The National Aeronautic Association (NAA) announced that it is awarding the 2024 Frank G. Brewer Trophy to Lt. Col. Glendon Fraser, U.S.A.F. (ret.), Senior Airline Captain, aviation program pioneer, aerospace educator, and non-profit board member.
Established in 1943, the Frank G. Brewer Trophy is awarded annually to an individual, a group of individuals, or an organization for significant contributions of enduring value to aerospace education in the United States. The Brewer trophy, earned by impactful educators such as Apollo XI’s Michael Collins, AOPA’s You Can Fly program, and the International Nintey-Nines, is displayed at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.
“Glendon is a dynamic role model whose humility, initiative, and drive motivates and inspires others,” said Amy Spowart, NAA president and CEO. “At his core, he personifies the ideals of the Brewer Trophy, which is a person who makes an extraordinary and lasting impact on how aviation education is shared. Glendon creates pathways that ensure the future aviation workforce and teaches interested adults how to engage youth.”
Fraser, who immigrated to the U.S. as a youth, has dedicated his life to fostering career pathways in the aviation industry. Building on his experience gained as a U.S. Air National Guard Officer and United Airlines Senior Captain, Fraser seeks to bring youth to aviation through impactful programming. Significant achievements of Fraser include the formation of the Trowell-Harris Chapter of the national Tuskegee Airmen organization, for which he served as Acting President for 25 years, and the creation of the Lt. Lee Archer Jr. Youth Flying Program, an aviation ground school for middle and high school students that offers three hours of classroom instruction once a week. Fraser recently launched the RedTail Flight Academy, which focuses on training minority flight students for future airline employment.
In addition to his educational initiatives, Fraser has established a permanent scholarship fund through fundraising efforts. His scholarship program awards $1,000 to $2,000 in tuition assistance to 10-14 Hudson Valley college-bound students annually, distributing $300,000 to deserving students over the last 27 years.
Fraser will receive the Brewer Trophy at the NAA’s Fall Award Dinner on November 6, 2024, in Washington, D.C. Other NAA awards presented at the dinner include the Stinson Trophy to Irene Trowell-Harris, the Whitman Trophy to James Schenck and the Mackay Trophy by the U.S.A.F Chief of Staff. The event is open to the public, and tickets and sponsorships are still available. To learn more about the Fall Awards, please visit our website.
The Selection Committee for the 2024 Frank G. Brewer Trophy are:
- Chad Budreau, Executive Director of the Academy of Model Aeronautics
- Joe Eichelberger, NAA Platinum Member
- Elayna Hall, Member of NAA Young Leader Council
- Aimee Maruyama, President & CEO at the National Aviation Hall of Fame
- Elizabeth Tennyson, COO at AOPA
- Ben Sauceda, President & CEO at the Kansas Aviation Museum
