Russell W “Russ” Meyer Jr., long-time chairman and CEO and Chairman Emeritus of Cessna Aircraft Company, has sadly passed away at the age of 93.
Meyer was born in Iowa on 19 July 1932 and held a BA from Yale University and a Doctor of Law degree from Harvard Law School. Early in his career, he served as a jet pilot in the U.S. Air Force and as a fighter pilot with the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, and he was a commercial, instrument-rated pilot with over 17,000 flight hours behind him. Additionally, when he retired, he was type-rated in every Cessna Citation model ever produced.
He joined Cessna Aircraft Company as executive vice-president in June 1974 before becoming chairman and CEO in 1975, leading the company for thirty years. His best-known accomplishment for Cessna was his development of the Cessna Citation jet line of aircraft, and during his leadership he oversaw the delivery of almost 5,000 Citation jets. Proving to aircraft’s capabilities to the industry, Meyer set a speed record of 473 knots in the Citation X in September 1997.
Another of Meyer’s achievements was his conception of the Citation Special Olympics Airlift, where Citation owners would volunteer their aircraft to transport athletes to the National Special Olympics Games. The initiative existed for forty years, transporting over 10,000 athletes and coaches to the Games, and now the airlift continues on with Cessna, Beechcraft, and Hawker aircraft.
Meyer lived a life full of contributions to the aviation industry and the wider community, and you can read more about his life and achievements here.
“Russ was a remarkable human being and one of the most respected leaders I have ever known,” said Ron Draper, president and CEO, Textron Aviation. “I held Russ in the highest regard, not only for his extraordinary business acumen, but for the integrity, humility and genuine care he showed for people at every stage of his life. He led with conviction, compassion and an unwavering belief that leadership carries a responsibility to serve something greater than oneself. On behalf of the entire Textron Aviation team, I extend my deepest condolences to Russ’s family, friends and all who had the privilege of knowing and working with him. I was truly privileged to know Russ as a colleague, a mentor and a friend.”
Photo: Textron Aviation
