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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:
Ms. Julie Godfrey

In 1997 two of the general aviation industry?’'s oldest and most established companies, Piedmont Aviation Services, Inc. and Hawthorne Aviation merged to become Piedmont Hawthorne Aviation. The Carlyle Group, a Washington, DC based merchant banking firm, provided financial support and emerged as the majority stockholder in the new company which is headquartered in Winston-Salem, NC.

Piedmont Hawthorne Aviation, currently has 35 owned and managed facilities, and is the nation?’'s second largest (in terms of locations) operator of airport general aviation businesses, commonly called fixed base operations or FBOs. The company also operates a well-established aircraft sales, airliner sales, FAR Part 121 airline operating under the name PACE Airlines and Pat 135 charter operation as well as aircraft management. Piedmont Hawthorne also provides FAR Part 145 airframe maintenance/modification and component repair/overhaul.

In June of 2000 Piedmont Hawthorne acquired Associated Air Center a heavy jet corporate completion and maintenance center at Dallas, Texas. With the newest Piedmont Hawthorne division, the combined companies have annual revenues exceeding $200 million, with close to 2000 employees.

Piedmont Hawthorne is also one of the oldest continuously operating general aviation companies, with a rich history in both general aviation and the airline industry (as the parent company of the original Piedmont Airlines). Backed by The Carlyle Group, the new company is committed to an aggressive growth strategy in both the domestic and international markets, and expects to add facilities and additional capabilities to each business segment.