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Randell to join N.S. Business Hall of Fame

Randell's success story began over 25 years ago when he and a group of like-minded entrepreneurs founded Air Nova. With Randell as president, the group filled a niche market for regional travel following the de-regulation of the airline industry in Canada. Under his leadership, Air Nova quickly grew, expanding its fleet to include regional jets, and served Atlantic Canada communities.

Randell's vision led him to seize the opportunity to acquire Air Alliance, a Quebec-based regional carrier offering services within Quebec on behalf of Air Canada. In 1999, he consolidated the two airlines as Air Nova. Based on the success of this merger and the arrival of low-cost carriers, Joe was tasked with the consolidation of the other major regionals in Canada – Air BC, Canadian Regional and Air Ontario.
 
After facing enormous challenges, the merger company launched the new brand known today – Jazz Aviation.  As Air Canada and Jazz emerged from Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act in 2004, Jazz changed its commercial agreement with Air Canada and transformed its business model.Randell recognized the need to revive the company in order to flourish, and in 19 months he did just that. With 63 regional jets added to its fleet, hundreds of new employees, and an expanding network, Jazz had taken off to become Canada’s second largest airline in terms of fleet size.
 
The time was right to bring Jazz public and the initial public offering was successfully completed in February 2006. Randell's continuous drive to strengthen Jazz’s position in the industry led the company to begin the renewal of its fleet in 2011. Jazz introduced 15 new Q400 NextGen aircraft which provide the right economics and seat capacity to efficiently serve the airline’s markets, and six additional Q400 aircraft will join the fleet this year.
 
Extraordinary integrity and a strong ethical code are integral to the way Joe leads his team continuously and unwaveringly through even the most difficult times.Randell's conduct sets the tone for his organization, and is a vital component to the outstanding success of Jazz.  As a leader in his field, Randell is actively involved in the business community, sharing his knowledge and experience. He is a Director of Discovery Air, an aviation and logistics services provider. Joe is also a member of the Atlantic Gateway Council which provides regional and global perspectives to support and promote Atlantic Canadian initiatives. On the national level, Randell is chair of the National Airlines Council of Canada – a trade association founded by Air Canada, WestJet, Jazz and Air Transat to work together on common challenges that impact the largest commercial carriers in Canada. He is also the only Canadian Director of the Regional Airline Association (RAA) in the United States.
 
Commitment to community and fostering young entrepreneurial spirit are pillars of Randell's values. In a manner that is fair, humble, and passionate, he relentlessly pushes to challenge the status quo and leads by example, encouraging others to strive for excellence.
 
In recognition of his achievements, Randell will be inducted during the 2013 Junior Achievement Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame gala, which takes place on Wednesday, May 29, 2013 at the World Trade & Convention Centre, Halifax.