Duane Smith:  

I have been blessed with a wonderful life that probably started with my Catholic upbringing beginning at St. Alexander's. After completing school, being a motor head, I went to work in the automotive business as a mechanic at Braeger Chevrolet, working my way up to management. At that same time, I was also very involved in motorsports and became quite successful. As time and travel to motorsports events became greater, I was forced to make a decision. I purchased an airplane and learned to fly to my events. This led to a passion for flying and the eventual decision to become a professional corporate pilot, which I have been for 39 years. I have had the opportunity to fly all over the world, been type-rated in many different aircraft and flown for several Fortune 500 companies. I did take a break from full-time flying for a while in the 80's, when an oil company I was flying for offered to sponsor me in racing. I returned to the race track and had the opportunity to race at road racing tracks all over the country like and including Road America in Elkhart Lake, WI. It was a very busy time i...Expand for more