Inside the front doors of Elliott Aviation’s headquarters, near the Quad Cities International Airport, is a wall of art. There are photos of the Moline company’s founders, employees and products at the company. There’s also a phrase on the bottom of the wall from company founder Herb Elliott – “And to think, all this started from a hobby.”
The vast work of Elliott Aviation is far from a hobby these days. Elliott is a leading name in aviation services offering aircraft sales and acquisitions, avionics, maintenance, parts, painting, interiors, accessories and more. It employs more than 300 people across its four locations.
“Elliott Aviation has grown, evolved, adapted and innovated to meet the ever-changing needs of its customers,” the company website says.
Recently, the company promoted one of its employees to help usher in those goals of growing, evolving and adapting. Michael Parrish, an Elliott employee for nearly nine years, was announced as the company president in January.
His promotion was met with praise from company leaders at Elliott.
“Michael Parrish’s leadership, industry knowledge, and ability to foster a culture of excellence make him the ideal choice to guide Elliott Aviation into the future,” Bob Calton, a member of the Elliott Aviation Board of Directors, said when Mr. Parrish was named president. “His vision, dedication, and passion for the aviation industry align perfectly with our mission of delivering exceptional service and quality. We are confident that Michael’s promotion to president will ensure Elliott Aviation continues to thrive and remain a leader in the markets we serve.”
Mr. Parrish, who was most recently the company’s senior vice president, has more than 30 years of experience in the aviation field. “I started out as a mechanic. I started out at the very bottom,” he said.
Mr. Parrish added that his start as a mechanic has given him a great advantage. Those humble beginnings have enabled him to see – and work in – many different areas of the field.
And from his point of view, more bright economic days are on the horizon.
During a recent interview with the Quad Cities Regional Business Journal, he said the “market is strong” and 2025 is shaping up to be a great year for Elliott.
While business is solid across all sectors of the company, he pointed out that avionics – the electronic equipment used in aircraft – is doing extremely well.
For instance, in recent months, Elliott has announced more state-of-the-art avionics equipment now being installed in aircraft it services. One example is Elliott’s successful completion of its first Starlink installation on a King Air 350 aircraft at its DeKalb-Peachtree Airport facility down in Georgia. Starlink, offered by SpaceX, is an advanced satellite internet service.
Also, Elliott recently announced the delivery of a Garmin avionics system at Elliott’s Atlanta facility. That system has been called a state-of-the-art avionics system that will improve aircraft performance.
These advances – and many others – are helping pave the way to a great year for Elliott. Mr. Parrish said positive economic times are coming even though much of the country fears the economy is headed toward an uncertain future.
Those fears across many segments of the economy may actually help the aviation company. He said these are the times when other industry company leaders will use Elliott’s services – especially its private aviation services – more often to visit their own company facilities, suppliers, customers and potential customers. Elliott’s services are being used to help build, grow and evolve the bottom line for companies all across the nation.
That’s why Mr. Parrish said he becomes frustrated when he hears people outside the industry criticize the private aviation field. In recent times, some of those critics have claimed the industry is a luxury that only a few can afford.
But Elliott’s new president rejects those views, calling private aviation services a great asset for many companies. The hassle-free transportation service saves time and offers business professionals an efficient business travel option.
“This is a valuable asset for companies…. It’s not a luxury; it’s a tool,” he added.
The tools offered by Elliott Aviation will continue to evolve and be sharpened in the months and years to come, Mr. Parrish told the QCBJ.
He added that the company’s future will largely be forged by its employees. One of the reasons the year is off to a great start, he said, is the “massive reduction in employee turnover.”
In addition to retaining its experienced and quality employees, Elliott also is looking to hire more workers. The company’s website recently was advertising for about 30 staff openings at its four facilities – looking for positions in aircraft maintenance, avionics, interior and paint divisions.
“We are a stable company and we have a long-range vision. …The most important thing to me is the success of our employees,” he added. “You take care of your employees.They take care of the customers.”
BIO: Michael Parrish
Position: President of Elliott Aviation, Moline
Age: 54
Family: He and his wife, Cindy, have three grown children.
Current home: Ormond Beach, Florida.
Work experience: Mr. Parrish has more than 34 years of experience in the aviation field. He served in the U.S. Air Force for more than eight years. He began his career as an aviation mechanic. Later, he became a general manager at Global Aviation, business development director at McKechnie Aerospace, and director of sales at Standard Aero. He joined the Elliott Aviation in 2016 as senior director of sales and business development before being promoted to vice president of sales and senior vice president. In January 2025, he was named company president. He succeeds Daniel J. Edwards who served as president from the summer of 2023 until the end of 2024.
Education: FAA Airframe and Powerplant license.
Hobbies, interests outside of work: Mr. Parrish owns a farm in the Florida Panhandle. He leases the farm out, but goes fishing and hunting on the property. ”It’s a sanctuary for me,” he said.
At a Glance: Elliott Aviation
History: The company began in 1936 when Herb Elliott founded Elliott Flying Service on a grassy airstrip in DeWitt, Iowa.
Current workforce: More than 300 employees total.
Company and locations: Elliott Aviation is a diversified aviation services company with four U.S. based locations including company headquarters in Moline. Three additional facilities are located in Atlanta, Georgia; Des Moines, Iowa; and Minneapolis, Minnesota. The former family-owned Elliott Aviation is owned by Summit Park, a private investment firm based in Charlotte, N.C.
Services: Elliott is one of the longest-standing companies in aviation. Services include aircraft sales (DBA as Elliott Jets); avionics service and installations; aircraft maintenance; FBO (fixed-base operator) services; accessory repair; overhaul, paint, interior, parts; and after-market avionics sales. The company works on Hawker, Citation, Beechjet, King Air, Challenger, Phenom, Gulfstream, and Falcon airframes. Through Elliott Jets, it has brokered, acquired, and sold aircraft worldwide for more than eight decades.
