At Volaris Group, we’re committed to investing in developing leaders from within.
When Tribute joined Volaris in 2020, we supported a thoughtful succession plan that empowered long-time team members to step into new leadership roles. Among them was Tom Knoebel, who has since advanced from Development Manager to President and CEO.
In this video, Tom reflects on how his role—and career—transformed after the acquisition. He shares how Volaris’s forever-invested philosophy and commitment to talent development helped Tribute grow alongside its loyal customers, while maintaining the autonomy to serve them best.
Hear how Tom describes finding “the best of both worlds” at Volaris.
Ensuring Continuity — Tribute’s Succession Planning Journey with Volaris
When former owner, Tim Reynolds, began planning for retirement, he sought a forever home for Tribute’s customers and employees. He chose Volaris as the ideal partner to carry Tribute’s legacy forward, drawn by its buy-and-hold philosophy and commitment to preserving what made Tribute successful.
With Volaris’s support, Tim executed a thoughtful succession plan, transitioning leadership to Susie Hopper, whose four-decade tenure embodied Tribute’s culture and commitment to its customers.
“Susie was certainly ready to take on the role of President and Tribute has prospered under her leadership. She has taken advantage of the many resources that Volaris has provided, and the company is stronger, more profitable and growing faster as a result. I’m very proud of Susie and her colleagues and am delighted to see the Volaris story play out as I hoped that it would.”
– Tim Reynolds, Former Owner (retired), Tribute
While Tim initially thought he’d retire, he later shared, “Since executing our succession plan, I decided to stick around and share my acquisition experience with like-minded business owners looking to find a forever home for their companies”. Tim transitioned his attention to Volaris M&A before eventually retiring in 2023.
Susie continued to build on that foundation, leading Tribute through remarkable growth, and credits Tim’s decision to join Volaris as the key to the company’s lasting success.
“Tim put us in the best possible place that we could have landed, for both our customers and employees; the opportunities for our employees are tremendous and our customers are keen to stay and grow with us because they’re seeing the benefits of us being a better company.”
– Susie Hopper, Former President and CEO (retired), Tribute
When Susie eventually retired as well, that same focus on developing talent from within paved the way for Tom Knoebel, another long-time Tribute employee, to step into leadership. Volaris supported Tom’s progression through leadership development opportunities, including LEAP—a program designed to prepare leaders to advance to senior roles.
“The connections I have made have been amazing […] I highly recommend this program to anyone who wants to be personally and professionally challenged and stretched. [Volaris] talks a lot about developing talent within our portfolio, and I can assure you [the company puts its time and resources behind that promise].”
Tom is currently the President and CEO of Tribute, continuing the company’s legacy and driving a new era of growth and stability.
Prior to joining Volaris, Tribute’s growth had leveled off. Since becoming part of the network, the company has strengthened its customer relationships, achieved sustained double-digit growth, and evolved its offerings—creating new opportunities for employees and delivering greater value to its loyal customers.
