Our Leadership Team

As President and CEO of Envoy Air, Pedro Fábregas oversees one of the world’s largest regional airlines, with more than 18,000 employees operating approximately 800 daily flights to 160 cities throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico, the Caribbean and The Bahamas. Pedro joined American Airlines in 1983 and rose rapidly through the Customer Service, Operations and Finance ranks to become Vice President of Finance & Planning, and later President and CEO of Executive Airlines, a former wholly-owned subsidiary of AMR Corp.

Pedro holds a Bachelor’s degree in Administration and Finance from the University of the Sacred Heart, Puerto Rico, and a Master’s degree from the University of Miami, School of Business Administration in Coral Gables, Florida.

Pedro is a Senior Vice President at American Airlines and also an officer at American Airlines Group, the parent company of American Airlines and the Chairman of the American Airlines Federal Credit Union Board of Directors. Additionally, he served for eight years as a member of the Board of Overseers at the University of Miami School of Business.

Hispanic Business Magazine selected Fábregas to their 2013 “Corporate Elite” list that includes the 25 most influential, engaged and dynamic Hispanic business leaders in America. For eight consecutive years, he has been recognized by D CEO magazine as one of the Dallas 500 most powerful business leaders in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. He was also named one of the Most Admired CEOs in North Texas by the Dallas Business Journal and was also awarded with the Reader’s Choice Award.

Dee Temples is responsible for Envoy Air’s Line & Base Maintenance, Technical Services, Flight Operations and System Operations Control. A veteran of both Trans World Airlines, Inc. and Envoy, Temples previously served as Vice President of Planning & Treasury for Envoy from 2011 until 2013. Prior to that, he led Envoy’s Financial Planning & Analysis teams.

Dee joined TWA in 1998 and served in a variety of roles there involving diverse areas of the company, including engine overhaul processes, aircraft modifications, sales strategies, fleet planning, flight profitability, and the introduction of regional jet flying at Trans World Express.

A life-long aviation and transportation system enthusiast, Dee earned his Private Pilot’s License at the age of 18 and worked at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport in North Carolina as an Operations Officer before starting his airline career.

Dee holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management from Clemson University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, as well as a private pilot’s license.

John Jaynes is responsible for all ground handling activities at Envoy, with more than 12,000 employees handling 1,425 daily departures at 116 airports throughout the United States, Canada, the Bahamas and the Caribbean. He previously served as Vice President – Airport Services Planning, responsible for Envoy’s ground handling business with airline customers including United and Delta. Other positions at Envoy have included Vice President – Divestiture and Transition Services, working on the possible divestiture of Eagle, Vice President – Airport Services and Vice President – Operations Planning and Performance.

John joined American in 1985 as a Crew Systems Analyst and has held several management positions in marketing and planning, including Managing Director – Marketing Planning/Consumer Research and Managing Director – Food and Beverage Services. He started his first position at Envoy Air in 1998.

John holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a Master’s Degree from MIT’s Flight Transportation Laboratory.

John Nicks is responsible for managing Envoy’s Purchasing, Contracts, Inventory Control/Logistics, Stores and Vendor Relations. Additionally, he oversees the airlines’ Trade Compliance and Regulatory programs, as well as its Corporate Real Estate functions.

With more than four decades of aviation experience, John’s extensive experience and knowledge of airline operations has been an important part of Envoy’s leadership team as it has evolved and changed through the years. He joined AMR Eagle in 1988 as Vice President of Administration overseeing the Human Resources, Information Technology and Corporate Real Estate departments and played an instrumental role in combining the original five airlines that became American Eagle in 1998.

John earned a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Lynchburg Baptist College then started his career at Air Virginia. He served in a variety of roles, including Vice President Schedules and Planning and Vice President Customer Service.

Kara McKinney was named Vice President Finance & Planning for Envoy Air in 2019. In this role, she oversees all of Envoy’s financial and accounting functions, and contributes to the company’s strategic planning. In December 2021, Kara was given the title of Senior Vice President Finance & Planning.

