Ricci family sets up two innovation chairs at Embry-Riddle university
Smiles at the endowment signing ceremony. Left to right: P Barry Butler; Kenn Ricci; Pamela Ricci; and Mori Hosseini. (Photocredit: Embry-Riddle/Daryl Labello).
The Ricci family has endowed two faculty chairs, dedicated to innovation in aviation, aerospace or space, at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Florida.
The two gifts, from Kenn Ricci, his wife Pamela and family, will enable the university to address the industry’s most important innovation challenges, attract top faculty talent and drive student innovation at Embry-Riddle, according to the institution.
The endowment is designed to encourage bold thinking about the growth and advancement of aviation, said Kenn Ricci, the chairman of Flexjet. “In creating these two chairs — the Ricci Family and the Flexjet Chair for Aviation, Aerospace or Space Innovation — we are supporting the kind of educators who will instil an ethos of problem-solving in their students — which inevitably will lead to innovation.” He joined the university’s Board of Trustees last year.
Pamela Ricci added: “What better way to elevate the calibre of faculty for Embry-Riddle students and create a better future for our children’s children than creating these endowed chairs?”
The two new chairs will be awarded to industry leaders who will receive a stipend plus funds to conduct research.
Kenn Ricci’s leadership and generosity have set a new standard for philanthropy in aviation and aerospace education, said Mori Hosseini, chairman, Board of Trustees at Embry-Riddle. “The establishment of the Ricci Family Chair for Innovation and the Flexjet Chair for Innovation ensures that Embry-Riddle will continue to inspire and equip future generations of leaders in our field. The commitment of Trustee Ricci and Pamela Ricci will fuel innovation and excellence, advancing our mission and the entire industry for decades to come.”
Embry-Riddle president P Barry Butler also thanked the Ricci family for their support. “The creation of these endowed chairs marks a transformative moment for our university, enabling us to bolster research and development, support our world-class faculty and further enhance Embry-Riddle’s reputation as a global leader in aviation and aerospace education,” he said.
The university is the second institution to benefit from a Ricci-funded endowed chair. In 2007, Ricci endowed a chair at University Hospital’s Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio to support the work of cystic fibrosis research.
Meanwhile, backing his commitment to aerospace innovation with investment, Kenn Ricci last month announced Flexjet had placed a firm order for 300 Phantom 3500 business jets with additional options from manufacturer Otto Aerospace. The new aircraft, which uses laminar flow technology to reduce fuel burn by 60%, is scheduled to take flight in 2027, with FAA Part 23 certification and entry into service targeted for 2030.
