Victor Mendelson: HEICO – Troubled Asset to a “Hotshot Stock”

HEICO Corporation’s turnaround story has created headlines for the past 20 years. The company designs, manufactures, and sells aerospace, defense, and electronics-related products and services in the United States and internationally. It can boast of a decade of industry-leading operational performance and shareholder value creation, propelled by its acquisition and transformation of 88 businesses since 1996.

Victor Mendelson, longtime co-president of HEICO, shares his thoughts on what has contributed to the company’s continued success, citing its flexible mindset and management during the turnaround, relentless focus on product and people development, and a culture of ownership that includes employees of acquired businesses. He also discusses HEICO’s navigation of COVID-19’s many challenges and his optimistic outlook for the aviation, aerospace, and defense industry. 

Join us to learn about key elements of sustainable transformations, the integration of companies in a programmatic M&A approach, and other insights from an exceptional leader in the industrials sector.

Discussion Points

• Introduction to HEICO − their businesses, industries, and products
• HEICO’s growth to a $2B public company and positioning for success
• Impact of COVID on HEICO and the industry 
• Adverse effects of the 737 Max incidents on HEICO and the industry
• Outlook on aviation and travel as demand surges
• Victor’s early days as General Counsel for HEICO in the 90s
• HEICO as a case study for transformation and success
• Challenges faced through HEICO’s 88 acquisitions over the last couple of decades
• Victor’s advice to the young minds out there considering leadership roles
• Enabling “ownership mindset” at HEICO 
• Heico’s future success – we treat every day as if it were the first day

Fernweh Insights is brought to you by Fernweh Group. The host of this episode, Nidhi Arora, is Vice President at Fernweh.

This episode is part of Fernweh’s Industrials series which focuses on transformational journeys of companies in the industrials Sector, one of the most prominent sectors and the bedrock of the U.S. economy. Fernweh Group is an investment company that is adapting an engaged investor and operator model to create alpha – performance superior to market indices – in the industrial/industrial tech sector.  

For More Information

Heico Corp Website: https://www.heico.com/

Victor Mendelson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/victor-mendelson-6ba6807/

Fernweh Group: https://www.fernweh.com

Nidhi Arora on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nidhi-arora-1672301b/