San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame
Event Date 31 March 2016

Keynote Speaker

Ed Bolen

The San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame is honored to announce that Edward M. Bolen, President and CEO of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), will be the Keynote Speaker at the Inaugural Dinner on 31 March 2016.

Ed Bolen became the president and CEO of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) in Washington, DC, on Sept. 7, 2004. Prior to joining NBAA, Bolen was president and CEO of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association (GAMA) for eight years. Bolen joined GAMA in 1995 as senior vice president and general counsel. GAMA’s board of directors elected him president and CEO in November 1996. 

In 2001, Bolen was nominated by President Bush to serve as a member of the Commission on the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry. Established by Congress, the commission’s objectives were to study and make recommendations on ways to ensure American leadership in aerospace in the 21st century. 

Bolen was nominated by President Clinton and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as a member of the Management Advisory Council (MAC) to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He chaired the council from 2000 to 2004.

Bolen is the incoming chairman of RTCA, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation that functions as a Federal Advisory Committee to the FAA on matters related to communications, surveillance, navigation and air traffic management. He previously served as RTCA's vice chairman. He also serves on the Aviation Advisory Board of the Mitre Corporation, a federally funded research and development corporation.

Prior to his association career, Bolen was majority general counsel to the Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources. He also served as legislative director for U.S. Senator Nancy Kassebaum (R-KS) and was a key player in the passage of the General Aviation Revitalization Act of 1994.

Bolen received his Bachelor of Arts in economics from the University of Kansas. He is a graduate of the Tulane University School of Law and holds a Master of Laws degree from Georgetown University Law Center. Bolen, a recreational pilot, is also a competitive tennis player and former captain of the University of Kansas varsity tennis team.

Honorees

Maj. Gen.Benjamin Foulois (Military Aviation)

San Antonio’s Fort Sam Houston was chosen as the site for the Army’s early aviation efforts when Lt. Benjamin Foulois and a small group of enlisted men were ordered there in 1910. They brought with them a Wright Brothers’ Flyer, which was designated Army Signal Corps Aero plane #1, and began flying it from the north end of Cavalry Post parade ground in March of that year”. More specifically, the first flight was on 2 March 1910. More about Benjamin Foulois.

Air Education and Training Command (Military Aviation)

Air Education and Training Command. "The First Command," AETC is responsible for recruiting, technical training, flying training, and the continuing education of each generation of Airmen and is headquartered at Randolph AFB. More about AETC.

Eddie, Katherine & Marjorie Stinson (Civil and Military Aviation)

It all goes back to the year 1915, when three siblings and two passions all came together to create the Stinson School of Flying. The people were Marjorie, Katherine and Eddie Stinson. More about the Stinsons and Stinson Field.

Southwest Research Institute (Aviation and Aerospace)

From designing fuels for prop planes and jet engines to developing systems and components that go to Mars and beyond, engineers and scientists at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI®) have been an integral part of the San Antonio aviation and aerospace landscape since it was founded on the outskirts of San Antonio in 1947. More about SwRI.

Durrell U. ”Dee” Howard (Civil Aviation)

Dee Howard was a respected inventor and legendary in the aviation industry for his many creative accomplishments. Dee had over forty US and foreign patents issued in his name for both aviation and automotive products and the aviation companies which he founded and which bore his name held more than two hundred FAA Supplemental Types Certificates (STCs) and Type Certificate (TC). Dee’s aviation career spanned the birth and development of business aircraft in the post-World War II era. He is internationally recognized and honored for advancing the state of the art in business aircraft with numerous performance improvements, such as jet engine thrust reversers and refinements in aircraft flight characteristics. More about Dee Howard.

Edward “Ed” James Swearingen (Civil Aviation)

Ed was an internationally known leader in the identification, design, development, and manufacturing of precedent-setting aircraft programs. He founded his own company, Swearingen Aircraft, primarily as a consulting firm, and helped design many other companies' aircraft. He then began to design and manufacture his own planes. He designed 30 airplane programs, with the SJ30, a high-performing and affordable twin-engine jet being the 30th. Before his death, he was working on his 31st airplane design. Awards along the way include the Aviation Safety Award from the FAA in 1962. In 1974 he received the highest award from the National Business Aircraft Association. Later he was inducted into the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame and honored as a "Living Legend of Aviation." More about Ed Swearingen.

Joseph A. Wilson (Aviation Education)

Community and Government Relations. Lockheed Martin Commercial Engine Solutions (retired in 2015). Former Chair of San Antonio Chamber of Commerce Aerospace Committee. Past Chair of San Antonio Manufacturers Association(SAMA).Joe had a leading role in creating and growing San Antonio's aviation education pipeline through the establishment of Alamo Academies and, in the process, ensuring that our history of aviation excellence will continue into its second century.

