Sheltair Launches $32,000 Scholarship Program Honoring Founder Jerry Holland
Why It MattersThe program reflects a broader business-aviation FBO push to fund workforce pipelines across flight training, maintenance, dispatch, airport management, and engineering career tracks.
Sheltair, the largest privately owned FBO network in the United States, has announced a $32,000 scholarship program to support future aviation professionals, awarding four $8,000 Jerry Holland Legacy Scholarships in honor of company founder Jerry Holland, who died in 2025. Holland served in the U.S. Air Force before entering the building trade and later airport property development, acquiring Walkers Cay Aviation at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in 1986 and rebranding it as Sheltair; his daughter Lisa Holland took over the business in 2020, by which point Sheltair had grown to 19 locations from Florida to Colorado.
The scholarships are open to legal residents of the United States or the Commonwealth of The Bahamas who are at least 18 years old, with eligible uses including flight training, aviation maintenance and technical training, dispatch and air traffic services, airport management, aviation business and leadership, aerospace engineering, aviation safety, professional certifications, and related tuition. Applicants must demonstrate a passion for aviation and explain how funds will support their goals, with applications accepted through December 31.
Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee appointed by the Aerospace Center for Excellence, a Lakeland, Florida-based nonprofit, in partnership with Sheltair, evaluating passion, goals, application quality, leadership, initiative, community involvement, and potential impact on the industry. Scholarship funds will be paid directly to the recipient's accredited institution or training provider and must be used within one year of award notification unless otherwise approved.
