heels of a record-setting 2025 and continued momentum into 2026. Magellan Jets' 2026 forecast projects strong year-over-year growth across every revenue line, including 26% in total revenue, 24% in gross sales, 31% in new jet card sales, and 20% in jet card renewals.

Matthew Harris, who most recently served as Magellan Jets’ Chief Operating Officer, has been named Chief Strategy & Growth Officer. Josh Lesnick, Chief Commercial Officer at Magellan Jets, will now serve as Chief Operating Officer. The transitions take effect June 9, 2026.

In his new role, Harris will lead Magellan Jets’ acquisition strategy, the company's new program for elite independent broker advisors, Certified Advisor by Magellan Jets, and the strategic partnerships across operators, FBOs, and technology providers that compound the company’s market advantage.

Lesnick will now own Magellan Jets’ full operating engine – including Sales, Marketing, Sourcing, Flight Operations, and Client Experience – and is accountable for translating the business’ growth strategy into operational excellence at scale.

"The private aviation industry is fragmented, and Magellan Jets has long seen the opportunity to consolidate and grow it the right way," said Joshua Marc Hebert, Founder and CEO of Magellan Jets. "We are building a platform that gives premier brokerages and elite independent advisors the institutional infrastructure to scale, without ever asking them to surrender the founder-driven culture that made them great. Acquisitions, Certified Advisor by Magellan Jets, and our proprietary technology are not separate initiatives — they are reinforcing pillars of a single vision: a private aviation platform that grows without limitations.”

“This is the moment we built Magellan Jets for. We have the brand, the technology, the safety and service record, and now the leadership team to lead the consolidation of this industry on our terms,” said Anthony Tivnan, Founder and President of Magellan Jets. “Matthew Harris and Josh Lesnick are not new names – they are the people who have already delivered the results that earned us this opportunity, and now they are taking the seats that match the scale of what we are building.”

The company’s growth plan is built on four reinforcing pillars, each designed to compound the others into a single platform advantage:

• Premier Brokerage Acquisition: Magellan Jets is acquiring and integrating brokerage firms whose brand, reputation, safety standards, service culture, and client experience meet the company's standards, offering selected firms the infrastructure to scale without compromise.

• Certified Advisor by Magellan Jets: Recruitment of elite independent broker advisors who want to sell charter, fractional, and jet card programs on a trusted, full-service foundation – from solo entrepreneurs to small teams ready to plug into institutional scale. These independent advisors will be required to complete Magellan Jets certification training program and stay current annually. In addition to access of Magellan Jets products they will have full access to the technology platform, client apps, events, preferred network aircraft and the formal Certified Advisor by Magellan Jets badge.

• Strategic Partnerships: Expansion of operator, FBO, and technology partnerships that protect margins, secure premium aircraft access, and accelerate the client experience.

• Technology & AI Leadership: Continued investment in proprietary technology and AI for seamless scheduling, sourcing intelligence, and a frictionless client journey.

About Matthew Harris, Chief Strategy & Growth Officer

Harris brings nearly three decades in private aviation and a proven record of building, scaling, and selling businesses. He co-founded Milestone Aviation, raising more than $540 million in capital and growing it into a $4+ billion aviation leasing company before its $1.775 billion sale to GE Capital. Earlier, he spent 13 years at NetJets, ultimately as Executive Vice President of Owner Services, leading the experience and retention of more than 5,000 high-net-worth clients. As Magellan Jets’ Chief Operating Officer, he oversaw Client Experience, Flight Operations, Procurement, Sourcing, and Technology – operational experience he now leverages toward growth.

About Josh Lesnick, Chief Operating Officer

Prior to assuming this newly expanded role, Lesnick served as Magellan Jets' Chief Commercial Officer beginning in 2023, where he led the transformation of the company's sales and marketing functions — putting Magellan Jets on pace to double its topline performance by the end of 2026. Before joining Magellan Jets, Lesnick spent over 35 years as a senior executive at luxury hospitality companies including Associated Luxury Hotels, Wyndham Hotel Group, Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Hyatt Hotels Group, Collective Retreats, and Audience Rewards — The Official Loyalty Program of Broadway. Throughout his career, he has architected multiple award-winning hotel customer retention and loyalty programs including Starwood Preferred Guest, Hyatt Gold Passport, and Sheraton Club International. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration and currently serves on the Board of Directors of Audience Rewards.

Magellan Jets Clients can expect the same uncompromising service, safety, and personal attention that have defined the brand, now backed by an expanded network of advisors, aircraft, infrastructure and operational depth designed to make every journey more seamless. Every journey remains personal.

About Magellan Jets

Magellan Jets is a world-class private aviation solutions provider offering Jet Cards, Charter Flights, Fractional Ownership, and Aircraft Sales and Management Services. With a focus on safety, hospitality, and Client care, the company is setting a new standard in private jet travel.

Magellan Jets has flown Private Clients to over 100 countries and consistently delivers exceptional service, maintaining a 4.9-out-of-5-star rating. The company has been featured on the Inc. 5000 list of “Fastest Growing Companies in America,” awarded Robb Report’s “Best of the Best,” and named Modern Luxury’s “Best Private Charter.”

Founded in Boston in 2008, Magellan Jets is headquartered in Quincy, Massachusetts with a private terminal in Bedford, Massachusetts. To learn more, visit www.magellanjets.com and follow the company on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.