Richard Fessler (Aviation Education)

Chairman of Hallmark University. Co-founder of Hallmark Aero-Tech in 1969 at Stinson Field, San Antonio’s first school for aviation technicians, now a part of Hallmark University and known as Hallmark College of Aeronautics with the aviation campus at San Antonio International Airport and is now Texas’ largest aviation technician school today. Co-founder of Hallmark Jet Center, now known as Million Air in San Antonio. Licensed A&P mechanic and commercial-rated pilot. Past chair and member of national and state college associations and accrediting commissions.

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San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame
Event Date 30 March 2017

Honorees

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison

For her leadership in the creation of Port San Antonio.

Lt. Col. Olga Custodio (USAF Retired)

For her leadership as the first Latina US military pilot, first Latina flight instructor for the Air Education and Training Command, and the first Latina captain for American Airlines

Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr.

For his leadership as a NASA astronaut . Dr.Harris became the first African American to perform an extra-vehicular activity(spacewalk)during the second of his two Space Shuttle flights.

Col. William Charles Ocker and Major Carl Joseph Crane

For their leadership in developing instrument flight systems .The Crane/Ocker collaboration resulted in the invention of the Pre-Flight Reflex Trainer, a navigational aid called the Flight Integrator, and their co-authorship in 1932 of the world's first manual for instrumental flight, Blind Flight in Theory and Practice (1932).

William Tuttle and Luther Bynum Clegg

For their leadership in funding and acquiring the land that was deeded to the US government that became Randolph Air Force Base and in the process helped retain Kelly Field in San Antonio.

433rd Airlift Wing

For its leadership in ensuring combat readiness and performance of peacetime missions.

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San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame 
Event Date 22 March 2018

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Alan Stern to be Keynote Speaker at San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame 2018 Awards Dinner

The Dee Howard Foundation is honored to announce that Dr. Alan Stern will be the Keynote Speaker at the San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame 2018 Awards Dinner on 22 March 2018.

Dr. Alan Stern is a planetary scientist, space program executive, aerospace consultant, and author. He leads NASA’s $880M New Horizons mission that successfully explored the Pluto system and is now exploring the Kuiper Belt—the farthest exploration in the history of humankind.

In both 2007 and 2016, he was named to the Time 100 list. In 2007 and 2008, Dr. Stern served as NASA’s chief of all space and Earth science programs, directing a $4.4B organization with 93 separate flight missions and a program of over 3,000 research grants. During his NASA tenure, a record 10 major new flight projects were started and deep reforms of NASA’s scientific research and the education and public outreach programs were put in place. His tenure was notable for an emphasis on cost control in NASA flight missions that resulted in a 63% decrease in cost overruns.

Since 2008, Dr. Stern has had his own aerospace consulting practice. His current and former consulting clients include Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin, Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic, Naveen Jain’s Moon Express Google Lunar X-Prize team, Ball Aerospace, Paragon Space Development Corporation, the NASTAR Center, Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, and the Johns Hopkins University.

Since 2009, he has been an Associate Vice President and Special Assistant to the President at the Southwest Research Institute. Additionally, from 2008-2012 he served on the board of directors of the Challenger Center for Space Science Education, and as the Chief Scientist and Mission Architect for Moon Express from 2010-2013. From 2011-2013 he served as the Director of the Florida Space Institute. Dr. Stern is a founder and serves as the Chief Science Officer of World View, a near-space ballooning company that he is co-founder of. In 2016 and again in 2017 he was elected to be the Board Chairman of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. Dr. Stern is also the CEO of a small corporation—The Golden Spike Company.

Before receiving his doctorate from the University of Colorado in 1989, Dr. Stern completed twin masters degrees in aerospace engineering and atmospheric sciences (1980 and 1981), and then spent six years as an aerospace systems engineer, concentrating on spacecraft and payload systems at the NASA Johnson Space Center, Martin Marietta Aerospace, and the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado. His two undergraduate degrees are in physics and astronomy from the University of Texas (1978 and 1980).

Dr. Stern has published over 280 technical papers and 40 popular articles. He has given over 400 technical talks and over 200 popular lectures and speeches about astronomy and the space program. He has written two books, The U.S. Space Program After Challenger (Franklin-Watts, 1987), and Pluto and Charon: Ice Worlds on the Ragged Edge of the Solar System (Wiley 1997, 2005). Additionally, he has served as editor on three technical volumes, and three collections of scientific popularizations: Our Worlds (Cambridge, 1998), Our Universe (Cambridge, 2000), and Worlds Beyond (Cambridge, 2003). In 2018 his new book with coauthor David Grinspoon, Chasing New Horizons (Picador Press) will be released.

Honorees

Lt. Col. James "Robbie" Robinson (USAF Ret.)

