Joel Hussey
Joel Hussey is the founder and chief executive of Tailwind Capital LLC with over 30 years of experience in the acquisition, financing, leasing, trading and re-marketing of commercial aircraft, including single and twin aisle mainline jets, regional jets and turboprops. While Joel’s primary duty at Tailwind is to guide the continued growth and development of the company, he also sources, manages, and remarkets aircraft, and identifies, structures and executes attractive opportunities for Tailwind and its clients.
Prior to founding Tailwind Capital, Joel was Senior Marketing Director for Oasis Leasing, the Abu Dhabi-based aircraft and marine leasing and financing concern. He also served as President of its US subsidiary. For more than six years at Oasis, he focused on business development, sales and remarketing in the Americas and Asia, primarily in the commercial aviation sector. Completed transactions include purchases and sales of single aisle and wide body aircraft, turboprop and regional jets, and trading of EETC’s and other aircraft-backed securities. In addition to trading and leasing activities, he was involved in advisory and re-marketing projects for third parties.
Joel spent the preceding twelve years at Boullioun Aviation Services, holding a number of increasingly responsible positions including Treasurer, SVP Capital Markets and Chief Financial Officer, as the company grew from a start up to one of the largest specialist aircraft leasing companies in the world. His duties included raising debt finance, aircraft trading, portfolio sales and managing the financial functions of the rapidly growing firm.
Before joining Boullioun, Joel spent four years as a CPA with KPMG Peat Marwick, focusing primarily on international taxation planning and compliance for both corporate and individual clients.
Joel holds a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Washington and a BA in Business from Seattle Pacific University.
John Culkin
John Culkin recently joined Tailwind Capital Partners, Inc. bringing over 30 years experience in commercial airliner acquisitions, trading, and financial sourcing and structuring experience. Prior to joining Tailwind Capital, John was a principal investor and co-founder of Cara Aircraft Leasing, Inc. Cara specialized in the acquisition B737-300s and engines from larger lessors and operators, refurbishing them, and leasing to smaller operators. While at Cara he was responsible for acquiring aircraft and engines as well sourcing and structuring financings with several financial partners. John also assumed responsibility for engine overhaul and maintenance. John also remarketed aircraft on behalf of financial institutions.
Prior to Cara Aircraft Leasing, between 2001 and 2013, John enjoyed twelve years with Compass Capital Corporation where his duties were primarily originating new business from leveraged lease portfolios, sourcing and structuring financings with financial partners, negotiating residual value guarantees with manufacturers, and aircraft trading as both principal and advisor to third parties.
Prior to joining Compass, John worked for approximately three years in increasing roles of responsibility in aircraft financing with each of Finova Capital Corporation, CL/PK Finance (now GECAS/PK), McDonald Douglas Finance Corporation (now Boeing Capital Corporation) and two years as treasury director raising capital for an aviation holding company that operated international and domestic ACMI freight contracts, helicopter services, ground handling, and an MRO/storage facility.
John holds a Masters of Business Administration from the Kelly School of Business at Indiana University and a BA from the George Washington University.