Gulfstream Aerospace has experienced tremendous growth in the past year, including broadening its aircraft completions operations at the St. Louis Downtown Airport and bringing more jobs to the region. “With our recent expansion, I look forward to continuing to grow our team and expanding our existing partnerships to help build the local talent pipeline,” says Ray. “We work with numerous educational partners to invest in our future workforce, and as our next-generation fleet continues to grow, so does our need for skilled and capable talent, which we have right here in St. Louis.”
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2026 QUESTIONNAIRE
PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
What has been your/your company’s most significant success over the past 12 months? Gulfstream has experienced tremendous growth over the past year. Today our fleet consist of more than 3,300 aircraft around the world and Gulfstream continues to invest in its facilities and workforce to support this growth. In May, Gulfstream finalized its expanded aircraft completions operations at the St. Louis Downtown Airport. Originally announced in 2023, this facility expansion represents an investment of more than $30 million and provides the necessary resources to support full aircraft interior outfitting at our local facility. This addition has added more jobs to the region and expanded our capabilities so that we can support even more customers from around the world. St. Louis is a rich aviation hub, and we look forward to bringing more business to the area to further support the communities where our employees live and work.
What has you most excited about the future of your company or industry? With our recent expansion, I look forward to continuing to grow our team and expanding our existing partnerships to help build the local talent pipeline. We work with numerous educational partners to invest in our future workforce, and as our next-generation fleet continues to grow so does our need for skilled and capable talent, which we have right here in St. Louis.
What advice would you give to the next generation of St. Louis entrepreneurs or leaders? I think it is important that you focus on bringing value to an organization. Have a vision for what you think the organization needs to be successful and embody that.
MENTORS & PEERS
What is a key strength of the St. Louis metro area business environment? The local partners and talent we collaborate with in the greater St. Louis area are significant benefits to the region, and I think this collaboration is essential. The responsibility to support, prepare and guide our future leaders is up to all of us as a community—educators, community and business leaders, and more. By working together, our efforts will have a greater impact. Building the local talent pipeline is a key focus for Gulfstream—investing local talent is an investment in our future workforce.
Who in your company (or industry) deserves more recognition for their impact? Our team members in St. Louis are accomplishing incredible work. They embody the Gulfstream value of integrity and take pride in their work—their passion and dedication to customer satisfaction are integral to our overall success as a company.
BACKGROUND
Where were you born? Kinston, North Carolina, but I grew up in Middle Tennessee.
What educational degrees do you hold, and where were they earned? Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the United States Military Academy, West Point, NY
What was your first job, and what did you learn from it? For my first job, I worked on my uncle’s farm in Tennessee. I learned the importance of hard work at a young age, and this helped shape my future work ethic. I was able to experience the value of seeing something through from start to finish and understand early on that more could be accomplished by not just meeting the requirements of a task at hand but exceeding them.
