A seasonal resident of Matinicus Island who works in the tech industry has bought Penobscot Island Air, the midcoast company that provides flights and other air services in the region, with plans to grow the operation in the coming years.
Sean Creeley, who has a background in tech startups and now works as a product director for Spotify, purchased the company from Teresa Waters. Waters’ husband Kevin first bought the operation in 2004 and died three years ago.
Creeley also purchased a sister company, Katahdin Air, that was owned by Waters and offers seasonal sightseeing tours, seaplane rides and transportation for campers in the Katahdin region.
The purchase was in the works for several months and took effect Nov. 1, although Waters will remain involved with the company during the transition.
Penobscot Island Air, which is based out of Owls Head and flies out of Knox County Regional Airport, is an important lifeline for the island communities off the midcoast. It offers year-round flights for passengers, freight, mail and medical supplies. It also provides some charters and sightseeing flights.
In an interview, Creeley said he had been using Penobscot Island Air’s services to get to his summer home on Matinicus — a small island about 20 miles off the coast of Rockland that is only accessible by boat or plane — and decided to buy the company when he learned Waters was looking to retire.
“Airplanes are cool. Any 8-year-old boy will tell you that,” Creeley said. “I got involved as basically almost a consultant to another offer that didn’t materialize, and then got so interested in it that I was like ‘This is fun, this would be cool, this is great.’ I want to be able to get to my f—ing house, which is always nice to be able to do. It’s such a good little business.”
Creeley is now looking to expand the company by hiring a general manager and making its services more accessible through technology. He said a lot of operations are currently done by hand, where he thinks technology could make them easier. And he’s considering the possibility of electric, autonomous aircraft to complete some deliveries.
“With any change, there’s some fear of the unknown. My wife and I love those islands, and we’re committed to making the airline work for many years to come,” Creeley said.
Creeley and Waters declined to share how much he paid for the business.
Waters said that she’s “very excited about the transition” and the prospect of the business growing under Creeley. The air service currently employs 27 people, and by the end of the year, it’s meant to move into a brand new hangar that Kevin Waters designed.
“It’s what Kevin started, and Kevin’s heart was in the flying and the air service. And it’s going to continue on, which is what I wanted,” Waters said.
Jules Walkup is a Report for America corps member. Additional support for this reporting is provided by BDN readers.