WAI’s Chabrian Selected for NAA’s Brewer Trophy

Dr. Peggy Chabrian, President and founder of Women in Aviation International (WAI) has been selected by the National Aeronautic Association as winner of this year’s Frank G. Brewer Trophy. The annual award goes to the individual, group of individuals or organization “for contributions of enduring value to aerospace education in the United States.” Dr. Chabrian, a longtime aviation enthusiast and professional aviation educator, founded WAI in 1994. She holds a commercial pilot certificate with instrument, multiengine and helicopter ratings. Chabrian has served as Academic Dean and Associate Vice President of Parks College; Dean of Academic Support at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s Prescott, Arizona campus; Director of the Center of Excellence for Aviation/Space Education at ERAU’s Daytona Beach, Florida campus; and chair of the aviation department at Georgia State University, Atlanta. Her numerous previous awards include the FAA Administrator’s Award for Excellence in Aviation Education and the Civic Award from the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The Brewer Trophy comes from a foundation established in 1943 by Alabama businessman Frank Brewer to honor his two sons’ contributions to the World War II effort. He said, “Because of my two boys and the other million and a half like them that this war has put in the air, and because aviation has climbed to America’s Number One industry and will offer the greatest opportunities to youth in the postwar days, I wanted very much to make some kind of contribution to Youth Aviation Education.” Originally called the “Junior Collier Trophy” the award later took the name of its foundation’s founder.