To quote Brig. Gen. John Cherry (USAF Ret.), Lt. Col. Robinson is "…A standout officer, aviator, combat warrior and flying training pioneer… Robbie’s aviation career began as a decorated United States Air Force Combat Pilot having executed 211 air-to-ground combat sorties throughout Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. For his heroism and aviation excellence while in Vietnam, Robbie was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, 13 Air Medals, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross. Robbie’s Air Force career culminated as the foremost authority on Rated Management Development, the bedrock upon which the United States Air Force is built… "As fate would have it Robbie’s combat flying began with the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing in Vietnam, which later was re-designated the 12th Flying Training Wing at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, where he continues to serve as a Department of Defense civilian today.

Edgar Gardner Tobin (deceased)

Mr. Tobin was a San Antonio native and learned to fly from the Stinsons. He was a WWI fighter ace (six victories) who flew with Capt. Eddie Rickenbacker's "Hat in the Ring" air squadron. Mr.Tobin was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the Croix de Guerre. Mr. Tobin continued his flying career after the war as a civilian and established Tobin Aerial Surveys. During WWII Mr. Tobin served as a civilian aide to General Henry "Hap" Arnold of the United States Army Air Corps.

James L. Burch, Ph.D.

Dr. Burch is Vice President of the Space Science and Engineering Division of Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), a position he has held for more than 30 years. Dr. Burch oversees more than 350 scientists, engineers, and support staff in six departments with laboratories in San Antonio, Boulder, Colo., and Durham, N.H. Under his direction, staff members have made significant, and sometimes startling, scientific discoveries about the origins and intricacies of our solar system. Dr. Burch’s Division at SwRI is responsible for developing numerous instruments on NASA and ESA spacecraft and leads several complete NASA science missions, including the New Horizons mission that made an historic flyby of Pluto in July 2015 and the Juno polar-orbiting mission to Jupiter that went into orbit in July 2016.

Marillyn A. Hewson

Ms. Hewson currently serves as Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Lockheed Martin Corporation. Ms. Hewson spent part of her career with Lockheed Martin in San Antonio at Kelly Aviation Center (now Port San Antonio) during which time she built the Aerospace Industry Council into a leading voice for aerospace and aviation helping ensure that San Antonio remained a leading player in global aviation. Ms. Hewson also ensured that the Alamo Academies prospered creating a pipeline for young people interested in aviation and aerospace. Today Lockheed Martin remains a vital part of San Antonio’s aerospace and aviation ecosystem supporting the 433rd’s C-5M schoolhouse, the education and training efforts at Headquarters Air Education and Training Command, and the growing cyber and electronic programs at the Twenty-Fourth and Twenty Fifth Air Forces.

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San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame 
Event Date 4 April 2019

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Bonnie J. Dunbar

Dr. Bonnie J. Dunbar to be Keynote Speaker at San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame 2019 Awards Dinner

The Dee Howard Foundation is honored to announce that Dr. Bonnie J. Dunbar will be the Keynote Speaker at the San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame 2019 Awards Dinner on 4 April 2019.

Dr. Dunbar is a distinguished academic, scientist, former NASA astronaut, pilot, and educator. Dr. Dunbar is currently on the faculty of Texas A&M University-College Station where she serves as TEES Eminent Professor; Director, TEES Institute for Engineering Education and Innovation (IEEI); Director, Aerospace Human Systems Laboratory; and, among other accolades, is a Member of the National Academy of Engineering.

Dr. Dunbar graduated from Sunnyside High School, Sunnyside, Washington, in 1967; received a bachelor of science and master of science degrees in ceramic engineering from the University of Washington in 1971 and 1975, respectively, and a doctorate in Mechanical/Biomedical Engineering from the University of Houston in 1983.

Between 1971 and 1978 Dr. Dunbar worked in the private sector for Boeing Computer Services and Rockwell International Space Division and conducted research at Harwell Laboratories in Oxford, England. Dr. Dunbar joined NASA in 1978 and retired from NASA in September 2005. On her retirement NASA issued a press release which read in part:

…Astronaut Bonnie Dunbar (Ph.D.), a veteran of five space shuttle flights, retired from NASA today to become president and chief executive officer of the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington.

Dunbar flew on shuttle missions in 1985, 1990, 1992, 1995, and 1998, spending more than 50 days in space. She played key science roles in each mission, including the STS-61-A Spacelab, STS-50 Microgravity Lab-1, and STS-32 Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) retrieval missions. Two of her missions, STS-71 and STS-89, visited the Russian space station Mir. She was selected for the astronaut class of 1980, only the second group of astronauts specifically chosen to fly the space shuttle.

In addition to astronaut assignments, Dunbar's 27-year career at NASA included serving as a flight controller and payload officer. She also held management positions at NASA Headquarters and NASA's Johnson Space Center, including five years as the assistant director for University Research at Johnson.

As one of NASA’s early shuttle astronauts, Bonnie helped pave the way for women taking key roles in space exploration," said Flight Crew Operations Director Ken Bowersox. "She's done it all, from technical research to spaceflight to motivating young people about science….”

