WOOD DALE, Illinois, May 4, 2018 — David P. Storch, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AAR Corp., was honored with the “A Disciplined Life” award from Perspectives Charter Schools in Chicago at the network’s annual fundraising gala on May 3 at the Ritz Carlton in downtown Chicago.
Storch and AAR have donated and helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund Perspectives’ three campuses. Storch spearheaded the ongoing Mentorship Program in 2015 that brings students to AAR headquarters near O’Hare one day a week each fall to learn about aviation careers and help them hone the professional skills needed to be successful in the job market. Storch has also participated in and promoted the Perspectives student–led Peace March on Chicago’s South Side, rallying communities to promote a peaceful summer and an end to gun violence.
With this award, PCS recognizes Storch as an individual who demonstrates an exceptional commitment to ethical leadership and exemplifies the 26 principles of A Disciplined Life® that guide the network’s curricula and environment.
“I have been profoundly impacted by my involvement with Perspectives Charter Schools and am humbled to receive this award,” said Storch, Chairman & CEO of AAR, a global provider of aviation services to airlines and the government.
“Throughout my career, I have tried to make a difference for the communities where AAR operates, and I am happy to support Perspectives’ mission of providing a rigorous and relevant education that produces engaged citizens who want to make the world a better place.”
Storch has served 39 years with Wood Dale–based AAR, the past 26 as CEO. Earlier this year, he announced that he will retire effective May 31. Despite the company’s global reach, Storch cultivated close ties to the Chicago area and, leading by example, encouraged AAR’s employees to give back to their communities as part of the company’s purpose of Doing It Right. In addition to STEM education, AAR’s support of non-profits also focuses on veterans and health and wellness.
Storch was also featured in the documentary film “I Am for Peace” (New Chapter Entertainment), an examination of the A Disciplined Life® curriculum with footage from the Peace March.
About Perspectives Charter Schools
Perspectives Charter Schools provide students with a rigorous and relevant education, based on the ethical principles of “A Disciplined Life®,” preparing them for life in a changing world and helping them further become intellectually reflective, caring and ethically engaged citizens. Perspectives was launched in 1997 by two Chicago Public School teachers who believed that character development and academic achievement are interrelated. Today, they serve nearly 1,800 students in grades six through twelve at five open-enrollment, tuition-free public schools.
Watch the video shown at the event!