Antonio “Tony” Palá is a 26-year U.S. Air Force (USAF) Veteran with a variety of operational, leadership, training, and academic roles.

Tony entered the Air Force in 1980 and graduated from Undergraduate Pilot Training in 1981 followed by several operational flying assignments.  Additionally, he had two teaching tours at the USAF Academy (USAFA) in Colorado teaching in the Foreign Language Department and as an instructor in the 557^th Flying Training Squadron.  Tony also served as an Exchange Instructor Pilot with the Spanish Air Force in San Javier, Spain and was the Chief of Officer Courses at the Inter-American Air Forces Academy training Latin American Air Force Officers.  Prior to his second assignment at USAFA he attended the Graduate School of International Studies at the University of Miami, FL to complete a Doctorate in International Relations,  He finished his USAF career at Randolph AFB in San Antonio, TX where he was selected as one of the initial cadre of pilots for the new T-6A Texan II trainer and served as the Air Education Command Training Program Manager for T-37 courseware and simulator contracts.

After his retirement from the USAF in 2006, Tony joined Textron Aviation (then Raytheon Aircraft Company) as a Regional Sales Executive selling T-6 military training aircraft.  He was the business development and capture leader for two major Foreign Military Sales (FMS) aircraft programs with the Royal Moroccan Air Force and the Israeli Air Force.  Tony was instrumental in forming the Global Mission Support division and directed the creation of logistics  programs Iraq and Mexico  In his last role with Textron Aviation he served as the Director of Aftermarket Support for Special Missions aircraft,  In this role he was instrumental in the sale of parts and support for hundreds of US Government (USG) and international aircraft.  The USG contracts involved working with major defense contractors and Small Business partners.  Tony retired from Textron Aviation in December of 2019 and continued consulting in the aeronautical industry.

Tony has earned a Bachelors in Marketing from Florida International University, Masters in Computer Data Management and is currently pursuing his PhD in International Relations from the University of Miami.   

In November 2020, Tony assumed the role of Senior Business Development Specialist with UTSA Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) funded by the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), providing technical assistance to business owners to expand their business into federal, state, regional, county, and local markets with government, prime contractors, and military installations.