July-August 2022 - 5

PUBLISHED BY
INSIDE THE FENCE
AUTHOR Joe Petrie, Editorial Director
VOL. 36, NO. 6
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Joe Petrie
Joe@AviationPros.com | 920-568-8399
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A Southern Gentleman and a Great Man
I'LL NEVER forget the first call I got when I joined Airport Business.
Less than 24 hours after accepting the position,
my phone rang and on the other end I
was greeted by a friendly southern gentleman
named Ralph Hood. He told me who he
was and how he wrote in every issue of the
magazine since it was founded in 1986. He
talked about his time on the speaking circuit.
He talked about life as a kid in Georgia. He
reminisced on his work in the industry. He
explained his journey across the south to
eventually residency in eastern Tennessee.
He even explained to me his talk with
Oprah-who called him a funny man -
when I told him I'm from Milwaukee.
The call lasted 90 minutes. By the end of
the week, I had a package at my desk - a
signed copy of his book and letter wishing
me luck on the new position.
It's not often you receive a care package
from someone you've never met before congratulating
you on a new job, especially when
they send it before you actually start in your
new job.
Ralph Hood was one of a kind and there
will never be another like him. He passed
away June 1 at the age of 81.
Ralph's style was unique for an industry
publication. Hidden inside pages of technical
articles and leadership profiles you would find
his slice of life takes on topics in the industry.
Whether it be reminiscing about selling
aircraft, visiting airports, visiting schools, or
frankly just spinning on about childhood and
his road to the industry, Ground Clutter was
always entertaining.
Even when he was railing on about the
" guvment " or trying to goad the industry into
unique takes - like saying FBOs should take
a page from roadside truck stops to improve
their business model - it was never offensive,
but always entertaining.
When I told him, " Ralph, you're going to
give me diabetes if you don't tamp down the
folksy stories, " he laughed and replied " maybe
that's a sign you need some more sweetness
in your life. " Hard to argue simple homespun
advice like that.
Ralph split ways with the publication at
the start of the pandemic as he was contemplating
slowing down a little bit. He kept
writing a local column for the Erwin Record
where he lived and sent the new pieces regularly
to read. But the industry never forgot
him and we continued to get requests from
readers asking for him to return. In fact, the
last one came about a week before he died.
He made an impact that only the son of a
school superintendent who turned to aviation
could. He bridged generations, he looked to
the future, he never forgot the past and most
importantly, he did it with a smile and an
honest attitude.
Ralph wouldn't feel right if I didn't officially
let him " off the hook " for one more
column, so he needs to know I'm giving
him a permanent pass for all his hard work
and contribution to the magazine and
the industry.
Thank you for being the positive light
the world needed and for being the kind
of person so many of us needed in our
lives even if we didn't recognize it. So for
you, Ralph, I'll use an exclamation mark
in a column just once! - Joe
Have a story to tell?
Coming up in the September/October issue
Cover Story: Aviation Security Report
Infrastructure: Customer Service
Technology: Parking
Product Focus: Ground Transportation
» Contact Joe at Joe@AviationPros.com
JULY/AUGUST 2022 \ AVIATIONPROS.COM / 5
Memorial
donations may
be made to
the Alabama
Aviation Hall of
Fame, 4343 73rd
Street, North
Birmingham,
AL 35206
or to Heifer
International,
1 World Ave.,
Little Rock, AR
72202.
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July-August 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July-August 2022