McKinney joined Envoy in 2009 as a Financial Analyst and has served in a variety of roles, including Manager of Cooperative Advertising and Marketing and Controller for Envoy’s Air Operations division. She also played a pivotal analytical role during the American Airlines bankruptcy process and subsequent merger with US Airways.

McKinney holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Finance from the University of North Texas.

Christopher Pappaioanou joined Envoy in 2015 to oversee the airline’s Legal, Labor and Employment teams.

Chris’ background combines both legal and airline operational experience. Prior to joining Envoy, Chris served as Senior Vice President, East Coast Operations for Mesa Airlines, overseeing hub operations in Charlotte (CLT), Dulles (IAD) and Chicago (ORD). Previously Chris served as President of go! Airlines, responsible for the overall operational and financial performance of the Hawaii-based airline.

Chris’s holds an MBA from Yale University, a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University School of Law and a bachelor’s degree in Corporate Financial Management from Ball State University. With degrees from Ball State University. Chris began his career as an attorney in positions of increasing responsibility, specializing in labor, employment and business development. D Magazine recognized Chris as Outstanding In-House Counsel in 2021 for his professional achievements at Envoy.

With more than 30 years of aviation experience, Captain Scott Trepinski, PhD serves as Envoy’s FAA-mandated Director of Safety, responsible for the administration and effectiveness of a wide range of safety programs, including the airline’s Safety Management System (SMS), Aviation Safety Action Programs (ASAP), Flight Operations Quality Assurance (FOQA), and Continuing Analysis and Surveillance System (CASS).

Scott began his career with Envoy as a line pilot and is type-rated in three different commercial aircraft. He represents Envoy and shares his passion for aviation safety by presenting at numerous industry events and serving as a graduate adjunct professor teaching aviation safety for two universities.

Scott has a PhD in Education from Liberty University, a master’s degree in Aviation Safety from the University of Central Missouri, and a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Systems Engineering from the University of Arizona.

Chanen Lively joined Envoy in 2016 as in-house Attorney, overseeing a variety of legal, labor and employment issues for the airline. She now serves as Vice President of Human Resources & Employment Counsel, leading the team that provides employees with vital pay, benefits, and policy support.

With degrees from Southern Methodist University and The John Marshall Law School, Chanen began her career in Chicago, gaining experience in employment and business litigation, as well as court proceedings in the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Adept at researching and presenting complex legal issues, Chanen served as law clerk, associate and hearing representative at a variety of firms, gaining extensive experience in employment matters.

Captain Ric Wilson is Vice President of Flight Operations and FAA designated Director of Operations for Envoy Air.  In his role, he oversees all facets of the airline’s flight operations, leading the airline’s team of more than 2,000 professional aviators. He has overall responsibility and operational control for regulatory, safety and security compliance, as well as the efficient and timely conduct of the airline’s daily flight operations.

Ric has more than 40 years of aviation experience, including 30+ years at Envoy. During his career at Envoy, Ric has held numerous positions within the Flight, Dispatch and Safety organizations. He has served as the Vice President of Safety & Compliance where he was responsible for all aspects of corporate safety for 16,000 employees. He also served as the Vice President of System Operations Control, responsible for the administration of the company operations center overseeing flight dispatch, meteorology, navigation and crew tracking for 1,200 daily domestic & international flight operations.  He was responsible for planning and logistical support of crew allocations, crew Planning and crew analysis which addressed all aspects of pilot and flight attendant staffing. Captain Wilson holds flight ratings on the BA-3100, SF-340, ATR-72, EMB-145, CRJ-700 aircraft types and is currently type rated on the Embraer ERJ-175.

Ric holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aviation Technology from LeTourneau University with an emphasis on engineering and mechanics, has completed an Advanced Executive Program at Kellogg School of Management Northwestern University and an Aviation Safety and Security Program at George Washington University. In addition to being an FAA-licensed Air Transport Pilot with over 7,000 hours of flight experience, Ric is also an FAA-licensed Aircraft Airframe and Powerplant Mechanic.

