WMU Aviation Excellence in Diversity Award Winner - Albert Glenn

Published by Tom Thinnes on Sun, Oct 05, 2014

Excellence in Diversity award - Captain Albert Glenn.  The award recognizes individuals or organizations who have demonstrated a significant impact on helping to increase diversity in the field of aviation. 

Captain Albert Glenn currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals and is a captain with FedEx Express. Captain Glenn’s tie to the WMU College of Aviation is his service as an active member of the WMU College of Aviation Advisory Board and our partnership with the Aviation Consortium. The Aviation Consortium is a partnership among OBAP, WMU and other Historically Black Colleges and Universities who wish to promote efforts that increase the number of underrepresented minority individuals in aviation-related careers in the United States. Captain Glenn, through OBAP and the WMU COA, has also focused on addressing recruiting and retention issues for minority students currently seeking degrees in the field of aerospace. Members of the Aviation Consortium have begun to address some of the issues surrounding financial barriers and are in discussions about the potential benefits of sharing resources.

Captain Glenn also represents WMU's College of Aviation in the industry and has mentored graduates of WMU's program who have begun their aviation careers at FedEx. Of significant note, through Captain Glenn’s efforts and participation through his various roles, the College of Aviation was able to secure a $1M donation from FedEx and OBAP: a fully-operational Boeing 727. This donation has allowed the college to put a spotlight on diversity recruitment among youth in the region by utilizing the aircraft for special programs. Captain Glenn works tirelessly for the betterment of the aviation industry, OBAP, and WMU’s College of Aviation.

Captain Glenn is currently a pilot with FedEx Express. In addition, he has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals and Managing Director of Global Flight Operations for FedEx Express Corporation.

His career at FedEx spans over 36 years and numerous management positions. Captain Glenn has over 12,000 flight hours. He began his flying career as an instrument and multi-engine flight instructor, 135-charter pilot, and worked in aircraft sales. Most recently Captain Glenn completed his training as a 777 Captain.

Captain Glenn is the former Associate Vice President for the Academy of Model Aeronautics and is on the Board of the Professional Aviation Board of Certification and the Aviation Advisory Board at Western Michigan University. He was also the 2011 USA F3A Aerobatic team manager.

As a member of the Tuskegee Airmen and advisor to OBAP, Glenn works with their ACE Academy, Solo Flight Academy, and Aerospace Professionals in School programs and with the Wooddale High School's aviation program. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Memphis and is a member of Grace United Methodist Church.

Albert and his wife Janice are the proud parents of three sons, including an MD11 first officer for FedEx. Captain Glenn has devoted most of his life to training youth who have the desire to be part of the aerospace industry.