Appointment brings three decades of global aviation finance and operating leadership to Citadel’s growing multi-site platform
DALLAS, Aug. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Citadel Aviation today announced the appointment of Fred Cromer as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Cromer will be based at the company’s Dallas Love Field (DAL) center of excellence and will report to Chief Executive Officer, Greg Colgan.
Cromer joins Citadel as the company scales a multi-site platform for the maintenance, modification, and refurbishment of the industry’s most elite and VVIP aircraft. Citadel serves private owners and operators from Chennault International Airport in Lake Charles, Louisiana, and its DAL center of excellence in Dallas, Texas along with rapid AOG services around the globe.
As a key strategy partner to Citadel’s Chief Executive Officer, Fred holds enterprise responsibility for Finance, Information Technology, Human Resources, and Legal. His primary objectives focus on aligning these functions behind a common operating model to accelerate profitable, scalable growth through an optimal capital structure, targeted mergers and acquisitions, and long-range planning.
The integrated scope is deliberate. Finance, technology, people, and performance are the levers that determine whether growth is profitable and scalable, and aligning them behind a single operating model gives Citadel one accountable leader as the company adds sites, customers, and capability.
“Fred is a well-respected industry executive, and he’s lead numerous organizations through adversity and opportunity in nearly every corner of this industry – airlines, leasing, OEM, and technology,” said Greg Colgan, Chief Executive Officer of Citadel Aviation. “Fred’s background and partnership mentality fits our needs extremely well and will further position Citadel Aviation as a go to trusted advisor in the industry. Citadel is growing quickly, and I’m glad he helps shape what comes next.”
“What makes Citadel compelling is the combination of genuine technical craftsmanship on the hangar floor and a leadership team with the ambition to build an industry leading platform around it,” said Cromer. “The teams in Lake Charles and Dallas have built something with real momentum and scalability. My first priority is to plug into this team and then implement meaningful financial and operating discipline to support our strategic goals.”
Cromer brings three decades of aviation experience spanning airlines, aircraft leasing, original equipment manufacturing, and aviation technology. He has led both independent companies and wholly owned subsidiaries through periods of significant growth, transition, acquisitions, divestitures, and IPO readiness, including a successful initial public offering.
About Citadel Aviation
Founded in 2017, Citadel Aviation is a privately held and operated FAA Part 145 aircraft services provider specializing in the maintenance, modification, refurbishment, and completion of elite and VVIP aircraft. From Chennault International Airport in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Citadel performs full nose-to-tail work on narrow- and wide-body aircraft for Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Embraer, Dassault, and Gulfstream, serving private owners, heads of state, and government protocol operators. Its Dallas Love Field center of excellence serves corporate and large-cabin business jets. Citadel is an authorized Boeing Business Jets Maintenance Service Center and Boeing 777-200/300 Completions Center, an Airbus Corporate Jets Service Centre Network provider, and an authorized Starlink dealer. Learn more at www.citadelaviation.com.
Media Contact
Michelle Danielle (MD) Savoy
Vice President of Brand and Market Strategy, Citadel Aviation
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SOURCE Citadel Aviation