Special Honors Dr. Dunbar has received include Associate Fellow, AIAA. Elected to the National Academy of Engineers (2002). American Ceramic Society James I. Mueller Award, Cocoa Beach, Florida. (2000). Inducted into the Women in Technology International (WITI) Hall of Fame in 2000. NASA Space Flight Medals (1985, 1990, 1992, 1995, and 1998). Superior Accomplishment Award (1997). Member, National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Advisory Board, 1993-1999. NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal(1996). NASA Outstanding Leadership Award (1993). Fellow of American Ceramic Society (1993). Design News Engineering Achievement Award (1993). IEEE Judith Resnik Award (1993). Society of Women Engineers Resnik Challenger Medal (1993). Museum of Flight Pathfinder Award (1992). AAES National Engineering Award (1992). NASA Exceptional Service Award (1991). University of Houston Distinguished Engineering Alumna (1991). M.R.S. President’s Award (1990). ACS Schwaltzwalder P.A.C.E. Award (1990). University of Washington Engineering Alumni Achievement (1989). NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1988). ACS Life Membership (1986). General Jimmy Doolittle Fellow of the Aerospace Education Foundation (1986). American Ceramic Society (ACS) Greaves-Walker Award (1985). Rockwell International Engineer of the Year in 1977.

To learn more about Dr. Dunbar we invite you to visit her Texas A&M University and NASA bios.

Honorees

Earl & Tom Slick

In the January 28, 1946 issue, Time Magazine wrote ”At San Antonio’s tortilla-flat Alamo Field (the name of San Antonio International Airport when it was first open for combined military and civilian use at the end of WWII) last week, 50 men in coveralls scurried over, under, into, out of and around nine fat-bodied Curtiss Commando planes. They installed refrigeration equipment in some, heaters in others. On the silver sides of all nine, they painted the royal blue insignia of a brand-new air-freight enterprise: Slick Airways, Inc…”. The idea for the airline was Earl Slick’s, it was formed as the air cargo division of the Slick Corporation which was owned by Earl and brother Tom—Earl was 25 and Tom was 29 at the time. Earl ran the airline and served as President, Tom served as Vice President, and stepbrother Charles Urschel Jr. served as treasurer. By 1951 Slick Airways had become the largest all-cargo airline in the US. In April 1951 Slick Airways became the first airline to operate the freighter variant of the Douglas DC-6. The airline ceased operations in 1966.

Lt. Col. Francis R. (Dick) Scobee (USAF Ret.) NASA Astronaut

Lt. Col. Scobee was born in Cle Elum, Washington, graduated from Auburn Senior High School, in Auburn, Washington, enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1957, trained as a reciprocating engine mechanic, and was subsequently stationed at Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio. While in San Antonio, Lt. Col. Scobee met and married Virginia June Kent of San Antonio, and while in San Antonio, started his college studies by attending San Antonio College for two years, which led to his selection for the Airman’s Education and Commissioning Program. He graduated from the University of Arizona with a bachelor of science degree in Aerospace Engineering. He received his commission in 1965, and after receiving his wings in 1966, completed a number of assignments including a combat tour in Vietnam. He returned to the United States and attended the U.S. Air Force Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California. After graduating in 1972, he participated in test programs for which he flew such varied aircraft as the Boeing 747, the X24B, the transonic aircraft technology (TACT) F-111, and the C-5. He logged more than 6,500 hours flying time in 45 types of aircraft. Lt. Col. Scobee was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in 1978 and completed a 1-year training and evaluation period in August 1979. In addition to astronaut duties, Lt. Col. Scobee was an Instructor Pilot on the NASA/Boeing 747 shuttle carrier airplane. He first flew as pilot of STS 41-C which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on April 6,1984. The mission duration was 7 days before landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California on April 13,1984. Lt. Col. Scobee was spacecraft commander on STS 51-L, which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, at 11:38:00 EST on January 28,1986. The crew onboard the Orbiter Challenger included the pilot, M.J. Smith (U.S. Navy), three mission specialists, Dr. R.E. McNair, Lt. Col. E.S. Onizuka (U.S.Air Force), and Dr. J.A. Resnik, as well as two civilian payload specialists, G.B. Jarvis and S.C. McAuliffe. The STS 51-L crew died on January 28, 1986 when Challenger exploded after launch. During his illustrious career, Lt. Col. Scobee was awarded many honors, among them, the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, two NASA Exceptional Service Medals, and was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.

General Mark A. Welsh III (USAF Ret.)

