This 29-Year-Old Black Woman Runs A Privately Owned Airline Worth $90 Million
A 29-year-old Black woman in the Bahamas is showing that when it comes to #BlackGirlMagic, the sky is the limit.
Sherrexcia “Rexy” Rolle, who is the VP of Operations and General Counsel for Western Air, is one of the youngest executives to lead a Black-owned airline. The Bahamian airlines reportedly has a net worth of over $90 million, according to Bauce Magazine.
“Even though we have a very efficient government airline in the Bahamas, there were certain islands that were not being targeted for our consumers to have a convenient way to travel. This is where our airline comes in and once we recognized those gaps in the market, we were able to convince our investors why our airline is needed,” Rolle told Bauce Magazine.
Rolle understands she is breaking new ground in an industry that is inundated with white males. When it comes to establishing her power as a female boss, Rolle has learned effective tactics to prevent any inappropriate behavior.
“The minute I sense a meeting has turned beyond the level of business, I shut it down immediately,” she explained. “I learned that if you want people to take you seriously, especially in this industry where I have to constantly negotiate claims and deal with serious regulations, you must be confident in what you know and only do business with people who are focused on the mission in sealing the deal.”
Today, the airline mainly serves the Caribbean with direct flights to Haiti, Cuba and Jamaica. Flights to Florida will soon be available.