Meridian Names Emil Iannone COO

Meridian, award-winning private aviation company, is pleased to announce that Emil Iannone has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Meridian Air Charter. He will be responsible for managing and streamlining the charter business, including charter operations, charter sales, aircraft management and marketing. Mr. Iannone has served as Director of Operations since 2013, when he returned to Meridian after 13 years in the financial industry. Mr. Iannone is based at the company’s headquarters at Teterboro Airport in Teterboro, NJ.

The organizational restructuring comes as part of the company’s overall growth strategy, and is designed to allow Dennis O’Connell, President of Meridian Air Charter, more time to focus on other critical aspects of the charter business. These include owner relations, aircraft maintenance, and accounting. Together, Mr. O’Connell and Mr. Iannone will be responsible for the strategic direction of the charter organization.   

Mr. Iannone started flying in the mid-1980s at Teterboro Airport before attending American Flyers Academy. After graduating and earning his CFI, he returned to Meridian as an instructor pilot, moving up the ranks to Chief Pilot. In 1994, he was promoted to Director of Operations, overseeing the daily operations of Million Air Charter, when the company was part of the franchise. Iannone also spent some time during his early career flying for a private flight department. He is type rated in Gulfstream, Learjet and Cessna Citation aircraft. 

In 2000, Mr. Iannone was offered the opportunity to take his talents and expertise to a New York City investment banking firm. As Senior Vice President, he oversaw the daily operations of several key areas of the company, including security, purchasing, and ground transportation. His managerial skills translated well from aviation to this environment and he spent a successful tenure there. In 2013, the allure of aviation brought him back to Meridian, when he rejoined the company as Director of Operations.