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3rd Annual Ron Howard Memorial Ride 

 THE LEGACY OF RON HOWARD
30 November 1951 - 12 June 2017
Native of Haywood County NC, and Resident of Denver NC
Military Career of 31 Years Retiring as a Chief Warrant Officer 5

Ron served in various positions/units ranging from an Airborne Infantryman in Vietnam, US Army Air Calvary defending the West German border during the cold war, US Army Special Operations, Aviation Advisor to the American Ambassador in Beirut, Lebanon and
Special Projects Officer/Chief Pilot for the Commander US Army Europe. Ron was responsible for all air operations while also serving as the Commanding General's UH-60 Blackhawk pilot. During the initial implementation phases of the Dayton Peace Accords, Ron established and managed the Commanding IFOR aviation support in the Balkan Theater. Ron founded IOMAX USA, Inc. with his son, KC Howard in 2001. The company is located in Mooresville, North Carolina, and was founded to provide operational support, technology insertions and development for the Department of Defense, Special Operations Forces and other government agencies. In 2008, Ron transitioned IOMAX USA, Inc. into aviation by managing the development of a new air-to-ground weapon system. In 2009, he started discussions with a key U.S. ally and entered into a series of contracts to design, produce and deliver state of the art border patrol aircraft currently assisting in the fight against Global Terrorism.

Congressional Record Entry for Ron Howard
HON. TED BUDD
OF NORTH CAROLINA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Thursday, June 29, 2017

Mr. BUDD. Mr. Speaker, Ron Howard, of Canton, North Carolina, has passed away. After 31 years of military service, this city, Washington, D.C., was his last battlefield. The jungles of Vietnam were his first. I regret deeply that his final hours were spent preparing for battle against the bureaucracy of the country to which he had given so much. Any man who has seen combat and death knows how precious life is. A normal man who serves his country for 31 years takes the rest and ease that he has more than earned. Ron was an extraordinary man, and he used the remainder of his time to build his company, his community, and his country. He gave his time, and he knew its price, but it was a price he paid gladly. We are all the better for it. His legacy lies in his beautiful family, his company, and in the magnificent airplane that he brought into existence. When a Hellfire missile leaves one of the rails on the Archangel and its rocket motor comes to life, hammering down pain and misery on ISIS terrorists, that too is Ron's legacy. His was a truly great American life, and an inspiration to those who knew him. He will not be forgotten, not by me, not by anyone who knew him.