Dan Bott, current co-chair of the AMA Foundation Board based out of Arizona, was exposed to model airplanes at the age of 13. Initially interested in model cars, this exposure was thanks to customers he assisted while working at a local hobby shop in Southern California.
After this initial exposure, Dan went on to become an AMA member in roughly 1963. Since then, model aviation has been his go-to outdoor recreational activity. Throughout his membership, Dan has taken a handful of breaks from actively participating in model aviation due to his time being needed for professional endeavors or other, more time-consuming hobbies; however, Dan always returns to model aviation when looking for an active activity that he's passionate about! He's noted that he's always had great experiences and fond memories of AMA.
Some of Dan's other passions and hobbies include photography, full-scale aviation, hockey, writing, traveling, and drag racing. With such a broad realm of interests, Dan's found himself to be very coachable; if he likes something, is good at it, and is willing to fully immerse himself in it, he enjoys connecting with and learning from other involved individuals. Dan's passions have led him to reach many accomplishments, participate in impressive feats, and, ultimately, build a portfolio of unique life experiences.
While in college, Dan chose to focus his studies on communications and public relations, ultimately earning a degree and entering the workforce in 1972, where he started a career at Ford Motor Company in Southern California as a statistical analyst in the newly formed customer service division. The economy and auto industry went through rough times in 1974; after surviving all the cutbacks at Ford, Dan saw an opportunity and made a 180-degree redirect from hobby-driven (gearhead) career choices to a professional career in the world of finance and investments.
Dan began his 50-year career in finance with a Wall Street investment banking firm of Kidder Peabody, working initially out of the firm's Newport Beach office. Within three years, he became one of the youngest officers/partners at age 30, managing hundreds of millions in funds, particularly with pension plans, labor unions, foundations and endowments, and a diverse list of wealthy families.
In 1981, Dan relocated to Phoenix, Arizona, to assist Kidder Peabody in opening a new office. At one point during the mid-80s, Dan relocated from Arizona to work on Wall Street for Dean Witter (now Morgan Stanley), starting a new division of fee-based professional management and consulting services. Admittedly, working in New York City in a corporate executive capacity takes its toll, and it requires a special kind of person to do it long term. Dan believes having a hobby like model aviation is therapy for the soul.
When he moved back to Arizona, he found himself longing for an exciting, outdoor activity ... and back came aeromodeling! It was at this time that Dan reached out to AMA, asking to assist the organization in any way possible. In 1988, Dan became a Life Member of AMA and still holds AMA number L22.
In aviation, whether it is full scale or modeling, Dan feels that a sense of satisfaction and balance comes into play from the stressful life of finance. In 1978, he married his wife, Judy. They both received their full-scale pilot's licenses that year, as well! With the exception of his time in New York, Dan and his wife flew full-scale aircraft for roughly 40 years. During his tenure in New York, he would locate an AMA flying club on the weekend to smell the fuel and enjoy the company of pilots.
The love of aviation allowed Dan to use his media skills for service to the country. In 1978, he received a direct commission as a Lieutenant in the Naval Air Reserve as a Public Affairs Officer. One of his Naval pilot buddies told him about a special unit in Hollywood headed by an Admiral of Public Affairs for the Naval Air Pacific Fleet. This assignment allowed Dan an opportunity to work with people in the media and film industry. The mingling got his creative juices flowing and prompted him to write a screenplay treatment!
At this point, Dan was still maintaining his investment clientele, and he is not one to let grass grow around him. He became managing partner and part owner of a minor league hockey team, limiting the time he had available for model aviation. Years later, when his son graduated from college, Dan had the opportunity to do something that he gave up when entering the investment business: drag racing. With his son, Dan traveled across the country for eight years, competing in and winning various racing championships. Through all of Dan's life experiences, he's always found model airplanes to make great memories, enjoying their challenging nature.
Dan recently retired from his 50-year career of full-time investment consulting. With the exception of serving on the AMA Foundation Board, Dan has shelved all other projects and shifted his current focus on writing both fiction and nonfiction books. Dan sold his first story to a national magazine at age 17; today, he has over one million words published and works with two writing coaches to hone his fiction-writing skills! When not at home writing, Dan and Judy spend their time traveling around their country with their dog in their Tiffin motorcoach, in which Dan has a designated writing spot. Their license plate reads "A Novel T," signifying "A Novel Trip!"
