# Nick Swenson

> Nick Swenson is the Minneapolis-based chairman, president and CEO of Air T, Inc., an aviation holding company. A former corporate finance associate, distressed-debt analyst and portfolio manager, he joined Air T’s board in 2012 and became its permanent CEO in 2014. His public letters emphasize independent operating teams, long-term capital and the connections among specialized aviation businesses.

- **Role:** Chairman, President & CEO at Air T, Inc.
- **Organizations:** Air T, Inc., BCCM Advisors, AO Partners, LLC, Groveland Capital LLC, Whitebox Advisors, LLC, Värde Partners, LLC, Piper Jaffray, Inc.
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** B.A. in History; magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Middlebury College, M.B.A. in Finance, University of Chicago Graduate School of Business
- **Known for:** Received HFM Week recognition in 2007, according to his BCCM Advisors biography., Led Air T when it completed the Rex acquisition in December 2025., Led Air T during majority-owned Crestone’s acquisition of Arena Aviation Capital in June 2026.

## Career timeline

- **1991** — Graduated from Middlebury College with a B.A. in History.
- **1996** — Earned an MBA at the University of Chicago.
- **1996-1999** — Associate in corporate finance at Piper Jaffray.
- **1999-2001** — Research analyst at Värde Partners.
- **2001-2009** — Portfolio manager and partner at Whitebox Advisors.
- **2009** — Began leading Groveland Capital as CEO and portfolio manager.
- **2012-08** — Joined Air T’s board.
- **2013-08** — Became chairman of Air T.
- **2013-10** — Appointed interim president and CEO of Air T.
- **2014-02** — Appointed permanent president and CEO of Air T.

## Achievements

- Received HFM Week recognition in 2007, according to his BCCM Advisors biography.
- Led Air T when it completed the Rex acquisition in December 2025.
- Led Air T during majority-owned Crestone’s acquisition of Arena Aviation Capital in June 2026.

## Latest updates

- **2026-09** — Contrail named Stuart G. Weinroth CEO; Swenson praised its founders and reiterated his preference for capable leaders with resources and operating freedom.
- **2026-08** — Air T reported fiscal 2027 first-quarter revenue of $115.5 million and an operating loss of $12.8 million.
- **2026-07** — Swenson’s shareholder letter discussed Crestone, Rex and his concern about seven years of a flat Air T stock price.
- **2026-06** — Crestone completed its Arena acquisition; subsequent reporting distinguished $3.0 billion actively managed from $0.6 billion committed under letters of intent.

## Links

- Website: https://airt.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-swenson-976b7337
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/swensn

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/nick-swenson
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-09