The East Cleburne Community Center presents the 2025 Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Luncheon on January 20, 2025, at The Depot Classic Club, home of the Cleburne Railroaders. The event begins at 11:30 AM.
Join the ECCC at The Depot Classic Club for a commemorative event in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The luncheon and program is free to the public. Our keynote speaker is Derek Davidson, retired US Air Force flight engineer, American Airlines flight instructor, aviation Specialist, author and entrepreneur.
Master Sergeant Derek D. Davidson (Cleburne High Class of 92) is a Pilot Instructor for the Airbus A320 Fleet at the Flight Academy for American Airlines in Fort Worth, Texas. Derek helps train numerous captains and first officers for their initial and annual training on the Airbus fleet of 479 aircraft for over 16,000 pilots. He also served four years as the first African American Pilot Ground School Supervisor of the largest fleet of Airbus Aircraft in the world.
Derek started at American Airlines in 2013 after working in the corporate office of Frontier Airlines in Denver, Colorado as an Airbus Training Instructor. Prior to assuming duties at Frontier, Derek retired from a 22-year career in the United States Air Force. While on active duty, “Triple D” – a call sign given to him by a 4-Star General – amassed over 4,000 flying hours (300 of which were combat flying hours in Bosnia, Iraq, & Afghanistan) on the C-130 E, H, H-1, Gulfstream III, IV, V, & 550 as a flight engineer, instructor, and evaluator. During his aviation career he spent four years in Washington D.C. flying Presidential support for former President George W. Bush and his family.
Derek is also an author awaiting publishing his first book, Friday Night Lights to Presidential Flights. “My desire for this book is to help teens and young adults who strive to achieve all their dreams in life to find focus and determination through this story,” Derek states. “I want to prove it doesn’t matter where you come from, what matters is how hard you’re willing to work,” he concludes. Putting his own words into action he is also the principal/founder of Davidson Professional Services LLC, a software development company.
Derek studied Aeronautics Science and is certified in many aspects of aviation, including Human Factors in Aviation, Aviation Operations, and Flight Safety. Derek also holds a FAA A&P license for aircraft maintenance. Even after traveling to 85 countries, this proud Yellow Jacket still calls Cleburne home and has often returned during his career to visit family and friends.
Master Sergeant Derek D. Davidson sits on Congressman Marc Veasey’s Military Services Academies Board (United States House of Representatives for Texas 33rd congressional district). Their role is to select the young men and women who are appointed to attend the military academies.
ECCC Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Luncheon
Monday, January 20, 2025, 11:30 AM
The Depot Classic Club, home of the Cleburne Railroaders Baseball Club
1906 Brazzle Blvd. Cleburne, Texas 76033
Keynote Speaker: Mr. Derek Davidson
Free Program and Luncheon