Avionics News December 2014 - 35

they're at the wrong airport. If you
put Clinton Airport in the GPS, it will
take you to us.

What's a typical day?
As I'm talking to you, I'm
answering a lot of emails.
I receive a large amount of
requests for quotes from
all over the world; I have a
purchase order from China in
front of me. Every day I am
working with Dawson's staff
on different orders, making
sure they are filled correctly
or finding a component. Of
course, other vendors are
calling me all day long looking
for parts.

What's the corporate
culture at Dawson
Aircraft?
We're very relaxed with a lot
of confidence in what each of us
brings to the table. We all get
along well in this very positive
environment. We pray together
and share that faith in our working
relationships.

Tell me about
Will Dawson.
Will is a good, hardworking

guy and a career aviator who I've
known for 25 years. I've done
business with him as an employee
and colleague. He is local to the
Clinton area, from a farm family. I
started 25 years ago doing annuals;
he was just getting by, and I've
watched him grow this company
into a successful online business.
He's very inspiring, and I'm not
just saying that because his door
is open and he can hear what I'm
saying. Working with him is a very
positive experience for me.

What do you do when
you're not working?
I have a lot of hobbies. I play the
guitar and banjo, mainly bluegrass,
gospel and country. I perform a
little bit, but I don't make money
at it. I mostly get together with
friends. "Blue grass jams" is the
operational term.
I'm also a BMX racer - that's
bicycle motocross - and I work
with kids in their races. I get a lot
of gratification out of that. I'm also
a big fan of yoga - I do yoga three
times a week. I just tried it once
and loved it, as it really loosened
up my body to the point that I
dropped my gym membership. My
wife says I stand taller now.
My wife, Terri, is an attorney
who is currently working as
a public defender in Conway,

Arkansas, which is where we live.
We both draw on our faith, and
we're active in our local church. I
recently joined a prison ministry.
We also have a grandson who we
enjoy doting on.
We have three dogs upon
which we lavish far too much
attention. We have Toby, a golden
Labrador the size of a bear. We
have a Cairn terrier named Zip
and a small mixed-breed rescue
dog named Munchy. They all get
along fabulously and enjoy routing
through the trash when we're not
watching.

What do you see for
the future?
I believe this business will
continue to grow. We're seeing
more and more online business.
I have sizable customers, repeat
customers, and I've never spoken
to them on the phone. This is
especially true for overseas
customers. Our business is
becoming more and more
international. Back in the 1970s,
you had your little vegetable
patch; now you're interacting with
people globally. q

To learn more about Dawson Aircraft, visit,
www.dawsonaircraft.com.
avionics news

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http://www.dawsonaircraft.com
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