Occasionally, a person of accomplishment becomes overlooked in the world of commercial aviation. Earl L Estwick, Sr, is one such individual. He was the highest-ranking person of color at Pan American World Airways when executive assistant to President Najeeb Halaby, who was at the helm of Pan Am from 1969 to 1972.In 1959, armed with a bachelor's degree in economics from The City College of New York (CCNY), Estwick had set his sights on becoming a pharmacist. However, the doors of opportunity were not then open for African-Americans to pursue pharmacy college. Undaunted, Estwick considered a career in the financial industry while furthering his education at New York University (where he earned his master's degree in business administration). Ultimately, to subsidize his graduate studies, Estwick accepted a position as a ticket agent with Pan Am. During the Sixties, Earl Estwick ascended the ranks with no less than six promotions, including senior agent, load control supervisor, duty customer service manager, duty airport manager and, eventually, manager of the International Arrivals Building at New York JFK International Airport. In this role, he supervised 100 employees in the areas of customer service and airport operations.
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