By JADE RUSSELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

jrussell@tribunemedia.net

SHERREXIA “Rexy” Rolle is succeeding her father as the new CEO and president of Western Air, the family-owned airline.

The 35-year-old is the daughter of Captain Rex Rolle, the chairman of the airline’s board who has served as president and CEO since the launch of the airline in 2000. Her mother is the vice president and chief operational officer of the company.

Ms Rolle said she is grateful to build on the work her parents started from the ground up. Western Air is reportedly the largest privately owned airline in The Bahamas.

“We are a small family from Andros,” she told The Tribune yesterday. “My parents did not come from much, and they really dreamed a relatively small dream. They just thought they would just have one aircraft and fly from Andros to Nassau. And God had it that they really were able to prove themselves and provide consistent service that people started to trust.”

Ms Rolle has 15 years of airline experience. She served as vice president of operations and general counsel for nine years and is a corporate attorney.

However, she is not a traditional CEO –– she also has a music career.

“I have always been very expressive in the way I dress, exploring music, dance and all of that is a part of my personality,” she said. “And the same way how I love that there are multiple team members of Western Air that have other talents and things that they do, I certainly don’t plan on tuning down who I am.”

“I’m very committed to what it is we do. But I’m certainly not a typical attorney or typical president or CEO. We’re going to get what we need to do done, but we’re going to be ourselves as we do that.”

As the first woman CEO of Western Air, Ms Rolle encouraged people not to dream small.

“One thing I will say is that never believe that anything is too big for you,” she said. “No matter how grand it is, you are capable, and God has already given you everything you need to start working towards your dream. And secondly, you can’t get away without doing hard work and having consistency with that work.”

In a statement, Captain Rolle said he has confidence in his daughter.