Neil Gallagher came to Winner less than three years ago as vice president of maintenance, and spent about a year-and-a-half in the post before he was named president of the company.
Gallagher got his start in aviation in the mid-1980s in the military as a technician on the Pratt & Whitney F100 engine used in the McDonnell Douglas F-15 and General Dynamics F-16. Following military service he worked for several passenger and cargo air carriers, first in maintenance and then in the cockpit as a second officer.
Gallagher returned to his maintenance roots and general aviation, working for Flight Options in Cleveland, his home town, for a decade. At Flight Options he held a variety of senior positions including managing five locations, before moving to Winner.
“When I came here everything seemed to be secular, every department was running by itself,” he says. “There was not a lot of interdepartmental communication, sharing, and teamwork.” He resolved to change the culture, and although change is an ongoing process, he believes it is making a difference. “It’s been exciting, challenging, and it’s really been fun. To watch the whole team come together is what is rewarding.”