Linda Kunz is responsible for the Flight Service department, managing the 1,700 Flight Attendants who provide service on Envoy’s flights throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico and the Caribbean.

Linda has extensive airline experience not only in management, but also on the front line serving customers. She began her career as a flight attendant for Ozark Air Lines and later Trans World Airlines (TWA) when they acquired Ozark.

At TWA Linda held a variety of staff and line positions in Inflight Services, Flight Operations, Regulatory Compliance, Corporate Safety and Training. She steadily rose through the ranks to serve as the Director of Inflight Operations for the carrier, overseeing TWA’s inflight communications, policies and procedures, duty-free, in-seat catalog and website. When TWA merged with American in April 2001, Kunz continued her career at Envoy in her current position as Vice President – Flight Service.

Kunz holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Aviation Management from Southern Illinois University.

Curtis R. Coble is responsible for Envoy’s Heavy Maintenance bases, along with Engineering, Technical Publications, Quality Control, Training, and sourcing of On-call Maintenance. He previously served as Envoy’s Vice President of Maintenance and Engineering. 

Before Joining Envoy in September 2007, Curtis worked for American Airlines as a Product Manager dealing with engine, support shops and line maintenance at American’s Kansas City (MCI) maintenance base. He led the management team responsible for directing union workers and oversaw the repair of PW2037 jet engines. He was also responsible for all hangar support functions and component repair.

Prior to joining American Airlines, Curtis was Director of Business Partners and Airline Information Services for Trans World Airlines, providing leadership to IT transition activities as TWA became part of American. He began his career with the Boeing Commercial Airplane Co. as a System Analyst. In his last position at Boeing, Coble was named Manager Production Control, Sheet Metal Center, where he developed short- and long-term production/capacity plans and managed detailed material requirements using an MRP II system.

Coble is a graduate of Oklahoma Christian College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration/ Marketing and holds an Airframe & Powerplant licenses.

Jay Murray is responsible for all facets of Envoy’s daily Maintenance operations, including Maintenance Operations Control (MOC), maintenance planning and the line maintenance operation. With over 32 years of experience in the airline industry, Jay began his career at Business Express Airlines. He steadily rose through the ranks there, beginning as an Aircraft Maintenance Technician and then on to positions as a Crew Chief, Supervisor and Base Manager.

In 2001, Business Express was acquired by American Eagle, and Murray continued his career serving as a Maintenance Manager in Bangor, Maine, Base Director of Envoy Air’s Columbus, Ohio maintenance operation and Manager Director Northeast Region Maintenance.

As Managing Director Southern Region Maintenance, Jay oversaw Envoy’s line maintenance bases at Dallas/ Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Miami International Airport (MIA).

Jay holds an Associate Degree in Technology from Hudson Valley College, as well as an Aviation Maintenance diploma and A&P License from Riverside School of Aeronautics in Rome, New York.

John Dixon was named Vice President Crew Planning in 2018, where he is responsible for the hiring, assignment and scheduling of our pilots and flight attendants. In this role, he oversees Pilot Recruiting, Flight Simulator Planning & Scheduling and Crew Scheduling. John formerly served as Managing Director of Crew Resources and Director Maintenance Safety and Compliance.

With more than 17 years in the U.S. Army, National Guard and Reserves, John obtained his pilot’s license in 1985 and served as a pilot, instructor and warrant officer during his service. He joined American Eagle Airlines in 1989 as a Fleet Service Clerk in Philadelphia. He later moved to Dallas/Fort Worth as a Pilot Ground Instructor, followed by a number of management positions within the airline’s Flight Department.

John became a First Officer for American Eagle in 1998. His experience and insights as a pilot and instructor were called on throughout his 25-year career with the carrier, as he handled a number of roles in recruiting, purchasing, regulatory affairs and flight administration.

Kevin Ward is responsible for Envoy’s ground handling policy and procedures, overseeing its ground handling business and managing four Customer Service regions including 55 cities. Envoy currently provides ground handling service for many American Airlines Group flights.

