Air cargo pioneer and Flying Tigers chief Wayne Hoffman dies at 89
2012 04 09
- Details
AIR cargo entrepreneur Wayne Hoffman, retired chairman of Tiger International, the Century City-based parent company of Flying Tiger Line, has died at the age of 89 peacefully at his home in Indian Wells.
Hoffman retired from the firm in 1986, but continued to remain a consultant for the airline and was instrumental in positioning its freight business a result of a career begun in the railways after World War II.
"Freight became the cornerstone revenue producer of the airline under Wayne Hoffman's direction," said Flying Tiger Line chief operating officer Joseph Healy. "We weren't self-sustaining in freight until Hoffman came, and we started to grow at 25 per cent a year in freight."
Mr Hoffman began his career in the legal department of the Illinois Central Railroad, moving to the New York Central Railroad where he eventually became vice-president until 1967, recalled the Los Angeles Times obituary. Between 1968 and 1978, he was responsible for growing the airline from about US$76 million gross revenue to a half billion thought to have been helped by his transport management knowledge.
Described by some as blunt and informal, family friend Nissen Davis said his innovative vision as a multi-modal transport organisation which encompassed trucking and rail cargo transport was scuppered by recession of the early '80s and rising fuel prices and interest rates.
Born in Chicago in 1923, he went on to complete a law degree at Illinois University and then served in the army in World War II, flying combat missions in China against the Japanese. He won a Silver Star and two Purple Hearts and reached the rank of captain by end of war.
He leaves behind his wife of 66 years, three children, eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Source Shipping Gazette - Daily Shipping News
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