High flyers in new roles at CIT Business Aircraft Finance

CIT Business Aircraft Finance has announced a series of new appointments as it builds up its specialist team to serve the aviation industry.

Ron Walls joins as vice president, equipment management with responsibility for the valuations and management of CIT’s business aircraft portfolio. Walls has been involved in equipment management within the finance industry for almost 30 years, and has worked for a number of top equipment finance institutions across the country, including Wachovia/Wells Fargo Equipment Finance, Banc One Leasing Co., Fleet Capital Leasing, Transamerica Equipment Leasing and GE Capital.

Another new hire is Jose Luis Muñoz as vice president, sales, Latin America, who will be responsible for sales initiatives and strategy for the region and will be based in Mexico City. He has spent the last four years in GE Capital’s Corporate Aircraft Finance group, where he originated and structured leases and loans for corporate accounts in Mexico.

Nicole Halverson becomes vice president, aircraft trading & syndications and will be responsible for optimizing the business aircraft portfolio through acquisitions, syndications and divestments. Halverson began her career at CIT Aerospace in 2004, and was most recently vice president, sales, Americas, where she managed CIT’s originations of business aircraft financings throughout Latin America.

As vice president, sales, North America – East, Michael Francis will be responsible for new business development in the US east of the Mississippi River as well as in the Caribbean. Francis has been with CIT since 2012, having previously managed private aviation for a family office.

The role of assistant vice president, sales, North America – West, will be taken by Craig Roy, who is responsible for originations in the US west of the Mississippi River. Roy joined CIT in 2007, and has held several roles, most recently managing indirect originations and syndications for CIT Business Aircraft Finance.

“Companies around the world continue to recognize that business aircraft drive growth, save time and facilitate quality face-to-face interaction,” said Mike Kahmann, group head and managing director, CIT Business Aircraft Finance. “These announcements about our quality team demonstrate our commitment to this crucial sector of the aerospace industry and to delivering the highest level of service to our customers.”