A Perfect Landing At Lewis
Gifts of three planes strenghten the Aviation Maintenance Program.
Frank J. Lewis, noted Chicago philanthropist and industrialist, and his wife Julia took an active interest in Lewis – then Holy Name Technical School – since the founding of the institution. Over the years, Mr. Lewis provided funds to support student scholarships and also financed the construction of several buildings that became the core of the campus, beginning a rich history of investment in the University.
While Mr. Lewis died in 1960, his spirit of giving continues to touch the University today. This year, Robert Kelly approached Lewis University about the idea of donating an aircraft to the aviation program.
“Frank and Julia Lewis were friends of my parents,” Kelly explains, “so I’ve known about this University for a very long time. My daughter attended St. Mary’s College, a Christian Brothers school, and that was really my first exposure to the Brothers. I was impressed, and continue to be impressed, by the commitment they have to educating students and providing the best opportunities for success.”
Kelly is also a neighbor to Lowell Stahl, a generous supporter and former Trustee of Lewis University and for whom the Lowell Stahl Center for Entrepreneurship & Real Estate is named.
“The aircraft, a Cessna 182 RG Turbo, is a very high performance single engine aircraft,” said Bill Brogan ’93, Chair of the Department of Aviation and Transportation Studies and Associate Professor of Aviation at Lewis. “It has retractable landing gear and a turbo charged engine for high altitude flight. We are grateful to have this addition to the department, as it will be extremely beneficial for our students in regards to flight and mechanical training.”
Early in his career, Kelly founded Kelly and Associates, a third party administration firm, providing medical plan claims services and pension record keeping services. In the 1980s he sold the business to Mutual of New York (MONY). Mr. Kelly then started a successful investment firm, National Investment Services, which managed $4 billion of retirement plan assets, and later sold it to a London based conglomerate. He spent a few more years working and traveling internationally before retiring. He and his partner, Dr. Carolyn Smeltzer, a thought leader in the nursing profession and retired partner of PriceWaterhouse Coopers, now spend their time consulting, traveling, and enjoying time with his children, Jacquelyn and Robert, and their seven granddaughters. More recently they are now volunteering in Cuba with the Christian Brothers, teaching and doing mission work.
“I’ve always been intrigued by flying, ever since I was a kid,” he says. “My dad used to drive me here to Lewis in the early 1960s and there was an old military jet parked here. I went to Florida right after graduation and worked for a small aviation company. I’ve been flying for 49 years and have owned a couple planes.”
Kelly hadn’t flown the plane as much in the last few years. His fondness of the Christian Brothers and the idea of having the plane utilized for education and invigorating students with the same passion that he possessed encouraged him to look towards gifting the plane to an academic program.
“I want the plane to be used and enjoyed by someone,” he says. “If at the same time it can be used to learn, even better. Once I decided to donate it, the question became to where. Lewis, because of the stellar aviation program, came to mind right away. This is a great plane for long trips, and it can lift you above some weather. It’s a great tool for students.”
The University also received a 1966 Cessna 150, an aircraft owned by Melbourne M. Schmidt, a retired Captain from American Airlines who also flew with the Navy during the Vietnam conflict. Upon Mr. Schmidt’s passing, John Egan (pictured second from right), the Trustee of his estate, knew Schmidt would want the aircraft to be utilized and cared for – which led Egan to contact Lewis. “I spoke with Eric Jones, who is pretty infectious in his enthusiasm for aviation,” Egan says. “He was excited and I’m glad it’s going to be worked on and used to aid students in their education.”
Matthew Kosco made a generous gift of a Lancair IV single engine, four seat, low-wing, retractable gear, composite homebuilt aircraft, valued at more than $250,000 (right). Kosco recognized the ongoing need for Aviation Maintenance students to have the opportunity to work on such sophisticated, state-of-theart aircraft to ensure Lewis remains an elite Aviation Maintenance Program.
For more about the aviation program at Lewis, visit lewisu.edu. To make a gift to the aviation program, visit alumni.lewisu.edu/Give.
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