Joe Esmerado serves Leading Edge as VP of Technical Services. He has built a successful, lifelong career developing and nurturing aircraft maintenance personnel. His vision and superior leadership have helped him design and deliver management programs specific to organizational growth and profitability.

Leading Edge trusts Joe to carefully oversee client pre-purchase inspections, manage aircraft maintenance and completion monitoring, and perform on-site aircraft evaluations, while always keeping the client’s interests in the forefront of all that he does.

Because of his sense of humor and skillful way with people, Joe enjoys excellent relationships and friendships with many people throughout the industry. He is an asset to inspection facilities, equipment manufacturers, aircraft programs, technical service providers, and, of course, Leading Edge and its clients.

Joe began his aviation career as an aircraft maintenance trainee in the U.S. Navy. He served on the aircraft carrier Intrepid during the Vietnam era. His technical skills and business acumen were acquired in various positions throughout the years – as vice president and general manager of Butler Aviation; as the owner and president of his own aircraft services company, JetAm; as the vice president of aircraft maintenance for Jet Aviation; and as the general manager of Raytheon FBO in Atlantic City, with over forty people reporting to him. In 2017, he received the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award from the FAA for 50 years of service dedicated to aviation safety.

He is a graduate of Rutgers University with a B.S. degree in management, and also holds a certified airframe and powerplant mechanics’ license.

Joe currently resides in Largo, Florida. He has 13 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. In his free time, he enjoys 18-mile bike rides, woodworking, and Land Speed Racing at the Bonneville Salt Flats.