“Shaikh’s supposed “employer,” American Commonwealth University, for example, began life as William Lyon University, named for and founded by retired Air Force General William Lyon, a big wheel in California Republican circles as Chairman of the GOP’s “Team California Victory 2004” and a member of a group of wealthy, high-powered Orange County’s Republicans called “The New Majority.”
A HISTORIC FLIGHT IN A B-17 OVER WASHINGTON, D.C.
Eastbound at 7,500 feet over the nation’s heartland, gazing out from the copilot’s seat into a bright morn- ing sky lavishly festooned with a lattice of fair-weather cumulus clouds, I could barely imagine all of the memories running through the mind of my commander, retired General William Lyon. Both he and the aircraft type he was piloting were called to duty at the dawn of the Second World War. As the 85year-old owner-operator of one of the few remaining B-17G Flying Fortresses, he was bringing Fuddy Duddy from Southern California to lead a heritage flight over die Air Force Memorial, astride the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., commemorating the American Air Museum’s 10th anniversary this past April
As the four mighty Wright Cyclone engines thrust us forward, Bill was undoubtedly thinking back. Barely into his freshman year at U.S.C, when news of Pearl Harbor arrived, Bill wasted no time presenting himself to the Naval Aviation Depot in Los Angeles. The Navy had other ideas. Barring him from service because of a questionable nasal septal deviation, a cantankerous naval physician unwittingly handed the U.S. Air Force one of its great future leaders.
The war years were spent finding a way into active duty through a labyrinth of flight instructor and ferry pilot positions, ultimately winning his commission in the newly designated Air Force shortly after the war’s end. Just short of three decades later, he assumed the position of Chief of the Air Force Reserve. With a keen eye and a sure hand, he forged a new reserve force to stand with the active-duty Air Force in a mutually beneficial relationship, which remains a formidable model today.
Like Bill, Fuddy Duddy (initially designated B-17G S/N 44-83563), gained its specific commission at the end of the war, in April 1945. Built by Douglas Aircraft on license from Boeing, she made her way to the Philippines to serve postwar staff transport duties. After a stint with the 6,000th Base Service Group in Japan, she was decommissioned in 1955 to take on a new life as N9563Z. Subsequent duties included transport, tanker duty and film work in The War Lover (1962) and Tora! Tora! Tora! (1970), as well as a stay at the National Warplane Museum in Upstate New York. She currently resides at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, Calif., where she’ll soon take center stage in the newly constructed Lyon Air Museum, commemorating WWTTs heroic airmen and remarkable aircraft.
Business Wire November 5, 1998, Thursday
Kellstrom Industries Names Retired Air Force General William Lyonto the Board of Directors
Nov. 5, 1998–Kellstrom Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ: KELL) today announced that retired U.S. Air Force General, William Lyon, has joined its Board of Directors, enlarging the Board to six members.William Lyon, age 75, has had an exceptional career in commercial aviation, the military and in real estate and home building. In 1981, he purchased AirCal, a Southern California-based regional airline, where he served as Chairman, President, and Chief Executive and Operating Officer. Under General Lyon’s leadership, AirCal became a public company in 1983 and in 1987 was sold to American Airlines. From the time of the sale until 1995, he served on American Airline’s Board of Directors. In 1989, General Lyon established and built Air/Lyon, Inc. One of its affiliated aviation services organizations, Martin Aviation, continues to provide aircraft maintenance to the corporate and general aviation industry. Another, Elsinore L.P. provides aircraft ground services to airlines in 30 cities in the U.S. including the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
General Lyon’s distinguished Air Force career spanned three decades. From 1975 through 1979, he was Chief of the U.S. Air Force Reserve, nominated to that post by President Gerald Ford. In that role, he was responsible for the management of a $ 700 million budget and the activities of 200,000 reservists. While on active duty, General Lyon flew combat missions in Korea and served on other assignments in Europe, the Pacific and North Africa. He received 17 awards and decorations including the Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with two oak leaf clusters and the Presidential Unit Citation. General Lyon continues to be active in military aviation organizations as Chairman of the Board of the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Research & Development Institute and Falcon Foundation, as a Director of the Air Force Academy Foundation, and as a Life Member of The Air Force Association and Reserve Officers Association.William Lyon is the Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of William Lyon Homes, Inc. and affiliated companies, of Newport Beach, CA., which built more than 72,000 residential units over that company’s 40 year history. General Lyon has also acted as principal and/or major investor in a number of companies including Miami-based Senior Corp., where he has served as Chairman for more than a decade. In 1987, he, along with several minority investors, engineered the acquisition of The Presley Companies, a southwestern homebuilder, which four years later completed its initial public offering, raising in excess of $ 70 million. He remains Chairman of the Board of The Presley Companies.
General Lyon serves on the Board of Fidelity National Financial, Inc., is a Life Member of the University of Southern California Board of Trustees, and is a member of numerous real estate and home building trade associations. He is also active in numerous civic and educational organizations throughout Southern California.
In a joint statement by Yoav Stern, Kellstrom’s Chairman of the Board and Zivi R. Nedivi, President & CEO, the executives stated, “All of us at Kellstrom are excited by the opportunity to extend our relationship for what we believe to be another successful chapter of cooperation and mutual endeavors. We share a great deal in common and believe that our Board will be substantially enhanced by General Lyon’s capability, energy and experience.”
Kellstrom Industries, Inc. is a leader in the airborne equipment segments of the international aviation services after-market. Kellstrom’s principal business is the purchasing, overhauling (through subcontractors), reselling and leasing of aircraft, engines and engine parts. The Company is also a leading international after-market reseller of turbo-jet engines and turbo-jet engine parts for helicopters and large cargo transport aircraft. The Company specializes in providing engines and parts for large turbo-fan engines manufactured by CFMI, General Electric, Pratt & Whitney and Rolls Royce. The engine types serviced and supplied by the Company cover the vast majority of the total world jet engine supply. The Company is also an approved supplier to an international customer base including major domestic and international airlines, original equipment manufacturers and engine overhaul shops.
August 24, 2012 Friday
Both Edition
DATELINE: OGDENSBURG
Therapist Debra B. Agulnik has opened a practice in the city with the goal of helping people of all ages. At her office at Ogdensburg Medical Group, 1231 Congress St., the marriage and family therapist will offer individual, couples, family and group counseling.
Throughout her more than 25 years of experience, she has helped juvenile sexual offenders at a California residential treatment facility and children in group homes and offered years of private practice, Ms. Agulnik said.
“I like helping people become aware of the things they face in their daily lives, and helping people work towards solutions to their problems,” she said Wednesday.
Ms. Agulnik said that she received a doctorate from the former William Lyon University in California in 1987 and that she is licensed in New York. She moved to Ottawa from California eight years ago to be closer to family and because she loves “the rural atmosphere.”
February 24, 1992, Monday, Final Edition
‘EINSTEIN’ TO ENLIGHTEN TEACHERS ABOUT ENERGY
SECTION: SNOHOMISH; BRIEFLY; Pg. C3
DATELINE: EVERETT
About 200 Snohomish County teachers will learn about energy Wednesday from none other than Albert Einstein. Sort of.
Dr. Arden Bercovitz, who holds a doctorate in physiology and is dean of learning assessment at William Lyon University in San Diego, will impersonate Einstein, complete with a German accent and a shock of white hair.