The San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame Inaugural Dinner was held on March 31, 2016 in Valero's state of the art corporate hangar at the San Antonio International Airport. Eight individuals and institutions that played prominent roles in San Antonio’s aviation and aerospace history were inducted into the first class of the San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame Thursday evening at the inaugural dinner. Lt. Col. Richard E. Cole (Ret.) of the Doolittle raiders and the Tuskegee Airmen (represented by the ‘Airmen’ residents in San Antonio) were honored in addition to the inaugural hall of fame class.
The honorees inducted in the Inaugural class were: Maj. Gen. Benjamin Foulois; Air Education and Training Command (AETC); Eddie, Katherine & Marjorie Stinson; Southwest Research Institute; Durrell U. "Dee" Howard; Edward "Ed" James Swearingen; Joseph A. Wilson; and Richard H. Fessler.
San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor; Mayor Mario Calzada of El Marquez, Queretaro, Mexico; former San Antonio Mayor Phil Hardberger; San Antonio City Council members Joe Krier, Roberto Trevino and Rebecca Viagran; San Antonio City Manager Sheryl Sculley; Valero Vice President Al Philippus and other dignitaries were there to celebrate the occasion. San Antonio Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Richard Perez served as the master of ceremonies and Edward M. Bolen, President and CEO of the National Business Aviation Association (NBAA), was the keynote speaker at the event.
