OUR TEAM
Brandi Rector - Founder/Owner/CEO
A former helicopter mechanic, quality assurance specialist, and door gunner who completed two tours of duty with the Marine Corps, earned her pilot’s license after leaving the military. As the founder of Semper Fly Helicopters, Brandi continues to break barriers as the only female veteran-owned helicopter flight school in the country. Her impressive military and civilian experience highlight her dedication to pushing boundaries and setting new standards in aviation. Most recently, she helped the University of Oklahoma become the first University in the Southeastern Conference to establish a helicopter flight school through a partnership with Semper Fly Helicopters.
- Work
- Commercial Helicopter pilot, CFII, and A&P mechanic
- Sensor Operator, General Atomics
- Mechanic, Aircraft Restoration Services
- Aviation Enforcement Agent, U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- Quality Control Inspector and A&P Mechanic, Trans State Airlines
- Logistics Manager on Sikorsky's CH-53K Program
- Military - U.S. Marines
- Helicopter Mechanic and Aerial Gunner on the CH53-E
- Honorable Military Discharge with Outstanding Military Performance Evaluations
- Collateral Duty Quality Assurance Representative (CDQAR)
- Education
- Saint Louis University: B.S., Aeronautics with a focus in Aviation Management (Magna Cum Laude)
- Georgetown University: M.S., Applied Intelligence
Michael Sanford - Business Development Officer
As the Business Development Officer of Semper Fly Helicopters, Michael leverages his extensive aviation background and leadership experience to drive growth and expansion. He focuses on building strategic partnerships, securing contracts, and creating new opportunities to strengthen Semper Fly’s presence in the aviation industry which establishes new pathways for students.
Michael is a retired Marine helicopter mechanic, quality assurance specialist, and door gunner. He served as a trip lead at HMX-1, the Marine Corps squadron responsible for transporting the President of the United States, and as an Anti-Terrorism Force Protection Officer, where he specialized in security and operational planning. Michael also holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology, further enhancing his leadership and problem-solving abilities. His extensive military background and education reflect his expertise in aviation, safety, leadership, and mission-critical operations.
Casey Kroeker - Assistant Chief Instructor & Certified Flight Instructor Instrument
As a kid, Casey Kroeker dreamt about flying helicopters. Being a helicopter pilot seemed like the coolest thing in the world, but as it was such a daunting task, the St. Louis native was pretty sure it would stay a dream.
After serving active duty in the US Army as an infantryman and realizing what the GI bill was capable of, he used it to pursue his dream. Today, Casey is a CFII with over 870 hours of flight time and has been instructing since August 2021. He has sent 13 students to check rides, 11 of those being first time passes.
- Business
- Check Instructor and Flight Instructor, Ideal Aviation
- Military - U.S. Army
- Company Armorer
- Infantryman
- National Defense Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Korea Defense Service Medal. Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Honorable Discharge
- Education
- Associate in Applied Science degree in Aviation Pilot Training (Airplane/Helicopter) from Southwestern Illinois College
Matthew Bergthold - Program Manager and Certified Flight Instructor Instrument
Matt is also a military veteran who brings considerable helicopter flight and repair experience. In addition, he is a computer scientist and software engineer.
Matt's certifications include Commercial - Rotorcraft, Instrument - Rotorcraft, and CFII - Rotorcraft.
- Business
- Senior Software Developer, Bitco Insurance Companies
- Senior Software Engineer, Inpixon USA
- Computer Scientist, Inpixon (Sysorex) Government Services
- Military - U.S. Army
- Medium Helicopter (CH-47D) Repairer Supervisor
- Participated in 2 combat deployments
- Military - Iowa National Guard
- Medium Helicopter Repairer
- Education
- Columbus State University: B.S.,Computer Science (Cum Laude)
- Scott Community College:A.A., Liberal Arts
- University of Dubuque: Flight Operations, Rotorcraft
- U.S. Army: · Certificate, Helicopter Repair Course
Virginia Lambert-Holbrook - Office Administrator
Virginia is a multi-talented professional who has served our county for over 13 years in the U.S. Air Force and Air Force reserve, obtaining a college degree in astrophysics and working in key positions for some of the country’s most successful companies. She also has background knowledge of general aviation through her husband, who is a professional pilot.
- Military - U.S. Air Force
- Full-time for nine years as an Air Battle Manager on the E-3 Airborne Warning and Control System and Space Officer on the Global Positioning System
- Part-time for over four years in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, where she currently supports operational-level command and control as an Air Battle Manager
- Business
- General Merchandise Team Lead at Target
- Air Battle Manager & Subject Matter Expert at Mountain West Enterprises
- Scrum Master and Development Project Manager II at Paycom
- Education
- University of Oklahoma: B.S., Astrophysics