General Mark A. Welsh III was born and grew up in San Antonio, earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy and entered the Air Force in June 1976. During his Air Force career, Gen. Welsh also earned a Master of Science degree in computer resource management from Webster University, and graduated from the Army Command and General Staff College, the Air War College, and the National War College as well as completing other post graduate studies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Syracuse University, John Hopkins University, and Harvard University. Gen. Welsh received his undergraduate pilot training at Williams Air Force Base, Arizona. Gen. Welsh was rated as a Command Pilot and has over 3,300 flight hours in F-16, A-10, T-37 and TG-7A aircraft. During his distinguished Air Force career Gen. Welsh was assigned to numerous operational, command and staff positions including Commander of the U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Commander of NATO’s Air Command, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Associate Director of Military Affairs at the Central Intelligence Agency, and as Commandant of the United States Air Force Academy. Gen. Welsh became the 20th Chief of Staff of the Air Force in August 2012, serving as the senior uniformed Air Force officer responsible for the organization, training and equipping of 664,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve, and civilian forces serving in the United States and overseas. As a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Welsh and other service chiefs functioned as military advisers to the Secretary of Defense, National Security Council, and the President. Gen. Welsh received numerous awards and decorations, including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Defense Superior Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, and the Distinguished Flying Cross with oak leaf cluster. In June 2016 Gen. Welsh retired from the Air Force and on August 15, 2016, Gen.Welsh became and currently serves as Dean and Holder of the Edward & Howard Kruse Endowed Chair, and Executive Professor of The Bush School of Government & Public Service at Texas A&M University.

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San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame 
Event Postponed (due to COVID19)

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr.

The Dee Howard Foundation is honored to announce that Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr. will be the Keynote Speaker at the San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame 2020 Awards Dinner on 26 March 2020.

The Dee Howard Foundation is honored to announce that Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr. will be the Keynote Speaker at the San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame 2020 Awards Dinner on 26 March 2020.

Dr. Harris is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Math + Science Initiative (NMSI) and leads the organization’s efforts to improve teacher effectiveness and student achievement in STEM education across the country. He has been involved in math and science education for more than 25 years through the Harris Institute & Foundation and as a founding board member for NMSI.

Dr. Harris has stated that “As a dreamer, I often encourage young people that ‘nothing is impossible, if you believe in your dreams.’ For that to happen, we as educators and education advocates must provide students with the tools to empower their dreams. Ultimately, we all benefit through those accomplishments.”

A veteran astronaut, Dr. Harris has logged more than 438 hours and traveled over 7.2 million miles in space. He was the first African-American to complete a spacewalk. While at NASA, he conducted research in musculoskeletal physiology and clinical investigations of space adaptation and developed in-flight medical devices to extend Astronaut stays in space.

Prior to NMSI, Dr. Harris was CEO and Managing Partner of Vesalius Ventures, Inc., a venture capital firm that invests in early- to mid-stage healthcare technologies and companies. He is a member of the Board of Directors for U.S. Physical Therapy (Nasdaq: USPH), JSA Health and Monebo Technologies. He serves as a Trustee for Salient Fund, Salient MF Trust, and Barings Fund & Trust. In addition, he is on the Board of the National Academy of Medicine, the Texas Medical Center, HealthConnect, NMSI, the Harris Institute & Foundation, and The Dee Howard Foundation.

Dr. Harris graduated from Sam Houston High School in San Antonio and earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Houston, a Master of Medical Science from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston and a Doctorate of Medicine from Texas Tech University School of Medicine. He completed a Residency in Internal Medicine at the Mayo Clinic, a National Research Council Fellowship in Endocrinology at the NASA Ames Research Center and trained as a Flight Surgeon at the Aerospace School of Medicine, Brooks Air Force Base. He is also a licensed private pilot and certified scuba diver.

Dr. Harris is the recipient of numerous awards, including honorary doctorates from Stony Brook University, Morehouse School of Medicine, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Washington & Jefferson College, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, University of Hartford, and Indiana Institute of Technology. He’s also been awarded the NASA Space Flight Medal, NASA Award of Merit, and the 2000 Horatio Alger Award.

He is the author of “Dream Walker: A Journey of Achievement and Inspiration ” and a 2017 Inductee to the San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame.

Honorees

June Scobee Rodgers, Ph.D.

June Scobee Rodgers, the widow of Challenger Space Shuttle Commander Richard “Dick” Scobee, has dedicated her time and energy to continue the crew’s educational mission. Immediately following the tragedy, Dr. Rodgers channeled grief into action and led the Challenger shuttle families, along with others, to create Challenger Center – a living tribute to their loved ones, one of the Challenger Centers, known as the Scobee Education Center, was opened in October 2014 on the Campus of San Antonio College. Dr. Rodgers serves as a Founding Chairman of the Challenger Center, where each year hundreds of thousands of students participate in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) focused programs. Dr. Rodgers is an educator, author, and speaker, and an inspiration to everyone she meets. As an educator, Dr. Rodgers has appeared on numerous national television programs promoting innovative educational partnerships, and has served on the President’s National Advisory Council on Education. Dr. Rodgers is personally proud of the fact that she has taught in every grade-level classroom from kindergarten through college. In 2015, Dr. Rodgers received the distinguished Alan Shepard Technology in Education Award. Originally from Alabama, Dr. Rodgers grew up in San Antonio. Dr. Rodgers holds a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University, a Master’s from Chapman College, CA, and a Bachelor’s of Science from Charleston Southern University, S.C. Dr. Rodgers graduated from Harlandale High School and then attended San Antonio College where she later received an Honorary Associate’s Degree. Dr. Rodgers is also the recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Science Degree from the University of Leicester, England.

