Jacquie Dalton: From Jockey to Jet Girl

By: Community Magazine | April 6, 2021 |  Local |  Holmdel

Jacquie Dalton is Founder and CEO of Sparrow Executive Jets.

One might think working in the jet set world of luxury, looking as polished as she does, that life has been an easy lift for her. Dalton usually looks like she stepped off the pages of a fashion magazine, typical business attire is a silk dress or pencil skirt suit and stiletto heels. Her coiffed hair and million-dollar smile turn heads. Get in closer and Dalton has the grit that comes with working like a draft horse, and the passion of a laser-focused athlete. Expertise, grit and passion enable Dalton to orchestrate the best possible, safe, luxurious flying experience for her clients. This powerhouse petite businesswoman has a unique story of Jockey to Jet Girl.

Jeanne Wall (JW): Where did you grow up, graduate from?
Jaquie Dalton (JD): I grew up in Oakhurst with two brothers. We were raised by our wonderful, hard-working single mother. I attended Ocean Township High School, and dropped out in 1989, to help take care of my younger brother who survived a horrific accident.
 

Jacquie the Jockey at Monmouth Park with trainer, John Forbes, in 1993.

JW: Wow, ok, so you were a caretaker at a very young age. What was next for you?
JD: In the early 90’s I worked at Monmouth Park Racetrack cleaning stalls, while training very hard to become a thoroughbred jockey. I was blessed to work with thoroughbred racehorse trainer John H. Forbes and his assistant Pat McBurney. They really were the “fathers” who shaped me early in life. My life was very blue[1]collar, it was industry, racing, movement. They gave me the chance of a lifetime, and I did not let them down. I worked very hard. It was time for my first race and I surprised everyone, including myself, by coming in first place!

JW: Amazing, what was next?
JD: I had a great jockeying experience. Then left racing, got my GED at Brookdale, and subsequently an associate degree, while working multiple jobs. I again was blessed to meet someone very inspiring at Brookdale: Professor, Dr. Carl Calendar.

JW: You are a Brookdale success story! What happened next?
JD: After graduating Brookdale, I transferred to Northwestern University, where I graduated top of my class in 1997. For me, personally being a jockey was amazing, but my educational experience, and graduating from NWU was my greatest achievement at that time.

JW: What was your first job out of college and what led you to private jet travel?
JD: I worked in PR at Fleishman Hillard in Chicago in 1999. I had met my husband at the Jersey Shore around 1995. He lived in Chicago, and we married in 2000, eventually went back to NJ, and bought a home in Little Silver, where we had two sons. I started to do the social circuit, charity world, and worked in online real estate transactions. I then had a special event business called BookIt, a celebrity event business, with a second division called CookIt, with celebrity chefs, etc. I am more of an industry[1]girl, corporate structure is not my cup of tea. I’m more blue-collar, driving the local economy through industry, maintenance, movement, transportation, adrenaline… Horse racing called me back and I bought racehorses and had a great experience as a breeder. It’s a tough industry and it taught me so much. The hardest working people I know are in aviation or the horse racing industry. I got into aviation through horse racing. Private flyers own racehorses. I have worked the past 15 years in the private jet business and have built a book of clients.

JW: Who are your clients?
JD: My Sparrow Executive Jet clients are very smart, they trust my judgement, they want the best possible safe, data secure, professional, luxury flight transportation. Moving human lives is a sacred thing. My clients understand the value of safe and seamlessly traveling. My business is by referral only. Most of my clients have been with me for a long time and are family. I’m not about quantity, it’s about quality. It’s the only way to do it.

Jacquie Dalton currently lives in Holmdel with her husband and their two sons.

This article originally was published on TAPinto, see the full story here.