Business aviation executive, veteran and former FBI special agent, Michael Maher is running for US congress. 

Maher, by his own admission, never planned to run for office or get into politics. However, the position of California’s Central Valley congressman is vacant, after former congressman, Devin Nunes joined Donald Trump’s new social media firm, Truth Social. 

“[Following Nunes’ resignation] I got a lot of phone calls from farmers and other business leaders from across the Central Valley who said, ‘Michael it’s your time to step up and lead’. I was torn in some respects because I’m excited about what I’ve been doing in aviation in terms of future fuels, electrification and medical flights,”  Maher told Corporate Jet Investor.

“But ultimately, I talked to my wife, I prayed on it and said ‘I will do it’. Now I am in this race and I am committed to continuing to represent this district,” added Maher. 

Born and raised in California, Maher grew up in Tulare, 60 miles north of Bakersfield. Both sides of his family have a history of military service.

Maher graduated from the US Naval Academy’s Preparatory School and Fresno Pacific University. He has also studied at Oxford University, Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and is a graduate of the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. 

Military service aside, Maher has held a number of executive roles in business aviation. He currently serves as president of air charter specialist OTN Aviation, a company Maher founded in 2017 focused on emergency medical flights and related technology. 

He has also served as executive vice-president of Gama Aviation Signature, one of the largest business aviation management companies globally. Maher also worked as CEO of Zetta Jet where he planned and delivered the reorganisation of the firm.

One of Maher’s major goals is increasing Fresno’s airports’ utilisation. This can be achieved through new technologies such as electric-powered flight, sustainable jet fuels produced from by products generated by the valley’s dairies, and hydrogen-powered electric airplanes. 

“The great thing about serving in Congress is the work that can be done in the various committees from transportation to defense. The ability to guide, regulate and even specify funding for specific research programmes. I am very excited about what can be done for the future of business aviation and sustainable flight. Which is the future of flight, not just here in the US, but globally. That’s why I’m excited to takeoff into this new arena,” said Maher.