Q&A with Dave Monacell

David Monacell, Executive Vice President, CFS Jets

Explain your role within your organization?

My role with Mitch McCune is to oversee the day-to-day operations of CFS Jets. Myself primarily, I’m responsible for the growth and development of the sales team.

Describe a typical day in your role.

Explaining a typical week or day is a real challenge, I’m engaged in the sales process and every deal is different. As well, other challenges present themselves in different projects or anything else that we are emersed in. It would be a challenge to have two weeks that were identical.

Tell us what you enjoy most about your role.

The most rewarding thing with my position is to see and watch our team grow. From the early stages of our team members joining, not knowing anything about aviation, growing up within our business and then watching them become successful sales people that are achieving goals and rewards that are beyond their expectations. That’s really the most rewarding thing that I get to experience.

Explain what inspired you to work in aviation.

Aviation has always interested me from a very young age, all I really wanted to do from the age of four is fly. I didn’t realize until I was in college that I wanted to do something besides commercial aviation. There was a moment in time where I realized that I didn’t want to sit next to a crew member for three weeks away from home and that resonated with me. I elected from that day forward, I would do something under the corporate aviation side.

Describe your greatest professional influence.

There’s one gentleman, Jim Mitchell, who really taught me the business growing up in my first role. I’ve had two great partners. My wife has been an exceptional influence in my professional career, knowing that everything is being taken care of at home and allowing me to travel and take care of the business needs. I’ve also had a great partner in Mitch McCune, who has really taught me how to optimize deals and is just a great compliment to my personality. Those three people have been the most instrumental in my career.

Describe yourself in three words.

If I were to describe myself in three words, I would say I’m inefficient, complimented by the fact that I cover that up with hard work and I’m diligent.

Share one item you wouldn’t travel without on a long-haul flight.

The one item that I would never travel without on a long flight would be my headphones, it’s an easy answer.

Share your hidden hobby.

My hidden talent or hobby would probably be that I used to do all of the 1980’s and 90’s voices from Saturday Night Live.