Brendan Foley started his Endeavor career on the quiet plains of North Dakota, paving the way for future Endeavor pilots as the University of North Dakota’s first Brand Ambassador.

Today, he has traded in the Upper Midwest for the bustling streets of the Big Apple. In Spring 2021, Foley became Endeavor Air’s New York Chief Pilot, overseeing the pilots based at Endeavor’s JFK and LGA co-domicile.

From student to Chief Pilot, Foley’s Endeavor journey has been one of growth and opportunity – each step of the way.

“Being a Brand Ambassador, I was able to get a behind-the-scenes look into the airline industry,” said Foley, who started as the UND Brand Ambassador in 2016. “We were able to go to Minneapolis and get a tour of Endeavor headquarters before we even started as pilots.”

Endeavor Brand Ambassadors serve as a vital link between college students and Endeavor Air. During his time at UND, Foley helped increase awareness of Endeavor on campus, assisted with on-site events, and coordinated pilot interviews. He was also instrumental in launching the STEP (Student to Endeavor Pilot) program at UND.

“When I was going through college we didn’t have STEP, as it was still in the process of being rolled out,” said Foley. “Before STEP came along, we had the Brand Ambassador program, and the one of the goals of the program was to roll out the STEP program on your campus.”

Little did he know, the work Foley did as a Brand Ambassador prepared him for taking on a management role years later, and he said he still carries his experience with him to this day.

“The role helped me develop good time management, prioritize tasks, and build relationships at Tower C,” Foley said, who was hired as an Endeavor First Officer in 2017. “Getting the experience with office life and office people was really valuable, as you can only get that experience from doing it yourself. It really set me up for success.”

The Chief Pilot still remains in contact with the pilot recruiters he worked alongside as a college student. Foley stated the main difference between being an Endeavor pilot and now the NY Chief Pilot is the schedule and increase in interactions with his crew.

“Since becoming the Chief Pilot, it’s gotten a lot busier,” Foley laughed. “I have a more set schedule, but I am also able to meet my coworkers more, which is a bonus. As a line pilot, you typically only work with a certain number of crew each week, but now I get to meet more people face-to-face from all of our bases.”

With a long list of experiences behind him, Foley reflects on where he was in his career path five years ago, and what lessons got him to where he is today.

“To any hopeful future Endeavor pilot, I would say to take every opportunity that presents itself and take it seriously,” Foley said. “Get involved as much as you can, whether that would be in work-related functions such as taking on management roles, but also volunteering outside of work.”

And, our NY Chief Pilot is still a Brand Ambassador at heart, seeing first-hand from a new perspective what makes Endeavor special.

“There’s never going to be another regional airline like Endeavor,” said Foley. “Our colleagues are what drives this airline, and I think it’s really important that we’re bringing in the best of the best. We are more than just a number, we are a family.”

To learn more about the STEP program and becoming an Endeavor pilot, click here.