Wood Dale, Illinois – AAR CORP., a leading provider of aviation services to commercial and government operators, MROs, and OEMs, welcomed U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth to the company’s headquarters for a Veterans Day celebration and recognized Nicholas Gross, AAR’s Senior Vice President of Integrated Solutions – Government and a U.S. Air Force veteran, who was named 2025 Veteran of the Year by Illinois Joining Forces.
U.S. Senator Duckworth is an Iraq War Veteran, Purple Heart recipient, and former Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. She was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2016 after representing Illinois’ Eighth Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives for two terms.
Nicholas Gross leads AAR’s government business and serves as an executive sponsor of the company’s Veteran Resource Group. At 17-years old, Gross enlisted in the U.S. Air Force to continue the legacy of family members who served across multiple conflicts. Since transitioning from the military, Gross has upheld the mission, even out of uniform, supporting military customers in each of his corporate roles.
Today, Illinois Joining Forces, a nonprofit organization founded to provide service members, veterans, and their families with a gateway to connect and navigate the services and resources they need, recognized Gross’s contributions to the veteran’s community, awarding him their 2025 Veteran of the Year honor.