Howard "BUD" Gunter was born November 28,1935 in Raspburg, MD. His interest in aviation began at an early age when he started working as an airplane mechanic apprentice in March of 1952 at Logan Field in Baltimore MD. The position of a mechanics helper only sparked his ambition to learn more about his trade. In September of 1954, Bud joined the Navy, and got his wish to be trained as an aviation mechanic. He was sent to Airman's Prep school for six weeks of training in the basics of the trade, then in January of 1955, Bud was sent to Memphis, TN to Aviation Maintenance School in which he was awarded the specialty of Aviation Mechanic. He was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Lake Champlain for one year. Completing his sea duty, Bud was assigned as a Plane Captain at Baron Field, AL. When he completed serving two years as a plane captain, Bud was discharged from the Navy in September 1958.

Fresh out of the Navy and eager to start a career in aviation, Bud took a job as a mechanic for four years at Hinson Aviation at Harbor Field, MD, which later moved to Friendship Field in Baltimore, MD. In 1962 he started as a mechanic at East Coast Flying Service in Martinsburg, West Virginia. He stayed there until 1964, in which time he became the Director of Maintenance at the Shannon School of Aeronautics to pursue attaining he Airframe and Powerplant Mechanics Certificate. Bud was certificated in June of 1967 and took a job as a mechanic at Herrell Aero Service in Salisbury, MD.

From there he move on to Dalton, Georgia and worked for Fort Aviation as a mechanic. He stayed one year in Georgia, then Bud moved to Hagerstown, MD, and was employed at T. S. Alphin's until August of 1969. He moved back to Baltimore Washington International Airport to work for a year at Hensen Aviation. By this time, Bud had built a reputation as being an excellent mechanic, so he started his own business, Crisfield Air in Crisfield, MD. He maintained this business for seven years until 1978. During this time Bud took the Inspection Authorization test and was awarded his IA certificate in February 1977. Next Bud was off to Miles City, Montana for a year as Director of Maintenance at Sid Aero Service.

In 1979 he moved to Phillipsburg, PA, and worked at Air Atlantic at Mid State Airport for one year. In November of 1980, Bud went back to Hensen Aviation at Baltimore Washington International Airport, and served as Director of Maintenance until December 1986.

January 1986 Bud obtained employment with the Federal Aviation Administration, and was assigned to the Flight Standards District Office in San Juan, Puerto Rico as an Aviation Safety Inspector. Bud transferred to an opening in the Harrisburg Flight Standards District Office in March of 1988, and served in numerous positions in general aviation and air carrier until his retirement in March 2002.

Bud is also a certificated private pilot and owns his own airplane. After retirement he continued to be active in aircraft maintenance at Duncannon Airport.

Howard "BUD" Gunter is highly respected by his peers for his more than fifty years of outstanding service to the aviation industry. For these contributions, Mr. Gunter received the prestigious "CHARLES TAYLOR 'MASTER MECHANIC' AWARD" on 16 March 2002.