Born 1944, Memphis, TN. Following his father's passion for aviation, Wilson obtained his pilot's license at the age of sixteen. After graduating from Southern Methodist University, he worked in the family business then enlisted into the Tennessee Air National Guard. During his service, he flew C-124s, C-130s, and C-141s while attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, and after thirty years, retired as Operations Group Commander. In 1996, his long-standing dream of creating the country's finest "Fixed Base Operation" reached fruition with the construction of the Wilson Air Center at the Memphis International Airport. Wilson introduced hotel-style concierge service at the Wilson Air Center and, since its opening, has been honored in Aviation International News for nine consecutive years as the "#1 Best FBO in the Americas, " and as a "Top Ten FBO" in Professional Pilot Magazine. No other FBO has ever attained this level of consistent recognition. The Memphis FBO was the first of four in a chain operation. In February 2005, Wilson Air Center was awarded the largest aviation management contract in the United States to manage the FBO at the Charlotte/Douglas International Airport, in partnership with the airport's aviation director, T. Jerry Orr. Six months later, Wilson Air Center opened an FBO at Houston's William P. Hobby Airport, and in the summer of 2011, opened their latest FBO at the Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport. Wilson Air Center is known world-wide as the premiere achiever in award-winning service and hospitality. Wilson has been honored for his contributions to the aviation industry, including induction into the Memphis Aviation Legends Hall of Fame by the Memphis Area Aviation Association in October 1998, and in November 2006, induction into the Tennessee Aviation Hall of Fame at the Tennessee Museum of Aviation, upon whose board he sits. He has recently been inducted into the Society of Entrepreneurs and his company, which has over 200 "never say no" employees, has been rated as the top FBO by Aviation International News and received the Operational Excellence Award by AIG Aviation Insurance in 2002 - the only FBO to ever receive this award.
Inducted in 2012.
Portrait Location: Hall of Fame Hallway

Induction Video