Fort Lauderdale, FL. / October 9, 2025 / Aviation News –Sheltair, a leading aviation services and real estate company, proudly partnered with local Women In Aviation International (WAI) chapters to host and sponsor Girls In Aviation Day (GIAD) events on September 20, drawing a record crowd across its participating FBOs.
The internationally celebrated event is designed to inspire, educate and empower young women about different career fields, opportunities and interests in the aviation industry.
Now in its fifth consecutive year of hosting events, Sheltair—family-owned and deeply committed to aviation—doubled its participation from 2024 across events in Florida, Georgia and Colorado, making this year its most successful GIAD yet with nearly 10,000 attendees. This is an extraordinary growth from just five years ago, when Sheltair’s first GIAD event, hosted at its Tampa FBO location, organized by now WAI Tampa Bay chapter president Mariah Smith, welcomed approximately 150 attendees.
“We are thrilled to see record-breaking attendance at this year’s Girls in Aviation Day across our network, and this is thanks largely to the dedicated men and women who make up the Sheltair team,” said Lisa Holland, President & CEO of Sheltair. “Connecting with the next generation of aviators is one of the most rewarding things we do, and inspiring young people as they meet mentors and discover new opportunities reminds us why this event is so important. Getting all our FBOs involved has been a major goal of mine, and we’re proud to partner with Women in Aviation International and play a role help shape the future of our industry.”
Attendees enjoyed an unforgettable day filled with hands-on learning, aircraft tours, and meaningful connections with aviation professionals—all aimed at sparking curiosity and inspiring a passion for aviation and aerospace. The day served as a great chance for a “Sarasota Sneak Peek” event, where Sheltair teamed up with the Sarasota Ladybugs 99s Chapter to welcome Girls Inc. at the upcoming opening of its new FBO next month.
The day’s notable guest speakers included Lisa Holland, president of Sheltair; Kelly Murphy, director of communications for Women in Aviation America; Sharon Preszler, the first woman to fly the F-16; and Eliane Cotran, vice president – commercial at Azorra. Other highlights included appearances from Kodey Bogart, author of Helo Girls, Koda the Fluff, and Gianna Capri, Ms. Florida Junior All America.
The day’s events were further sponsored by Avfuel Corporation, Sheltair’s trusted aviation fuel supply and services partner.
Sheltair’s enthusiastic support of Girls in Aviation Day is part of its broader mission to give back to local communities and encourage the next generation to pursue their dreams in aviation. With momentum at an all-time high, the company is already looking forward to building on this year’s record success.
About Sheltair
Sheltair is a family-owned company that enjoys a national reputation for its superior customer focus and service-driven corporate culture. Founded in 1963 by Jerry Holland, father of current Sheltair President Lisa Holland, it is the nation's largest privately-owned aviation network, proudly operating 16 award-winning FBOs and a portfolio of over 4.6 million square feet of aviation-related properties under the mission of Family First. Fuel. Build. Serve.