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Jonny Eskander is still settling into his new position at Monument. As Commercial Director, he’s been immersing himself in the product line, particularly as it relates to the push toward renewable and sustainable aviation fuel — something that attracted Jonny to the position in the first place.

"Currently, sustainable aviation fuel represents a minuscule portion of global aviation consumption, accounting for less than 1%," Jonny remarked. "The aviation sector aspires to satisfy half of the world's fuel demand with sustainable alternatives by 2050. Personally, I am deeply committed to environmental stewardship and advancing global sustainability efforts."

In a certain sense, Jonny’s position at Monument is a culmination of all of his past experience. He started his career working in a variety of different industries, including as a Media Buyer for a global media company, buying radio and TV advertising spots. From there, Jonny moved to a recruiting role for a global accounting and administrative staffing company, where he received exposure to several different organizations and industries. During this period, one of his clients was a fuel brokerage company. Jonny ended up working for this company and learning about the different aspects of the jet fuel market.

“It was a great opportunity,” recalled Jonny. “I was able to learn the ins and outs of jet fuel purchasing. I transitioned into a procurement position where I was leading the global procurement of our contracts across 2,500 airports around the world. Shortly after that, I started working as the Director of Sales at another fuel brokerage firm, selling our product to the end user – typically airlines, government entities, private operators, and even celebrities, including Drake and Troy Aikman.”

These positions allowed Jonny to fine tune his people skills – an aspect of his career that he’s always enjoyed. But from a broker perspective, Jonny noted that he never actually got to see the products he was selling – he was just sifting through stacks of paper. At Monument, Jonny enjoys the fact that he works for an organization that actually produces the product and understands the science behind it.

“The team at Monument is incredible,” said Jonny. “I’ve learned more in the first 90 days here than I have in the past 8 years!”

For Jonny, the hard work he’s put in to get to this point in his career all nods toward his family. Born in Egypt, Jonny lived in Cairo until the age of 5. His mother, father, and brother immigrated to the US in 1990, and his earliest memories are of his family moving from one apartment to the next, working to build their version of the proverbial American dream.

“We really started from the ground up,” said Jonny. “My parents didn’t speak any English, and neither did I. We learned everything from scratch. The life I live now, it’s a dream come true. From those early days to now living in Miami, one of the fastest growing cities in the country — it’s very exciting, and I’m thankful.”

Those early days were all about learning through experience. Jonny’s parents taught him to focus on his own development — and not compare himself to others.

“Comparison is the route to negativity,” said Jonny. “I just try to stay focused, to do my best, and to always be learning. I try to be a positive influence on those around me. If you stay focused and stay humble, the rest will come.”

Now, Jonny does his best to pass these lessons along to his 8-year-old daughter, and notes that she is the drive and motivation behind everything he does.

“I want to raise her to enjoy life — and help her find her drive, her pursuit of happiness,” said Jonny. “For me, that’s what it’s all about – making the best of the time you have and enjoying the moments. I always say, ‘Do your best, and enjoy the rest.’”

Outside of work, Jonny takes in everything Miami has to offer. He’s big on sunshine, and spends a lot of his free time at the beach, on the ocean, and kayaking. He looks forward to his trips back to Egypt, and is excited to bring his daughter with him on his next trip.

“I still speak Arabic, and I’ve been back to Egypt several times for both work and pleasure. I’ve even negotiated in Arabic with the Egyptian military for their jet fuel needs, which was amazing,” said Jonny. “My daughter is the first generation in my family to be born in the United States, so I’m looking forward to taking her to Cairo, so that she can fully explore her roots.”