Our Team
Marcelo Abello
Marcelo Abello, President of International Jet Traders, has been an aviation enthusiast all his life. He obtained his private pilot’s license in the same year …
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Sonya Sheldon
Sonya Sheldon assumed the role of Partner at International Jet Traders in January 2024, bringing with her over three decades of dedicated experience …→ more info
Barbara Abello
Barbara Abello was raised in Argentina, her native country, and educated at the French Lycee in Buenos Aires ….→ more info
Anne Brennan
Anne Brennan was born and educated in Dublin, Ireland. Anne joined International Jet Traders at its inception, and progressively ‘learned the . … → more info
Marcelo Abello
Marcelo Abello, President of International Jet Traders, has been an aviation enthusiast all his life. He obtained his private pilot’s license in the same year he got his driving permit. Mr. Abello flew single engine aircraft in his early twenties, becoming multi-engine rated and Citation jet type-rated in the early 1980s. However, Marcelo’s fondness of aviation goes far beyond flying. In his words, “the most enjoyable aspect of the corporate aviation industry has been the wonderful people I met while selling aircraft. With every client, I have made a new friend.”
Marcelo entered the aviation industry in the 1980s, trading mainly piston engines and turbo-props. As he recalls, “aircraft sales was not a degree in university, it was a trade we had to learn one airplane at the time, beginning at the bottom and climbing up the ladder from there.” By the early 1990s, Mr. Abello found himself quite ahead in the learning curb, actively buying jets and helicopters out of an economically depressed Japan, for resale in the US and world markets. In a joint venture with his best friend Rolim Amaro, owner and founder of TAM Airlines, he imported close to 20 helicopters out of South East Asia. By then, International Jet Traders had become a recognized name not only in fixed-wing, but also in rotary-wing sales and acquisitions.
Since the inception of International Jet Traders, Mr. Abello’s company has handled sales and acquisition of over 500 aircraft. The excitement does not end with the company’s sales figures.
In 2001, Gulfstream Aerospace signed IJT as their agent for the country of Brazil, creating another success story for Marcelo and IJT. IJT has sold many Gulfstream jets in Brazil. This is remarkable considering as there were no Gulfstream jets in Brazil, prior to Mr. Abello’s entry into that market.
Marcelo’s hobbies include snow skiing, tennis and motor racing. The latter, in particular brought Marcelo many wins in SCCA races including a Championship in 1999 and a sub Champion in 1998. Since 2003, Marcelo has been racing in the Pro Gran-Am/Rolex Cup, with repeated success on the track. But once again, his biggest accomplishment is making new friends and new clients thru the racing series.
Mr. Abello is far from retirement. When questioned about handing in the towel, he says: “Never. As long as I am I alive selling airplanes is my life and my passion.”
Email: intljettraders@aol.com
Barbara Abello
Barbara Abello was raised in Argentina, her native country, and educated at the French Lycee in Buenos Aires. She graduated from Rollins College, Magna Cum Laude, with a degree in Economics in 2000.
Barbara joined her father Marcelo immediately after college. Beginning as a Market Researcher, she then moved onto Sales and Acquisitions, with a focus in the international market.
Barbara’s work experience also includes 2 years working in southern Africa for the Raytheon, Robinson and Bell Helicopter ASR, National Airways Corporation. Her international experience and her fluency in Spanish, French and English have made her an asset in opening foreign markets and bringing new clients to IJT.
Anne Brennan
Anne Brennan was born and educated in Dublin, Ireland. Anne joined International Jet Traders at its inception, and progressively ‘learned the ropes’ of working in the aviation industry. Anne fills a pivotal role within the company as she oversees every aspect of the daily operations, including sales inquiries, market research, administration and assisting with sales and acquisitions. She brings a dedicated and thorough approach to all that she accomplishes, and makes a practice of delivering outstanding customer service with speed, accuracy and a positive attitude.
Email: intljettraders@aol.com
Sonya Sheldon
Sonya Sheldon assumed the role of Partner at International Jet Traders in January 2024, bringing with her over three decades of dedicated experience in the Business Aviation sector. With a background as the Vice President of Sales in the pre-owned aviation industry and a noteworthy tenure as a Flight Test Engineer and Senior Sales Engineer at Gulfstream Aerospace, Sonya’s technical expertise aligns seamlessly with the diverse capabilities of International Jet Traders.
Over the course of her career, Sonya made significant contributions as an avionics flight test engineer for the Gulfstream G450 and G550 PlaneView systems. She transitioned to sales engineering in 2004 and engaged directly with new and pre-owned aircraft sales. Sonya’s in-depth understanding of aircraft performance, flight operations, cost of operations, and interior outfitting considerations consistently proved invaluable, offering clients unparalleled guidance throughout the decision and acquisition process.
During her tenure in sales engineering, Sonya played a pivotal role in the avionics steering committee, contributing insights to identify future avionics programs and ensuring the company’s preparedness for global mandates across various platforms.
Before her time at Gulfstream, Sonya contributed to the Gulfstream GIV program at Flight Safety. Additionally, she founded a company that was an early innovator in developing performance and charting tablet software and hardware for use on the flight deck.
Commencing her aviation journey as a corporate pilot in 1991, Sonya flew for various companies in Louisiana and Texas before relocating to Savannah, GA, in 2001. This extensive and diverse background positions Sonya Sheldon as a seasoned professional with a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the dynamic realm of Business Aviation.
Email: sonya@ijtaero.com
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