Sherrexcia Rolle now 1st woman President and CEO of Western Air after starting as baggage handler

Sherrexcia “Rexy” Rolle, Esq. has been chosen President, CEO, and Accountable Manager of Western Air, The Bahamas’ largest privately owned airline. Her position places her among the 8% of female airline CEOs. 

The 35-year-old is the daughter of Rex Rolle, who started the company in 2000 and has overseen operations to develop the family’s business into a corporation with the best on-time record in the area.

Rolle shared her excitement for the position in a statement, saying, “I thank God and I thank our hard-working, talented team for their commitment to the service we provide. Each person plays a part. And as a family business, it’s truly an honor to step into the role that my Dad served for so long.”

Rolle worked her way up to her current position, first joining the team at the age of 12 to help grow the airline with her father, a professional pilot and flying instructor, and mother, an entrepreneur.

She began her career as a baggage handler after school and eventually moved into the airplane inspections section, where she discovered that there were aspects of airline operations that needed to be improved. 

However, she waited until she graduated from college before addressing the challenges, which included a lack of diversity in aviation.

Moving forward, as the new CEO and a witness to the airline’s inception, she reaffirmed her dedication to the organization’s growth, saying she will be focusing more on customers.

She said, “Customers matter most and we are here to serve from check-in to landing and beyond. Passengers motivate our growth and innovation. However, our core mission remains the same; to provide safe, quality, affordable, efficient air service. We believe travel should be easy & no pressure. Hence, our tickets are usable for one year with no change or cancellation fees, ever.” 

With roughly nine years of experience as General Counsel and Vice President of Operations, Rolle has more than fifteen years of total work experience. 

She is also an aviation and corporate attorney who specializes in airline operations. She has guided Western Air’s transformation from turboprops to a uniform fleet of nine Embraer ERJ 145-50 passenger jets, as well as the development of new routes, including the airline’s first US route between Nassau and Fort Lauderdale. 

Leading the Western Air Freeport Passenger Terminal’s 2015 debut, the young visionary oversaw its reconstruction and reopened it this year, having steered the airline through Hurricane Dorian and the Covid-19 pandemic.

Her father, Rex Rolle, who is now the chairman of the airline, said, “Rexy is deeply committed to the service we offer passengers. She’s hands on. For years, her role has been all encompassing, overseeing the day-to-day operations and the legal & regulatory affairs of the airline. We know she will continue to work hard to enhance and develop the Western Air experience for passengers.”