Philanthropy
The Living Legends of Aviation &
Kiddie Hawk Air Academy
While it is fun to get dressed up in a tuxedo each January with my fellow Living Legends of Aviation for the annual awards ceremony, the event is the primary vehicle for supporting the Kiddie Hawk Air Academy, a 501(c) 3 organization, whose mission is to educate and inspire today’s youth and create tomorrow’s aviators.
As a baby boomer myself, our industry faces a shortage of talent as our large generation hits retirement age (something I never plan on doing). It is more important than ever to give the aviation bug to those who can turn into tomorrow’s pilots, aircraft technicians and innovators.
It is more important than ever to give the aviation bug to those who can turn into tomorrow’s pilots, aircraft technicians and innovators
Kenn Ricci Lifetime Aviation Entrepreneur Award
2018 – ROBERT BIGELOW
Robert Bigelow’s achievements climb well beyond the sky. In an entirely self-funded effort, his leadership at Bigelow Aerospace has introduced habitable space structures for private and government use, successfully launching spacecraft into orbit and supporting the International Space Station.
2019 – JEFF BEZOS
As the founder of Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos has drastically reduced the cost of space access, providing a more economical means of deploying satellites to space as well as pioneering space tourism and small-parcel drone delivery. Additionally, he funded and led the deep-ocean recovery of Saturn V engine components utilized in the Apollo space program.
2020 – DR. S. HARRY ROBERTSON
Dr. Robertson’s contributions to aviation are credited with saving over 8,000 lives through his development and introduction of self-sealing, impact-resistant fuel systems designed to prevent post-crash fires and increase the overall survivability of aircraft crashes. He went on to co-found the Crash Survival Investigators School and serve as a professor while supporting university programs and scholarships.
2022 US – CRAIG SINCOCK
Craig Sincock furthered aviation by rethinking and disrupting the industry’s fuel supply chain and infrastructure. Beginning with the acquisition of a small regional fuel supplier, he expanded into a global fuel, services and logistics company that supports multiple industry segments while embracing future technologies such as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), electrification and advanced air mobility.
2022 AT – Alec Couvelaire
Alec Couvelaire is an individual who has, over the years, continually earned his place among the ranks of aviation visionaries. Once described as being “Always the voice of reason and sensible compromise, but with a whiff of revolutionary defiance”, it was with this balance of qualities that he was able to achieve some legendary things. One such achievement began with the identification of a gap in general aviation product offerings and culminated in the vision and development of the TBM turboprop, which has remained in continuous production for over three decades and has surpassed 1,200 deliveries worldwide.
2023 – DANIEL DROHAN
Starting as a pre-teen working line service at a small airport, Dan Drohan became a pilot and started his own air tour company before growing into charter operations and ultimately leading one of the world’s largest fleets of managed business jets. In addition to holding type ratings/qualification in five business aircraft and the Pilatus PC-9 military trainer, he is an active philanthropist and advocate for the business aviation industry.
2024 US – LAURENS “LARRY” MENDELSON
With a background in engineering, finance and real estate, Larry became involved in aviation through his leadership of the Heico Corporation. While serving as Chairman, President and CEO, he grew the company’s annual revenues from $26 million to $4.5 billion, establishing it as a global aerospace and electronics leader and innovator while serving airlines, defense and space contractors worldwide.
2024 AT – Steve Varsano
After earning his pilot’s license at age 17 and his B.S. in Aeronautical Studies at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Steve Varsano dove headfirst into private aviation – first with the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, and later for a brokerage firm. Since then, he has become a successful entrepreneur, opening the world’s first street-level showroom for corporate jet aircraft and introducing industry newcomers to private aviation through interactive, immersive experiences.
2025 – LOUIS PEPPER
With a 45-year aviation career beginning in line service at Teterboro and culminating in the acquisition of Million Air and Atlantic Aviation, Lou has impacted the industry by fostering a culture of service, safety and efficiency for all customers, from large operators to individual pilots. Even after stepping down as CEO in 2023, he continues to serve on the board of Atlantic Aviation.
Able Flight
One of the most meaningful elements of aviation is sharing the magic of flight with others, and beginning in 2015, I found an immensely rewarding way to do just that. When I learned of a not-for-profit organization called Able Flight that enables people with disabilities, many of them military veterans, to become pilots, I arranged for the Ricci Family Foundation to team up with Purdue University and form a partnership to accelerate and expand their efforts.
We began with financial gifts via The Ricci Family Foundation and by holding a benefit at Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Those efforts ultimately raised enough money to provide Able Flight with a Sky Arrow aircraft, outfit it with custom hand controls for those who have lost the use of their legs and initiate flight training at Purdue.
We then funded scholarships, which enabled recipients to earn their pilot certification in 6-7 weeks. Today, over 100 individuals have completed the program, and some have gone on to become commercial and airline transport pilots. It’s been a massive success by any measure.
Able Flight enables people with disabilities, many of them military veterans, to become pilots
University of Notre Dame
No place has been more impactful in how I approach my life than The University of Notre Dame. My ongoing involvement with the University convinced my wife Pam and me that Notre Dame genuinely makes a difference for the betterment of society, constantly championing the causes of underdogs. They not only are educators but also influencers who instill an ethos of problem-solving.
In Notre Dame, we have a trusted partner in which our $100 million unrestricted commitment through lifetime gifts and a Philanthropic Succession Partnership can help to achieve things like expanded access to the school via financial aid and continuing to solve for societal challenges through expanded research opportunities.
No place has been more impactful in how I approach my life than The University of Notre Dame
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
In the past, those interested in aviation careers have looked to the airlines and the military. However, business aviation employs more individuals than the U.S. airlines, the Air Force and the Air National Guard combined, and offers a wide range of opportunities to build challenging and fulfilling careers.
Through the Flexjet Innovation and Career Center, we hope to offer educational and training opportunities to students at one of America’s leading aeronautical academic programs while exposing them to careers in business aviation.
The partnership itself expanded in April 2024 when I was appointed to the Embry-Riddle board. After seeing the new facilities succeed and meeting some of the students in person, this latest opportunity affords me the ability to become more involved with students, faculty and stakeholders to build even more bridges between emerging talent and the business aviation industry.
It has allowed me to become more involved with students and faculty, building a stronger bridge with this new generation of aviation talent
University Hospitals
My son Austin has lived with Cystic Fibrosis since he was born, leading our family to endow the Austin Ricci Chair in Cystic Fibrosis at University Hospitals Case Medical Center’s Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital.
Overseen by Michael Konstan, MD, he was one of the seven founders of the CF Foundation’s Therapeutics Development Network. Now 91 centers strong, this network has led clinical trial participation for nearly every approved CF drug. The Austin Ricci Chair has led several of the seminal clinical trials towards the treatment of Cystic Fibrosis. Due in part to these efforts, the predicted survival age of patients with CF nationwide has increased from age 30 to 50 years over the last two decades and is growing with each breakthrough.
CF is an incurable genetic condition affecting approximately 70,000 people worldwide and 32,000 people in the U.S.
The Austin Ricci Chair has led several of the seminal clinical trials towards the treatment of Cystic Fibrosis
