Guardian Jet promotes Dan Gardner, Zach Conover and William Smith to sales directors
L-R Zach Conver, Dan Gardner and William Smith.
Guardian Jet has promoted Dan Gardner, Zach Conover and William Smith to sales directors serving aircraft owners and operators across its heavy jet, light jet and turboprop markets.
Gardner will focus on midsize and large jet sales and acquisitions, while Conover and Smith will serve clients through the firm’s Light Jet & Turboprop Division.
“The best thing about promoting from within is that our clients already know and trust these individuals,” said Gabriel Bastos, managing partner and head of global sales at Guardian Jet. “Dan, Zach and Will didn’t just close deals—they built the kind of relationships that bring clients back. These promotions recognise the impact they’ve already had and the leadership they’ll continue to provide as Guardian Jet grows.”
Based in Connecticut, Gardner focuses on jet sales and acquisitions across New England and areas east of the Hudson River. Before transitioning into sales, Gardner served as director of operations, where he supported a record volume of aircraft transactions across deal execution, contract administration, client communication and digital product development.
Prior to joining Guardian Jet, Gardner spent four years at McKinsey & Company, specialising in digital and analytics consulting. He is active with Aviators for Autism, which supports individuals on the autism spectrum through aviation experiences, and hosts a monthly webinar series featuring guest speakers who help families navigate the autism journey.
Based in Chicago, Conover advises turboprop and light jet aircraft owners and operators across the Midwest, with a focus on Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Conover joined Guardian Jet in 2022 as a consultant, supporting clients across the firm’s consulting and asset management platforms. In 2025, he contributed to more than 20 aircraft transactions totaling approximately $285 million.
Conover holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Connecticut, with a concentration in valuation and portfolio management, and maintains Series 7, 63 and 65 licenses. He also supports the Special Olympics and Guilford Youth Mentoring.
Based in Connecticut, Smith serves turboprop and light jet aircraft clients throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, including key markets in Virginia, Maryland, Washington DC and the Carolinas. Smith joined Guardian Jet in 2021 on the inside sales team, managing aircraft sales inquiries and supporting transactions from deposit through closing.
Smith has also contributed to market research analysis across more than 120 aircraft markets, building expertise in valuation, pricing and transaction support across light jets and turboprops, including the Piper Matrix, Citation CJ series and Embraer Phenom models.
Earlier this year Guardian Jet launched Capstone Jet Charter, an on-demand charter brokerage model built around “direct accountability and advisory evaluation” rather than marketplace listings.
The new business is led by Victoria Reina-Duffy, a veteran of aircraft management and charter operations, and supported by Guardian Jet’s managing partners Don and Mike Dwyer.
