September 24, 2025

Directional Aviation Tops Crain’s Northeast Ohio Private Companies List

News Summary

Directional Aviation has claimed the top spot on Crain’s Northeast Ohio Private Companies List with $5.1 billion in revenue for the past year, marking a 12% growth. The list highlights the region’s economic vitality, showcasing 100 businesses that collectively generated over $75 billion. Specializing in corporate and private aviation, Directional Aviation has significantly grown, supported by strategic acquisitions and rising demand for private air travel. The company employs over 1,200 people locally and nearly 5,000 globally, underscoring its importance in the area’s economy.

Parma, Ohio – Directional Aviation has emerged at the forefront of Crain’s Northeast Ohio Private Companies List for 2025, revealing its remarkable revenue figures for the previous year. The company reported an impressive $5.1 billion in revenue for 2024, marking a 12% increase from the prior year. This significant growth has enabled Directional Aviation to take the top position on the list after several years at the second spot.

The comprehensive list ranks the largest privately held companies in Northeast Ohio based on their 2024 revenues, presenting a total of 100 businesses in the region that collectively generated just over $75 billion in revenue in the past year. This underscores the economic vitality and diverse business landscape present in the area.

Directional Aviation, which is headquartered at Cuyahoga County Airport, operates in a specialized niche within the aviation sector, focusing on corporate and private aviation. The company employs over 1,200 people locally and nearly 5,000 people around the globe, emphasizing its substantial role in employment among privately held companies in the region.

The company’s growth trajectory has been bolstered by strategic acquisitions and a rising demand for private air travel, significantly influenced by consumer behavior changes stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Directional Aviation holds a majority stake in nine aviation brands, the largest of which is Flexjet, facilitating fractional ownership and leasing of aircraft to a growing client base.

As businesses and individuals seek more flexible travel options, the private jet sector has experienced notable growth. Recent trends show that the private jet industry has gained momentum, particularly over the last five years, as post-pandemic travel preferences have shifted. Directional Aviation’s leadership acknowledges this evolving landscape as a key factor contributing to their success.

Following Directional Aviation in the rankings, Great Lakes Cheese has slipped to the second position with revenues of approximately $5 billion. The company employs about 4,600 people across nine facilities in the United States. Previously at the top of the list, Great Lakes Cheese continues to play a significant role in the regional economy.

In third place, First Brands Group LLC reported $3.9 billion in revenue, while Westfield, an insurance company, occupies the fourth spot with revenues of approximately $3.8 billion. Notably, Westfield saw a revenue increase of 17% year-over-year, attributed to strategic diversification efforts.

Most of the revenue figures listed in the rankings were reported by the companies themselves, with estimates provided by Crain’s in some cases based on industry data and reports. The focus remains on delivering a clear and factual representation of the economic landscape of privately held companies within Northeast Ohio.

This year’s list not only showcases the financial successes of these companies but also highlights the importance of the private sector in driving economic growth in the region. As Directional Aviation leads the way, the data reflects broader trends that could influence the aviation industry and economic conditions for years to come.

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Directional Aviation Tops Crain’s List of Private Companies

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Author: STAFF HERE CLEVELAND WRITER

CLEVELAND STAFF WRITER The CLEVELAND STAFF WRITER represents the seasoned team at HERECleveland.com, your premier source for actionable local news and information in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and beyond, delivering "news you can use" with in-depth coverage of product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news impacting the region—backed by years of expert reporting and robust community input, including local press releases and business updates, while providing top reporting on high-profile events like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductions, Cleveland International Film Festival, and holiday parades, alongside key organizations such as the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland Orchestra, and Great Lakes Science Center, plus leading businesses in manufacturing and healthcare like Sherwin-Williams and University Hospitals, and as part of the broader HERE network including HEREDayton.com, offering comprehensive, credible insights into Ohio's vibrant landscape. HERE Cleveland HERE Dayton

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