During the Aviators Ball, one student will be selected to receive the John Duncan Sr. Top Aviator Award. The winner of this prestigious award is selected based on the student’s academic excellence, flight performance, strong leadership and professional qualities, and an overall exceptional character witnessed by professors, flight instructors, and peers.

John Duncan Sr. Top Aviator Award Winners:

• Cole Burke 2022
• Sarah Goldberg 2023

About the top aviator award’s namesake.

John Duncan Sr. was a native Houstonian, visionary, aviation enthusiast, business leader, philanthropist, and proud Texan. John lived a spectacular life and knew he was blessed beyond measure. He ‘paid it forward’ every chance he got and felt a deep obligation to make the world a better place. John’s life is a master class in abundant optimism, vision, inspiration, hard work, kindness, generosity, and faith.

After attending elementary and junior high in Houston public schools, John spent his high school years at Sewanee Military Academy in Tennessee. He then attended the University of Texas at Austin where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. It was while John was at UT that he first flew an airplane and was introduced to aviation. John said for the first time he saw the world through a different lens. The world became much smaller and much more beautiful from the skies above. John ultimately earned his pilot’s license in 1947, and it was this milestone that set up a lifetime of love for aviation. He always believed he was destined to fall in love with airfoils, the phenomenon of physics that creates lift, pull, push, allowing airplanes to lift their weight and propellers to pull with such force.

Upon graduation from UT, John joined the family business, Duncan Coffee, and worked there until December of 1950 when he joined the Air Force during the Korean War. During his service, he obtained the rank of first lieutenant. After the war, he returned to work at the family business.

John ultimately bought his family’s struggling business, and along with his brother Charles, turned the company around where it later merged with Coca Cola. The next story is of Gulf & Western and it is hard to believe. Who else but John Duncan, along with a business partner, could have taken a defunct company that made bumpers for Studebaker in 1958 and, through grit, determination and incredible tenacity, built it into an American Parts System with 800 stores by the late 1960s? As the company continued to diversify and acquire numerous other companies over the years, it became Gulf & Western Industries with 100,000 employees by the early 1980s. John served as Gulf & Western’s first President and Co-founder and subsequently as Chairman of the Executive Committee. Later, the company became Paramount Communications. John also co-founded Gulf Consolidated Services and happily served as its Chairman for ten years. In 1985, John partnered in two auto dealerships that ultimately grew into the powerhouse Group One Auto with over 150 dealerships in five countries. John met numerous people in his professional career and made many lifetime friends in those journeys. John also saw the lies and deception people will go through for money and power. John despised evil and those who perpetuated its characteristics. John’s good character and integrity were something he cherished his entire life. He made it a point to instill those values in his family and those around him.

John was a man of vision and action. When he saw a problem or need, he had the unique ability to pinpoint a solution. This was never more true than when he founded The Rise School, his proudest venture. Modeled after the Rise Center at The University of Alabama, The Rise School of Texas serves as the standard for providing the highest quality of early education for children with and without disabilities so that they can become successful, contributing members of society. Today, the Rise School has locations in Houston, Dallas, Austin, and Corpus Christi. These locations are helping educate countless children across our state.

John continued philanthropic work throughout his life. The shared sense of mission, common goals, and teamwork John experienced as a member of many charity boards resulted in deep friendships. He served on the YMCA board and was the recipient of the YMCA’ “Legacy Award”, created in his honor to recognize 50 years of service. He served on the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center Board of Visitors; The University of Texas Chancellor’s Council Executive Committee; the Southwestern University, Georgetown, Board of Trustees; and The Rise School of Houston.
John’s many contributions of his time and resources were honored with multiple awards including: the University of Texas Distinguished Alumnus Award; induction into the McCombs School of Business Hall of Fame; the Edward Clark Distinguished Service Award; the American Marketing Association Annual Award, and an Honorary Doctorate of Law from Southwestern University.

John always had the best of advice and would at times offer words of wisdom to others. Some of those are shared here:

• “Hope you live as long as you last.”
• “It’s more important to be kind than to be right.”
• “When you work for free, promotions come easy.”
• “Write letters; it means something.”
• “Stay on schedule; it shows you value time.”
• “Be early and never be negative.”

John flew for over 60 years and piloted everything from Piper Cubs to twin engine jets to gliders. John’s last pilot rating quest was in 2010 when he achieved his amphibious rating. John logged over 7,000 hours of flight, or as he would say, flew 66 times around the world. His love for aviation and dedication to giving back to the aviation community continues today. John believed in introducing aviation to children at a very young age. Through the years, there have been countless young people who were and continue to be exposed to the world of flight because of John and the Duncan family. They have created experiences that have allowed children to dream skyward of a world that was theirs to conquer.

John lived a life of immense character and love for his community and family. His greatest accomplishment by far was his family, and he would often say God had Blessed him beyond his wildest dreams. John lived a long and joyous life, and quietly left this earth in early 2020. Although John is not here today, his legacy shall continue to live on and will undoubtedly continue to impact young people in many positive ways. It is with great honor that the top aviators award be given in John Duncan Sr’s name. For years to come, this top honor will be sought by our young “Flying Jack” aviators as they navigate the curriculum and rigor of a collegiate program offering professional flight training.