MURFREESBORO TN- The 11th Annual Aviation Hall of Fame Induction Gala was held in Murfreesboro at the Embassy Suites Convention Center for the first time instead of the Tennessee Museum of Aviation in Sevierville. Through a partnership with the State of Tennessee and the Aerospace Department of Middle Tennessee State University; the Hall of Fame established an official repository and achieve facility within the Aerospace department at MSTU located there.
Master of Ceremonies, Clay Derrryberry introduced the 2012 inductees:
Joe R. Fleeman, Robert (Bob) E. Minter, Sr., Dr. Morris Ray and the late Gen. Bruce K. Holloway.
-Joe R. Fleeman of Lawrenceburg: Award winning antique aircraft restoration Craftsman and Artisan, Bob Minter of Gallatin: Staunch aviation advocate, activist & aviation public policy strategist, Dr Morris Ray, MD of Memphis: Two extraordinary careers in medicine and aviation, and the late Gen. Bruce K. Holloway, USAF (1912-1999) of Knoxville: Decorated WWII "Ace" SAC Commander & Vice Chief of Staff USAF. AlabamaAviator image-
As the Regional AOPA representative for Alabama for 35 years, Bob Minter is well known throughout the state. Bob earned the reputation as a staunch advocate for general aviation and as an accomplished aviation policy strategist, marketing and technical consultant. He has served numerous aviation technical and advisory groups throughout the Southeast; co-founded the Tennessee Aviation Association and founded the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame. In 2002, The Tennessee Aeronautics Commission awarded Mr. Minter its highest individual honor for his "Career Contributions to Aviation".
-Bob and Karin Minter following the ceremony, AlabamaAviator image-
All around the southeast, Bob and his wife Karin worked tirelessly from staffing AOPA exhibits to organizing a fledgling Aviation Hall of Fame.
-Bob Minter withRalph Hood who was inducted into the Alabama Aviation Hall of Fame in 2003 with Dr. J. Dudley Pewitt; the late Forrest McKenzie Shelton Jr., and Edward L. Stringfellow Jr. Ralph now lives in Erwin TN. Alabama Aviator image-
"Without taking a thing away from this honor tonight, that means the world to me, even though I didn't really want it, said Minter, "There is no way, there is no way on earth, that I could be more satisfied than I have been watching this thing [Aviation Hall of Fame] for the past ten years come to fruition. It has grown; it's got lots of support, a great board. There is no way on earth I can express my gratitude to you. All I did was start it and most of you probably know why I did. Evelyn Bryan Johnson was being recognized everywhere but here: 57, 640 hours of flying time and I though my goodness this is a crime."
-Evelyn Bryan Johnson (1909-2012) was remembered since passing this year at 102 years of age. She was inducted in 2002 as having more flight hours than any women in history. She was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2007. AlabamaAviator image-
"The credibility that the Hall of Fame has now and its reputation and its statue are entirely accountable to the people we have inducted, as you see here. We have inducted some incredible Americans. That's the great part of the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame", Minter concluded. -B Meyer , FMI: TN Aviation Hall of Fame