Col. Thomas M. McNish, M.D. MPH (USAF Ret.)

Tom McNish attended North Carolina State University for one year before entering the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1960. McNish graduated and was commissioned a 2d Lt on June 3, 1964, and completed Undergraduate Pilot Training and was awarded his pilot wings in September 1965 at Williams AFB, Arizona. He next completed F-105 Thunderchief combat crew training before being assigned to the 354th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Takhli Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, in June 1966. Lt McNish was shot down over North Vietnam and was taken as a Prisoner of War on September 4, 1966, while flying his 45th combat mission in Southeast Asia. After spending 2,373 days in captivity, he was released during Operation Homecoming on March 4, 1973. He was briefly hospitalized to recover from his injuries at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, before beginning his pre-medicine classes at Emory University. Capt McNish graduated from Emory University School of Medicine in June 1978 and interned in the Department of Family Practice at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas. He completed a family practice residency in 1981 and then began a residency in Aerospace Medicine at Brooks AFB, Texas, where he graduated in June 1983. During this time he was selected for the USAF Pilot-Physician program. Dr. McNish served as Chief of Aeromedical Services and Commander of the Air Transportable Hospital at Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina, from December 1983 to May 1985, and then as Commander of the USAF Hospital at Myrtle Beach, where he served until July 1986. During this time, he maintained mission-ready qualification in the A-10 Thunderbolt II, flying with the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing, and was designated by Tactical Air Command as the weapons system flight surgeon for the A-10. Col McNish next served as Commander of the 833rd Medical Group and the 833rd Tactical Hospital at Holloman AFB, New Mexico, from July 1986 to October 1988. He flew the AT-38 Talon with the 479th Tactical Training Wing while at Holloman. He was then assigned as Chief of Flight Medicine in the Office of the Air Force Surgeon General until June 1991, when he became the Command Surgeon in the Office of the Air Force Reserve at the Pentagon, where he served until his retirement from the Air Force on July 1, 1994.Col.McNish is a member and currently serves as President of the 4th Allied P.O.W. Wing.

San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame
Event Date 2 March 2022

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr.

The Dee Howard Foundation is honored to announce that Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr. will be the Keynote Speaker at the San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame 2022 Awards Dinner on 2 March 2022.

Dr. Harris is the Chief Executive Officer of the National Math + Science Initiative (NMSI) and leads the organization’s efforts to improve teacher effectiveness and student achievement in STEM education across the country. He has been involved in math and science education for more than 25 years through the Harris Institute & Foundation and as a founding board member for NMSI.

Dr. Harris has stated that “As a dreamer, I often encourage young people that ‘nothing is impossible, if you believe in your dreams.’ For that to happen, we as educators and education advocates must provide students with the tools to empower their dreams. Ultimately, we all benefit through those accomplishments.”

A veteran astronaut, Dr. Harris has logged more than 438 hours and traveled over 7.2 million miles in space. He was the first African-American to complete a spacewalk. While at NASA, he conducted research in musculoskeletal physiology and clinical investigations of space adaptation and developed in-flight medical devices to extend Astronaut stays in space.

Prior to NMSI, Dr. Harris was CEO and Managing Partner of Vesalius Ventures, Inc., a venture capital firm that invests in early- to mid-stage healthcare technologies and companies. He is a member of the Board of Directors for U.S. Physical Therapy (Nasdaq: USPH), JSA Health and Monebo Technologies. He serves as a Trustee for Salient Fund, Salient MF Trust, and Barings Fund & Trust. In addition, he is on the Board of the National Academy of Medicine, the Texas Medical Center, HealthConnect, NMSI, the Harris Institute & Foundation, and The Dee Howard Foundation.

Dr. Harris graduated from Sam Houston High School in San Antonio and earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Houston, a Master of Medical Science from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston and a Doctorate of Medicine from Texas Tech University School of Medicine. He completed a Residency in Internal Medicine at the Mayo Clinic, a National Research Council Fellowship in Endocrinology at the NASA Ames Research Center and trained as a Flight Surgeon at the Aerospace School of Medicine, Brooks Air Force Base. He is also a licensed private pilot and certified scuba diver.

Dr. Harris is the recipient of numerous awards, including honorary doctorates from Stony Brook University, Morehouse School of Medicine, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Washington & Jefferson College, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, University of Hartford, and Indiana Institute of Technology. He’s also been awarded the NASA Space Flight Medal, NASA Award of Merit, and the 2000 Horatio Alger Award.

