Spartan Parent Company Invests $4 Million in Expansion
Spartan Parent Company Invests $4 Million in Expansion
AERONAUTIC ANNOUNCEMENT: U.S. Rep. Jim Bridenstine, right, visited the Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology on Oct. 27 to celebrate the school’s $4 million acquisition of three new planes for its pilot training programs. He stands with, from left, Spartan Senior Executive Consultant David Blankenship, Spartan President Ryan Goertzen and Spartan Chief Executive Officer Peter Harris.
EMILY RAMSEY for GTR Newspapers
Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology announced in October its acquisition of three new planes for its pilot training programs.
The new planes are the result of a $4 million investment in the pilot program by Spartan’s parent company, Sterling Partners. At the announcement, Spartan Chief Executive Officer Peter Harris and President Ryan Goertzen were joined by U.S. Rep. Jim Bridenstine to officially christen the planes in a ceremonial launch at Spartan’s campus at the Jones Riverside Airport.
The fleet expansion includes two Piper Seminole multi-engine planes equipped with Garmin 1000 Glass Cockpits and one Cessna Grand Caravan EX. The Grand Caravan EX makes Spartan College the only school in the nation offering training on this model.
“Spartan is committed to making strategic investments to advance its career programs, and most importantly, in assets where there are great programs and markets such as Tulsa. Spartan College draws students from across the country and the world. We know this investment in the Tulsa market and pilot program will attract and retain new students pursuing a top-tier education on advanced equipment,” says Harris.
U.S. Rep. Bridenstine, a trained pilot, congratulated Spartan College on its reputation of producing highly sought after graduates to fill the workforce pipeline of qualified pilots.
“Its reputation of recruiting and training professionals for the aeronautics industry ensures Spartan College is a significant producer of the next generation of pilots in America,” said Bridenstine. “This investment signifies the competitiveness of Spartan and its commitment to developing the type of trained workforce needed to recruit new jobs and retain businesses to support Tulsa’s largest economic engine, aerospace.”
Since 1928, Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology has provided training to more than 90,000 pilots and technicians from throughout the United States and over 62 foreign countries.
“Training on the latest aircraft is an essential component to Spartan’s extensive flight program to become a corporate or commercial pilot,” comments Goertzen. “The new planes represent continuity for our students on the avionics package. It advances a students’ training in the single engine planes as well as part of the required instrument training.”
The ceremonial launch concluded with the traditional spray of champagne and an inaugural flight by U.S. Rep. Bridenstine in the Cessna Grand Caravan EX.
Spartan is a premier aviation technology college offering students diploma and associates programs in the area of Aviation Flight, Aviation Maintenance (Airframe and Powerplant), Avionics Maintenance, Nondestructive Testing, and Quality Control as well as a Bachelor of Science Degree in Aviation Technology Management. Spartan is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) and has Federal Aviation Administration () approval for both the Flight and Aviation Maintenance programs.
Sterling Partners is a private equity firm with a distinct point of view on how to build great companies. Founded in 1983, Sterling has invested billions f dollars, guided by the company’s stated purpose, which describes Sterling’s approach to buying differentiated businesses and growing them in inspired ways. Sterling focuses on investing growth capital in small and mid-market companies in industries with positive, long-term trends – education, healthcare, and business services. Sterling provides valuable support to the management teams of the companies in which the firm invests through a deep and dedicated team of operations and functional experts based in the firm’s offices in Chicago, Baltimore and Miami. The people at Sterling believe in ides and ideals, in people and partnerships that drive long-term success. For more information, visit www.sterlingpartners.com.
Updated 11-24-2014
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