Colonel (Ret.) James Stewart, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director of the Candy Bomber Foundation, brings a distinguished blend of military leadership and passion for aviation education. With over 20 years of service in the U.S. Air Force—including command roles in strategic airlift and logistics—Dr. Stewart managed large-scale medical operations and teams, demonstrating expertise in complex, mission-critical environments. A life-long advocate for STEM and youth development, he is deeply committed to furthering the foundation’s mission, established in 2016 by Gail Halvorsen, Denise Halvorsen Williams, Paul Jensen and Stewart himself. As Executive Director since the foundation’s early days, he has overseen program growth in aviation education, outreach, and scholarship initiatives. Stewart’s leadership ensures that Halvorsen’s legacy of gratitude, service-before-self, and excellence lives on—empowering the next generation of aviators and humanitarians.
Col (ret) Jim Stewart, DO