He is the author of “Dream Walker: A Journey of Achievement and Inspiration ” and a 2017 Inductee to the San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame.

2020 Honorees

June Scobee Rodgers, Ph.D.

June Scobee Rodgers, the widow of Challenger Space Shuttle Commander Richard “Dick” Scobee, has dedicated her time and energy to continue the crew’s educational mission. Immediately following the tragedy, Dr. Rodgers channeled grief into action and led the Challenger shuttle families, along with others, to create Challenger Center – a living tribute to their loved ones, one of the Challenger Centers, known as the Scobee Education Center, was opened in October 2014 on the Campus of San Antonio College. Dr. Rodgers serves as a Founding Chairman of the Challenger Center, where each year hundreds of thousands of students participate in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) focused programs. Dr. Rodgers is an educator, author, and speaker, and an inspiration to everyone she meets. As an educator, Dr. Rodgers has appeared on numerous national television programs promoting innovative educational partnerships, and has served on the President’s National Advisory Council on Education. Dr. Rodgers is personally proud of the fact that she has taught in every grade-level classroom from kindergarten through college. In 2015, Dr. Rodgers received the distinguished Alan Shepard Technology in Education Award. Originally from Alabama, Dr. Rodgers grew up in San Antonio. Dr. Rodgers holds a Ph.D. from Texas A&M University, a Master’s from Chapman College, CA, and a Bachelor’s of Science from Charleston Southern University, S.C. Dr. Rodgers graduated from Harlandale High School and then attended San Antonio College where she later received an Honorary Associate’s Degree. Dr. Rodgers is also the recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Science Degree from the University of Leicester, England.

Col. Thomas M. McNish, M.D. MPH (USAF Ret.)

Tom McNish attended North Carolina State University for one year before entering the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1960. McNish graduated and was commissioned a 2d Lt on June 3, 1964, and completed Undergraduate Pilot Training and was awarded his pilot wings in September 1965 at Williams AFB, Arizona. He next completed F-105 Thunderchief combat crew training before being assigned to the 354th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Takhli Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, in June 1966. Lt McNish was shot down over North Vietnam and was taken as a Prisoner of War on September 4, 1966, while flying his 45th combat mission in Southeast Asia. After spending 2,373 days in captivity, he was released during Operation Homecoming on March 4, 1973. He was briefly hospitalized to recover from his injuries at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, before beginning his pre-medicine classes at Emory University. Capt McNish graduated from Emory University School of Medicine in June 1978 and interned in the Department of Family Practice at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, Texas. He completed a family practice residency in 1981 and then began a residency in Aerospace Medicine at Brooks AFB, Texas, where he graduated in June 1983. During this time he was selected for the USAF Pilot-Physician program. Dr. McNish served as Chief of Aeromedical Services and Commander of the Air Transportable Hospital at Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina, from December 1983 to May 1985, and then as Commander of the USAF Hospital at Myrtle Beach, where he served until July 1986. During this time, he maintained mission-ready qualification in the A-10 Thunderbolt II, flying with the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing, and was designated by Tactical Air Command as the weapons system flight surgeon for the A-10. Col McNish next served as Commander of the 833rd Medical Group and the 833rd Tactical Hospital at Holloman AFB, New Mexico, from July 1986 to October 1988. He flew the AT-38 Talon with the 479th Tactical Training Wing while at Holloman. He was then assigned as Chief of Flight Medicine in the Office of the Air Force Surgeon General until June 1991, when he became the Command Surgeon in the Office of the Air Force Reserve at the Pentagon, where he served until his retirement from the Air Force on July 1, 1994.Col.McNish is a member and currently serves as President of the 4th Allied P.O.W. Wing.

USAF School of Aerospace Medicine at Brooks Air Force Base

The Brooks Air Force Base (AFB) US Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine (USAFSAM) 100-Area Historic District is a cohesive, geographically definable area containing 15 buildings associated with events of both local and national significance. Between 1959-70, the buildings were the site of scientific research on the potential effects of space travel on the human body. The research carried out here was an integral part of the US Man-in-Space effort, which culminated in the Apollo missions of the late 1960s. The 15 buildings of the Brooks ARB 100-Area Historic District serve as visible reminders of San Antonio's important contribution to aerospace medicine.

Sponsors

The Dee Howard Foundation thanks all of our sponsors for their support of the 2022 Hall of Fame and all of the DHF Pre-K thru 12 Initiatives throughout the year.

Event Committee

2023 Award Recipients

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  Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Paul K. Carlton Jr.

