Contributed by Dennis Brewer, retired South Central U.S. Regional Manager
Dennis Brewer retired on Jan. 3rd, 2011 as Duncan Aviation's South Central U.S. Regional Manager.
In 1978, I dropped in for fuel at Duncan Aviation. That was my first contact with the company, which had a hangar full of de-mated Learjets amongst other projects and their own large lunchroom. What other FBO had a large lunchroom? When I got home I was told that this aviation company in Nebraska enjoyed a great reputation in the world of turbine and reciprocating aircraft maintenance.
In 1981, Duncan Aviation was a full line Cessna service and sales operation in the territory I covered as a service rep for Cessna. The friendliness of everyone I came into contact with at Duncan made me feel right at home (Duncan customers tell me that they feel the same when they are in with an airplane). Dave Lewis was managing the reciprocating shop then and was my primary contact. He’s a 7X Program Coordinator now and we are still very good friends.
In 1985, I had the good fortune to be hired by another friend, Bob McCammon, who was managing Duncan Aviation’s newly-formed remote-based sales and marketing team. He hired me as a Service Marketing Representative (SMR) covering Texas and the four surrounding states. Although excess parts inventory consignment (called Avpac at the time) was our priority then, I did not expect that Duncan would be known among aircraft operators in my part of the country. However, I soon discovered that our avionics loaner program had made Duncan a household name with turbine aircraft operators. I had to introduce myself, but not Duncan Aviation. It was amazing how my one year stint of visiting Duncan while working for Cessna had allowed me the opportunity to make so many friends.
Now, after 25 years with Duncan Aviation, I am retiring. Not only are there many of these friends from 1981 still here, but in many cases there are successive generations of those 300 original fellow employees. I feel like a lightweight in the longevity category.
So much for the history lesson. It is the pride of working with my fellow Duncanians that I really wish to address. With that well-known great Midwest work ethic, coupled with the infectious pride that Duncan Aviation’s people have, the Duncan family has wisely sought and used input from employees and customers to steer and keep our company at the top of the business aviation game. It has been my good fortune and privilege to have my word, honor and professional reputation enhanced by my fellow Duncan employees.
I wish all of you the best and hope that we all get to spend many happy post employment years pursuing our favorite pastimes. Thank you all very much.
Dennis Brewer served as Duncan Aviation’s South Central U.S. Regional Manager for 25 years, and retired Jan. 3, 2011. He began working in aviation in 1965.
