Noteworthy Alumni in the Field of Business and Aviation: Alejandro Torres

Originally from Maracaibo, Venezuela, Torres attended MMA from 1963 to 1967 where he was an active student with many friends. He participated in boxing, wrestling, tennis, rifle team, and Fusileers, and was credited in the 1967 edition of Taps as “one of the best soccer players the school has ever seen.”   

After graduating from MMA, Torres pursued an education at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau. There, he earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and a master’s degree in teaching.  

His career began with Proctor & Gamble in Venezuela.  Within two years, Torres transferred to the Proctor & Gamble International Division headquartered in London and then later to New Orleans.  

Then, in 1977, Torres returned to Venezuela and established Tower Air – a decision that would ultimately have a positive effect on hundreds of people, the Venezuelan economy and make him into the record setter that he is.  

Tower Air became the largest dealer of Cessna aircraft in the country and remained so for 20 years.  The company conducted charter flights for the oil companies, hauling everything from dynamite to blasting caps.   

The rapid expansion of Tower Air resulted in the need to train and certify more pilots, so Torres undertook the extensive education necessary to become a certified flight instructor to train his team.   

“One (certificate) led to the second, then the third, and then by the seventh it became an obsession,” Torres said.  

In 1987, Torres became the 11th pilot in history to have all seven United States FAA Certified Flight Instructor designations — and the only foreign national to have done so.   

Torres gives MMA much credit for his success.   

“A four-year base at MMA provided me a solid foundation to achieve anything I would set as my goal to achieve,” he says. “I love the United States of America, and I’m thankful for the opportunity I was granted to have grown and see the example the USA projects to the world.”   

MMA is proud to count Alejandro Torres among our influential alumni.