Academy for Entrepreneurial Leadership | Illinois

Photo Origin: National Aviation Hall of Fame

Collett E. Woolman: From Dusters to Delta
By: Lucas A. Cook (B.S. in Advertising, College of Media, Class of 2011)

With 800 aircraft, 70,000 employees, and over 170 million passengers each year, Delta Air Lines is one of the world’s leading airlines. Urbana native and University of Illinois graduate Collett E. Woolman was instrumental in Delta’s formation and rise to the top. Originally from Bloomington, Indiana, in 1889 C.E. Woolman moved to Urbana with his family to attend high school. After he graduated from the University of Illinois with a B.S. in Agricultural Engineering in 1912, Woolman started working at Louisiana State University to combat the insect infestation affecting the Southern economy. In 1924, his team found a solution – cropdusting. The first-ever commercial agricultural flying company, Huff Daland Dusters, was established with C.E. Woolman as the company’s first vice president, field manager, and general manager.

In 1928, Woolman led a movement to buy out Huff Daland Dusters. With Woolman as vice president, the company was renamed Delta Air Service and began to operate its first passenger flights. In 1945, the official name of Delta Air Service became Delta Air Lines and C. E. Woolman became its new president and general manager. Woolman was named chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Delta Air Lines and served until his death on September 11, 1966.  With his strong passion for aviation and uncanny business sense, C.E. Woolman took a humble Louisiana crop-dusting service and turned it into one of the world’s leading airlines.