Kicking off 2020, the annual Bell Summit started with an address not from company CEO Mitch Snyder, but from talented Bell Boeing V-22 Project Specialist, Emma Spencer. This bright millennial shared some words of wisdom and insightful advice to all Bell leaders about how to empower their teams. But her personal story about her deep connection to Bell stole the show.
Emma recalled a special memory earlier in the year where she brought her Army Corps veteran grandfather – a former Bell 47 pilot – to Bell Headquarters to reconnect with Bell Aircraft. “Shortly after I started working at Bell, I received a package in the mail containing pictures from my grandfather, Robert Horning, or Papa as I call him. He proudly flew Bell 47Ds in Korea from 1951-1954 with the Army Corps of Engineers as they rebuilt infrastructure after the war. That really helped connect me to the product and feel a sense of purpose at Bell.
“This past year, he turned 89 and he came to Fort Worth to complete his bucket list item to fly again, for the first time in 65 years! He flew the 429 simulator, saw his beloved Bell 47 and shared war stories with other Army Aviators.”
“The memories I have of his insanely huge smile after flying that simulator remind me of the impact our products have on people. Receiving those initial pictures from his early days in the U.S. Army remind me that there are men and women out there flying our products every day and they have been before Papa ever did. ”
