Events

The Salvation Army is proud to announce the 2023 Community Leadership Breakfast special guest and keynote speaker, Tammie Jo Shults, an American retired commercial airline captain, author, and former naval aviator.

The Salvation Army’s annual civic event is Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023 at the Marriott Hotel in Wichita. A buffet breakfast opens at 7:00a.m. and program beginning at 7:30 a.m.  The event includes recognition of community leaders, awarding of the annual Martha Buford Community Leadership Award and highlights of the work and mission of The Salvation Army in our region over the past year.

Tammie Jo Shults possessed an early interest in flying, but she faced various obstacles on her path to becoming a military pilot. Applying her lifelong trait of perseverance, she eventually became one of the first female F/A-18 Hornet pilots in the United States Navy.

After concluding her Navy career, she became a pilot for Southwest Airlines. Tammie Jo's incredible history and talent received wide acclaim on April 17, 2018, when she successfully landed a Southwest Boeing 737 after an engine exploded at high altitude, causing multiple system failures and a rapid depressurization. The successful landing of Flight 1380 in Philadelphia saved 148 total lives including passengers and crew, as detailed in her National Best Seller book, Nerves of Steel.

Tammie Jo and her husband Dean live in Texas, and Dean also enjoys flying for Southwest Airlines. The couple has two adult children and are committed to living out their faith and serving in their community. They are active in their church and volunteer at a school focusing on at-risk youth. While Captain Shults retired from commercial flying in September 2020, she continues to dedicate herself to volunteer piloting and serves on various boards, including the first DOT Women’s In Aviation Advisory Board to the FAA, Pearl Harbor Aviation Board, and the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation Board. In addition, she has received a number of aviation awards, the latest being inducted into the International Aviation Hall of Fame.

This annual event is open to the public. Individual tickets are $100 in advance and Tables of 10 are $1,000. There are also major sponsorships available to support the programs and services provided by The Salvation Army. 

To make reservations for the event CLICK HERE FOR TICKET RESERVATIONS AND SPONSORSHIP RESERVATIONS, or call Collin Munson at 316-425-6131; email at collin.munson@usc.salvationarmy.org.