The community will be honoring Senator Chuck Colgan’s 40-years of government service – and his 89th birthday – at a tribute gala on September 25.
The gala will be held at the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas.
Colgan is the longest serving state senator in Virginia’s history. He was first elected to the state senate in 1975.
Several elected officials will be at the gala to celebrate Colgan including Governor Terry McAuliffe, Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam, Attorney General Mark Herring, Senator Mark Warner, Senator Tim Kaine, Congressman Gerry Connolly, Congressman Don Beyer and Governor George Allen.
More on Colgan’s background and legislative history:
After high school, he joined the U.S. Army Air Corps as an Aviation Cadet and later the Air Force Reserve, serving his country with honor in WWII. That experience led to a stint as a commercial pilot before he took the leap to establish Colgan Airways Corporation at Manassas Municipal Airport.
A natural entrepreneur, he started the company with funds raised from family and friends. In 1971, the company established a commuter airline that was purchased by Presidential Airways in 1986. Never one to rest on his accomplishments, Senator Colgan formed a new airline, Colgan Air, shortly after Presidential went out of business in 1991.
In 1971, while running his first airline, Senator Colgan was elected to a four-year term on the Prince William Board of County Supervisors and was elected to the Virginia Senate in 1975, representing constituents in Prince William County, Manassas, and Manassas Park. For the past 40 years, he has been a leader in supporting our region’s public education institutions at every level, promoting job creation, and leading efforts to fund transportation projects.
“Chuck’s efforts on behalf of his citizens are legend; especially on transportation and education funding. George Mason’s Prince William Campus and our Northern Virginia Community College locations in Woodbridge and Manassas would not be here without Senator Colgan’s strong commitment. He is the finest Public Servant I have known,” said gala co-chair David Brickley in a release.
