COY COMONTOFSKI took the first step in his pilot career and completed his private pilot training in 1996. A practical next step was to marry his new-found passion of flight with his Business and Economics degrees, which he earned at the University of Texas at Austin. Coy obtained all advanced pilot certificates and ratings to include Primary and Instrument FAA Certified Flight Instructor in both Single and Multi-Engine Aircraft, Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) and is current, qualified, and Type-Rated in almost all aircraft LIFT manages, buys and sells. Coy has now flown in excess of 6000 hours of total flight time where most has been as Pilot in Command (PIC) in high performance turbo-prop and jet aircraft. While building into a professional pilot, he was also positioning as an aircraft sales professional.
Out of college, he quickly excelled through the ranks in the automotive industry, a full time professional Flight Instructor, and then into aviation management, sales and acquisitions. Today, Coy is an innovative aviation businessman with a proven track record of exceeding expectations through the development of lasting relationships with integrity and ethical business practices. He considers the “golden rule” in his decisions and practices. Today, with the same passion it took to build himself into a professional pilot, manager and aircraft sales and acquisitions agent, Coy is the President and owner of LIFT Aviation Company.
Coy resides in Austin, TX near Lake Austin, is a proud husband and parent to two beautiful girls, spending his down time with his two golden-doodles, wake-surfing on Lake Austin, snowboarding and hiking in the Rocky Mountains, and sailing and navigating the Caribbean.
CHRISTIE NEAL also grew up around aviation. Her father had a small plane during her childhood and she was able to go up with him many times and especially enjoyed cross-country trips.
Christie is the Client Services Manager for LIFT Aviation Company. She joined the LIFT team in August of 2014 and is the first interface with new customers and heads up the Scheduling department. Her goal is always to make each customer feel like the only customer, as LIFT Aviation’s mission is to provide best in class service going above and beyond expectations.
An Arizona native, Christie has also lived in northern Colorado, north Texas and now the Austin area. In her spare time, she loves to spend time with her husband, her three grown kids and their families, and especially the grandbabies. She enjoys spending time outside hiking, fishing, camping, and gardening.
VALERIE STREATER wears many hats in the aviation business. She is committed to open communication, trust and most of all, record keeping! As a detail-oriented accounting professional, Valerie has met the accounting needs of LIFT Aviation customers since 2016, when she came on board as Manager of Accounts.
Valerie attended Southwest Texas State then quickly got her start in the accounting industry after moving to the Austin area in 2001. Her focus is to communicate openly with clients as well as organize information in a way that is easy to grasp. Valerie believes this is the cornerstone to long-term trusting relationship with LIFT customers.
In her free time, Valerie enjoys boating on Lakes Travis and Austin, sand volleyball, trail running, and spending time with her husband and two daughters.
CHRIS SHAFFER is the face you may most often see at Austin Executive Airport. Chris is LIFT’s Director of Maintenance and helps guide both the LIFT team and our customers on proper maintenance care for their aircraft.