Kevin has more than 25 years of aviation experience, previously serving as Vice President of the DFW hub. He has also held several Regional Managing Director roles throughout his career at Envoy.

A New York native, Kevin received a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Nazareth College in Rochester, New York. Kevin began his career at American Airlines in Rochester as a Fleet Service Clerk in 1987.

Jude Mayeux is responsible for the customer service provided at airports throughout five Envoy regions, covering 100 cities throughout the US, Canada and Mexico. Jude started his career at American Eagle as a station agent in 1992 in his hometown of Alexandria, LA.

Jude has held various Regional Managing Director positions and played a key role in the company’s significant ground handling growth in 2012-2013. He has a wealth of operational experience and has managed large airport operations as well as managing departments at Envoy’s large hubs.

Jude holds a Bachelor’s Degree in History from Louisiana State University Alexandria. The Mayeux family proudly supports the Airport Area YMCA in Bedford, TX where they are actively involved in programs supporting local youth and seniors.

José Velez-Rubio rejoined Envoy as Vice President of its Dallas/Fort Worth hub in June 2015. Most recently, he served as Director of Customer Care and Operations for American Airlines at New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA).

José began his career with American Airlines in 1985 as a Fleet Service Clerk and was rapidly promoted to Passenger Service Lead Agent, Ramp Service Supervisor and later Ramp Manager. In 1997, he was appointed Regional Manager for American Eagle in the Caribbean and two years later became the Director of American Eagle for the San Juan Hub.

José served as Vice President of International Operations for American Eagle in Puerto Rico, the Caribbean and Bahamas, along with responsibility for the Flight Service organization. He previously served as American’s General Manager in Fort Lauderdale before returning to American Eagle in 2012.

A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, José studied Business Administration at the University of the Sacred Heart.

Ricky Deane is responsible for Envoy’s operations in Chicago – Envoy’s second largest hub with more than 300 daily departures. He also has direct oversight of other American Eagle carrier’s ground operations at the hub. With a focus on safety and reliability, he also oversees compliance with regulatory requirements, contracts and vendor relations.

Ricky has been in Aviation for more than 20 years, starting as a supervisor at a small charter company in the Caribbean, and progressing to different roles with American Eagle, such as Ramp Manager for the Boston Hub, Country Manager for the Bahamas and Vice President for the Miami hub.

Customer Service – whether internal or external – is a true passion for Ricky, and he is always looking for creative ways to draw closer to customers and employees alike. A native of England, Ricky earned an Associates degree in Accounting from North London College.

Frank Reynolds is responsible for Envoy’s operations in New York and throughout the Northeast Region, which encompasses John F. Kennedy International (JFK) and LaGuardia International (LGA) airports, as well as 14 surrounding airports. Previously, Frank served as Regional Managing Director for the East and Canadian Region as well as Northeast Hub Regional Managing Director.

In addition to Envoy operations, Frank oversees the ground handling operations of American Airlines and Republic Airlines. Frank joined American Eagle in 2001 after American purchased TWA, following many years in management positions, the most recent as Managing Director New York/Caribbean.

Migdoel Rosa is responsible for Envoy’s airport operations at its Miami hub and throughout Florida. A 36-year veteran of the company, he has held numerous managerial positions.

Migdoel began his career in the airline industry with American Airlines Ramp Services, serving as Ramp Services Manager for American Eagle. While there, he held a number of positions, including Ramp Service Manager, Passenger Service Manager and General Manager, later becoming Vice President of International Operations.

Envoy’s MIA operations have transformed under Migdoel’s leadership. It has gone from being a small, discreet operation in an isolated area of the airport with less than 40 daily flights in 2011, to command the entire Envoy system as a trailblazing ground handler that has become the 2nd employer in the Miami-Dade Aviation Department (MDAD) with a diverse and complex operation with its footmark throughout the airport. In the process, MIA has reshaped the brand of Envoy by maintaining both the flying business and a strong and evolving ground handling operation.

