First 2008 Business Power Luncheon to Feature Vice Commander of 56^th Fighter Wing, Luke Air Force Base

Colonel Henry M. Reed III, vice commander of the 56h Fighter Wing – Luke Air Force Base, will be the featured speaker for the Chamber’s first 2008 Business Power Luncheon to be held May 7 at Arrowhead Country Club.  Also honored will be service men and women from Luke AFB for their outstanding volunteer contributions to the community.  

The 56^th Fighter Wing trains the world’s greatest F-16 pilots and maintainers while deploying mission ready warfighters.  As part of Air Education and Training Command, and home to more than 180 F-16 aircraft and 27 squadrons, the 56^th is the largest fighter wing in the U.S. Air force and graduates nearly 400 F-16 pilots and 300 crew chiefs annually.  The wing oversees the Gila Bend Air Force Auxiliary Field and is the steward of the Barry M. Goldwater Range, a military training range spanning more than1.5 million acres of Sonoran desert.

Cononel Reed earned a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from The Citadel in 1985, where he was commissioned as a Distinguished Graduate of Air Force ROTC.  He earned his wings from Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas.  He has served as a battalion air liaison officer and forward air controller, three-time flight commander, fighter assignments officer, wing chief of safety, operations officer and fighter squadron commander.  He is a command pilot, instructor and mission commander with over 3,200 hours, primarily in the F-16, and has combat experience from SOUTHERN WATCH and IRAQI FREEDOM. Prior to his current assignment, Colonel Reed was the deputy commander of the 53^rd Test and Evaluation Group, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

Colonel Reed will give “Power Lunch” attendees an inside look at Luke Air Force Base and its involvement in current operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and other deployments around the world.  We will also be honoring several service men and women from the base for their outstanding area volunteer efforts.

Join us as we kick off our 2009 series of “Business Power Luncheons”.  Reservations for the luncheon are $30 each (or corporate tables of ten for $275).  Reservations may be made online at www.glendaleazchamber.org (click on events calendar) or by calling 623-937-4754.