2022 AMT 40 Under 40 Maintenance Professionals: Neal Reagor, M.B.A, Commercial Director, Embraer Aircraft Maintenance Services
Neal Reagor said there isn’t one specific experience that led him into aviation, but he attributes his career to a love of aviation and military history.
“My fascination has always been with history, especially aviation’s role in the World Wars. So, I always liked airplanes. I love stopping at the Dayton Air Force base in Ohio and seeing all the airplanes in the museum,” Reagor said. “So, I thought, ‘Well, being a pilot or being around airplanes would be an interesting career choice.”
After graduating from MTSU in 2007 with a degree in Aerospace Maintenance Management, Reagor quickly landed a job at Embraer Aircraft Maintenance Services (EAMS). Reagor began his career as an A&P mechanic, working for a year before moving to the planning department and on to more support and leadership roles at Embraer. He would oversee the digital transformation of their heavy maintenance, transforming maintenance into a near-paperless process.
Today, he is the Commercial Director for Embraer Aircraft Maintenance Services, in charge of sales and customer support. Reagor also has an MBA from Tennessee Tech, which has helped him gain insight into the financial management of the MRO operation.
"Embraer Aircraft Maintenance Services is currently a 14-bay aircraft maintenance operation. "My team and I are in charge of filling those bays with maintenance customers,” Reagor described. “I’m in charge of maintenance sales for Embraer Aircraft Maintenance Services and all the customer support needs for my business unit."
Reagor said his favorite thing about his job is interacting with the people and customers they serve.
“The people, honestly, that’s my favorite thing. It’s just meeting people in the industry, talking to them, and helping them solve the complex issues that arise in the airline world. I’m a big fan of sales and the negotiation process. I love to negotiate and talk and try to find a solution to a problem. I like it when a customer has an issue they need help with, and we can find a way to support them. Overall, I really like working with customers,” he said.
