Dan Gonzales grew up on San Antonio’s Southside, close enough to Kelly Air Force Base to watch aircraft fly overhead. That early view of the aviation world helped shape a career that took him from engineering at Kelly to leadership at StandardAero.
Gonzales studied mechanical engineering and later earned a degree in management of technology from the University of Texas at San Antonio. He began his career at Kelly Air Force Base, where he eventually led an engineering team.
When Kelly was selected for closure in 1995, more than 20,000 employees faced uncertainty about what would come next. Some moved to other Air Force bases. Gonzales chose to stay in San Antonio.
The city worked to keep aircraft engine work in the area through a public-private competition. StandardAero won the contract and hired approximately 450 employees in 1999 to establish its San Antonio operation. Gonzales was among the first. He also helped former Kelly colleagues find opportunities with the company, allowing them to continue using their skills close to home.
As StandardAero grew at Port San Antonio, so did Gonzales’ role. He worked across business development, workforce development and community relations before becoming vice president of business development.
One of his projects involved StandardAero’s T56 engine program. The company spent two years redesigning its facility to improve how work moved through it. Gonzales helped bring employees’ input into that process, drawing on the experience of the people who would use the facility every day.
In September 2026, the Dee Howard Foundation recognized Gonzales with its Aerospace Legacy Award and inducted him into the San Antonio Aviation and Aerospace Hall of Fame. The honor celebrates his long-standing contributions to the region’s aerospace industry.
Gonzales’ path began with a Southside kid watching planes overhead. Today, his work is part of the aviation industry that continues to provide skilled careers in San Antonio. Read Port San Antonio’s profile of Dan Gonzales to learn more about his story.