Migdoel holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico and is a licensed aircraft dispatcher.

Deesha Desai oversees Envoy’s large ground-handling operation at Los Angeles International Airport, as well as managing a number of airport operations throughout the Western U.S. She previously served as Managing Director Customer Services Planning, where she was responsible for policies, procedures and staffing for all ground handling teams.

Deesha began her career in 2006 as a Station Agent and quickly assumed greater responsibilities, serving as General Manager for several airports before joining the leadership team at Headquarters.

Born in Beaufort, S.C., Deesha holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health from the University of South Carolina. She recently earned the Global Leadership Executive MBA degree from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Mindi Kimmell leads a team of finance and administrative professionals who oversee the smooth operation of Envoy’s Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Attendance and Payroll functions. In addition, she is responsible for the vision and planning to support Envoy’s employee data systems.

Mindi joined Envoy in 2009 as a Financial Analyst and has played an integral role in major company initiatives, providing the analysis to successfully support a corporate restructuring and merger.

Originally from DeLeon, Texas, Mindi graduated from Texas Tech University with a bachelor’s degree in Finance.

A 31-year veteran in the aviation industry, Shannon leads a team of nearly 2,000 employees of which over 40 are managers at our Dallas-Fort Worth hub. She started her aviation career with Simmons Airlines in Decatur, Illinois, before moving to Sarasota, Florida and then transferring to Tampa, Florida to work for American Airlines in Tampa, Florida before returning to Envoy. At the heart of Shannon’s leadership is a focus on our employees and the teams that must work together to be successful at our largest hub operation.  Employees are held accountable while being empowered to succeed and reach their goals.

Shannon’s career with Envoy has been one of continuous growth and improvement. She’s held various General Manager positions, and performed as Program Manager for a portfolio in our ground handling business before advancing to Managing Director of our DFW hub ramp operations.

Over the years, Shannon has been instrumental in Customer Successes included managing complex Corporate Real Estate (CRE) projects over the years, improving our training processes and developing a diverse team of more than 60 Ramp Specialists at DFW.

Robert Nault oversees Envoy’s System Operations Control (SOC), a multifaceted organization covering a wide spectrum of airline operations. He is responsible for monitoring all of Envoy’s domestic and international flights, using state-of-the-art flight planning and tracking systems and satellite communications. He also oversees Meteorology and Navigation, while providing a wide range of planning and logistical support for the airline.

Robert started his career at Simmons Airlines as a Reservations agent in 1984, in his hometown of Negaunee, Mich. He joined the management team in 1988 and has gained a wealth of operational experience over the course of his career.

Robert proudly supports all of Envoy’s initiatives benefitting active military and veterans. He is a major supporter of the Gary Sinise Foundation, transporting Sinise’s Lt. Dan Band as they travel to entertain service members and their family. He coordinates all of the many Envoy charters that support our military.

Christopher St. James joined Envoy in 2020 as Counsel and Director of Legal, Labor and Employment.

Christopher has extensive professional experience spanning from legal representation in the private and public sector to operations management and human resources for a nationwide food distributor, where he got his start driving forklifts.

As an attorney, Christopher has experience handling a wide variety of legal issues concerning labor and employment, liability,  civil rights, procurement, contracting, and banking and finance transactions.

Christopher earned his law degree from South Texas College of Law and holds a bachelors degree in Business Administration. He is licensed to practice law in Texas and Utah.

Adam Simmons leads a team of communications and creative specialists that handle all of Envoy’s internal and external messaging, social media, media relations and marketing efforts.

Adam joined Envoy in 2015 as a Communications Specialist and has provided communications guidance and support for multiple internal and external campaigns, including major HR Information System and Payroll changes, fleet updates, event support, recruiting and diversity messaging and much more.

Originally from the United Kingdom, Adam naturalized as a US citizen in October 2020. Adam holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English & Media from Swansea University, UK and a Master of Arts degree in English Literature from the University of Leeds, UK.