Wheels Up Announces Stevens J. Sainte-Rose as Chief People Officer and Expansion of President and Chief Marketing Officer Roles

NEW YORK, Jan. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Wheels Up Experience Inc. (NYSE:UP), the leading brand in private aviation, today, announced the appointment of Stevens J. Sainte-Rose as Chief People Officer. In this role, Sainte-Rose will lead all aspects of human resources and culture at Wheels Up including organizational design, talent acquisition, development and retention, as well as diversity and inclusion functions. Sainte-Rose will report directly to Wheels Up Chairman and CEO, Kenny Dichter.

"Stevens brings a unique mix of long-term, strategic planning with the agility and speed necessary to operate in a rapidly growing business," said Dichter. "His experience in consumer packaged goods and retail across global brands is a huge asset to Wheels Up as we continue to attract world-class talent, continue to build our culture through diversity and inclusion, and reinforce our foundation as a high-performance organization."

As a seasoned HR veteran, Sainte-Rose has expertise across a diverse range of industries including fast moving consumer goods, retail, hospitality, food service, manufacturing & production, and managed services.  Stevens previously served as Senior Vice President of HR at The Coca-Cola Company International, as Chief Human Resources Officer at U.S. Walgreens, Chief HR and Transformation Officer at Dawn Foods Global and most recently Chief HR Officer at Parallel Inc.  He holds a Master's degree from the University of Pennsylvania in Organizational Dynamics and an undergraduate degree from Cornell University in Industrial & Labor Relations.

"I couldn't be more thrilled to join Wheels Up as Chief People Officer," said Sainte-Rose. "I have long admired the Wheels Up brand, its disruptive spirit, and am inspired by the vision to build a marketplace in private aviation. I am excited to help accelerate the development of Wheels Up as a growth-minded, high performance culture, with the customer at the center of everything they do."

In addition to the appointment of Sainte-Rose, Wheels Up recently expanded the roles of two members of the Executive Leadership Team: President, Vinayak Hegde, and Chief Marketing Officer, Lee Applbaum.  Hegde will now have integrated ownership and accountability for both the demand generation and supply side of the Wheels Up marketplace, which includes all sales functions, member services, account management, technology, product, operations and supply.  This seamless connection of supply and demand, and holistic ownership of the functions is a critical step in the delivery of a transformative private aviation marketplace.  Additionally, the offices of the Chief Experience Officer and Chief Marketing Officer have been combined under Applbaum to provide integrated ownership of the customer experience funnel from acquisition through loyalty, including a continued focus on building the iconic Wheels Up brand.  Both Hegde and Applbaum will continue to report to Dichter. 

About Wheels Up

Wheels Up Experience Inc. ("Wheels Up"), a leading demand generator in private aviation, offers a total private aviation solution that includes world-class safety, service, and flexibility through on-demand flights, membership programs, corporate solutions, aircraft management, whole aircraft sales, and commercial travel benefits through a strategic partnership with Delta Air Lines. Wheels Up is uniquely positioned to offer its Customers and Members access to over 1,500 safety-vetted and verified aircraft.

Through the Wheels Up App anyone can search, book, and fly. Wheels Up Connect, Core, and Business memberships provide enhancements such as flight sharing, empty-leg Hot Flights, Shuttle Flights, Shared Flights, signature Wheels Down events, and exclusive member benefits from preeminent lifestyle brands. The Company's ongoing Wheels Up Cares program aligns with philanthropic organizations and initiatives that affect and matter to the Company and its customers, members, stakeholders, families, and friends. The Wheels Up Cares fleet is comprised of five custom painted Beechcraft King Air 350i aircraft; each plane serves as a flying symbol for a specific cause.

To learn more about Wheels Up, go to Wheelsup.com.

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Contact: [email protected]

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SOURCE Wheels Up