Juan Trippe

Juan Terry Trippe (27 June 1899 to 3 April 1981) was an American commercial aviation pioneer and entrepreneur, and the founder of Pan American World Airways, one of the iconic airlines of the 20th century. He began in 1922 with an air-taxi service called Long Island Airways, invested in Colonial Air Transport, and then created the Aviation Corporation of the Americas, a company that evolved into Pan American Airways and became the unofficial United States flag carrier. He served as chairman of the board of directors of the airline for all but about two years between its founding and World War II, and gave up the presidency in 1968. He recognized the opportunities of jet aircraft and ordered Boeing 707 and Douglas DC-8 airplanes, asked Boeing to build a much larger airplane that became the 747, and is credited as the father of the tourist class in the airline industry. He also founded InterContinental Hotels & Resorts.