  Lt. Gen. (Dr.) Paul K. Carlton Jr. served as the Commander of Willford Hall, leading to his service as the 17th Surgeon General of the USAF. Among his vast and highly impactful contributions to military medicine is his design of the medical evacuation protocol used by militaries worldwide. Upon retirement, he continued his medical practice. He took on leadership roles with efforts toward increasing access to health care and improving outcomes, including designing the Knight Aerospace medical module that allows cargo aircraft to be transformed into hospital environments.

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  General Edward A. Rice Jr.

  General Rice is a 1978 distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has commanded a squadron, group, wing, the Air Force Recruiting Service, two numbered air forces and a joint command. His final assignment, which came with a fourth star, was commander of Air Education and Training Command at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph. Upon retirement, he continued his commitment to helping others achieve their success through hands-on commitment and participation in education and service with a heavy focus on those in the San Antonio region. General Rice has served on numerous non-profit boards, including The United Way, The Dee Howard Foundation, and UP Partnership.
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  Gary Richey

  Kelly Air Force Base’s closure represented more than just a challenge for the community that grew up around it – it presented a challenge to our nation’s ability to maintain the engines that had long been sustained here. Garry led a team that resulted in the Kelly Aviation Center Propulsion Business Area public/private partnership. This work not only kept engines working for our Air Force and Navy, but it also helped grow the private industrial base that has helped grow Port San Antonio into one of the nation’s most important aerospace facilities.
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  Chad Tanner

  Chad enlisted in the USAF as an Aerospace Propulsion Apprentice before transitioning into recruiting. During his service, he also took flight lessons eventually securing his Airline Transport Pilot certificate – the highest civilian flight license issued by the FAA. Today Chad is a STEM coordinator with the FAA where he focuses on inspiring people to believe that their futures are not dictated by where they start, but rather by what they are willing to invest in themselves.
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  Sam Ximenes

  Sam is a pioneering space architect leading efforts to help us build futures in space. His work supports NASA efforts to create lunar and Martian landing sites, settlements, and manufacturing facilities that will provide benefits to those on Earth as well as our future explorers. But Sam’s work goes far beyond space. He uses his time – and profits from his work – to lead the WEX Foundation providing opportunities for students from around the San Antonio region to work hand-in-hand on the same challenges that Sam and his teams are facing.

EVENT PROGRAM

REGISTER & SPONSOR

2024 Honorees

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  Aerospace Legacy Award

  This award honors an Aerospace legend with a deep connection to San Antonio.

  BrigGen David Lee “Tex” Hill

  A storied and decorated military aviator first hailed as a national hero for his service during World War II as a renowned “Flying Tiger.” He was raised in San Antonio, where he attended the San Antonio Academy as a boy and maintained connections to the community throughout his lifetime. During his years of service, he was also commander of the 412th Fighter Group (which eventually became the U.S. Air Force’s first jet aircraft unit) and was the youngest one-star general in the history of the Texas Air National Guard, which he joined in 1946. Hill, who died in 2007, will posthumously receive the foundation’s Aerospace Legacy Award.

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  Aerospace Industry Impact Award

  This award honors an Aerospace industry professional who has profoundly impacted the San Antonio sector and community.

  Amy Gowder

  A renowned industry executive who is currently President and CEO of GE Aerospace’s Defense and Systems. Previously, Gowder shepherded the ongoing modernization of what was then known as the Kelly Aviation Center and has since become one of the largest state-of-the-art aircraft engine sustainment programs in the world. The expansive facilities in the heart of the Port San Antonio campus formerly under Gowder’s purview are now operated by StandardAero and are where hundreds of personnel support a rapidly growing array of products that power military and commercial fleets around the world. She will receive the Impact Award.

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  Aerospace Hope for the Future Award

  This award honors an up-and-coming Aerospace individual who has demonstrated a commitment to furthering the Aerospace Sector through the education of young people.

  Siddhi Raut

  currently a senior at Reagan High School. She’s been intently focused since middle school on pursuing an academic path and eventual career in space science. Along the way, Raut has endeavored to encourage her peers to pursue similar futures. Among her accomplishments, she was among the first students to participate in the WEX Foundation’s Lunar Caves Analog Test Sites (LCATS) program. Raut then established the nonprofit SpaceTourist, which provides an information platform and resources for her peers, educators, and industry professionals to connect and collaborate. While still in high school, she has also embarked on advanced research projects as an intern for Baylor University’s Astrophysics and Science Theory Group. Raut will be the first recipient of the foundation’s newly minted Hope for the Future Award.

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REGISTER & SPONSOR

Countdown To The Event

The San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame was formed to honor San Antonio’s Aviation and Aerospace History and to nurture our future generations of innovators.

The Dee Howard Foundation (DHF) joined with other local, state, and national partners, to establish the San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame. DHF is a 501(C)(3) Texas nonprofit, an all-volunteer organization, and the net proceeds from the Hall of Fame are primarily used to fund the DHF Pre-K thru 12 Initiative focused on students from underserved areas of our community.

For further information please email the Event Chairman.