Alvin Townley - About Alvin





	<!-- startprint --> <span class=default><p align="left"><strong>Author of <em>Legacy of Honor, Spirit of Adventure, </em>and<em> FLY NAVY </em>(2011)<em></em></strong> </p> <p>Alvin Townley has spent four years traveling throughout the country and around the world to capture stories of leadership, service, and adventure.  In an odyssey spanning thousands of miles, he has met with inspiring leaders from all walks of life who are pursuing adventures with a higher purpose - from young naval aviators, Peace Corps volunteers, and Olympic athletes to seasoned CEOs, admirals, and Cabinet members.  </p> <p>In 2007, St. Martin's Press released his acclaimed first book, <em>Legacy of Honor</em>.  <em>Spirit of Adventure</em> followed in 2009, and St. Martin's will release his newest book, <em>FLY NAVY</em>, on May 4, 2011, during naval aviation's centennial celebration.  More than 100,000 copies of his books will be in print.  </p> <p>To write his books, Alvin discussed life and leadership with leaders like Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, Hank Paulson, Michael Bloomberg, J.W. Marriott, Jr., Bill Gates, Sr., JanSport founder Skip Yowell, and Jim Lovell of Apollo 13.  He also dove Australia's Great Barrier Reef with a marine biologist, cruised the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans aboard four aircraft carriers, ventured into Africa with the Peace Corps and went into our own inner-cities with Teach for America.  </p> <p><strong><em>FLY NAVY </em></strong>(2011) explores the extraordinary people and enduring spirit of naval aviation, defining the deeply-held virtues that have marked aviators and their supporting cast during naval aviation's first 100 years.  His round-the-world journey took him to five aircraft carriers in three oceans and to most major bases in the United States.  He met present-day Blue Angels, young crew chiefs, and admirals, along with POWs and heroes from conflicts past. <em> FLY NAVY</em> lends an important new perspetive to one of America's greatest traditions.   <a title="" href="/page/4753">Learn More ></a></p> <p><strong><em>Spirit of Adventure</em></strong> (2009) introduces America to a new generation of leaders - young Eagle Scouts who are leading lives of purpose and adventure.  NFL MVP <strong>Peyton Manning</strong> commented, "Alvin Townley showcases the spirit of our young generation...<em>Spirit of Adventure</em> tells a compelling story about America's future." <a title="" href="/page/4753">Learn More ></a></p> <p><em><strong>Legacy of Honor </strong></em><em>(2007)</em>, his first book, explores how Scouting has influenced American life.  About<em> </em><em>the book</em><em>, </em><strong>President Jimmy Carter</strong> said, "These Eagle Scouts will inspire readers to become leaders in serving others." <strong>Defense Secretary Robert Gates</strong> called <em>Legacy of Honor</em> "inspirational." <a title="" href="/page/4752">Learn More ></a></p> <p><u>Additional background</u></p> <p>Alvin grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, where he earned the rank of Eagle Scout with Troop 103.  He was a brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow, and found a life-long love for adventure at Philmont Scout Ranch, the Northern Tier Canoe Base, the Florida Sea Base, and countless other wilderness spots.  </p> <p>Alvin graduated from Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, and has worked in the U.S. House of Representatives, helped manage global strategy for a $9B international consulting firm, and coached track and field.  To write his first book, he sold his house and quit his job and began an odyssey that continues today as he tells America's great stories and champions the values of Scouting and the military.  He lives in his hometown of Atlanta, Georgia, and has shared his message of leadership, values, and "adventure with purpose" with thousands of people in more than thirty states.</p> <p> </p> <table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="" width="16" height="33" src="/graphics_custom/db_03.gif"></td> <td background="graphics_custom/db_05.gif"><strong><font color="#ffffff"><a class="dlink" title="" target="_blank" href="/uploaded_files/alvin_townley_2010_69c2Ux.pdf">Download Alvin's Biography</a></font></strong></font></td> <td><img alt="" width="16" height="33" src="/graphics_custom/db_07.gif"></td></tr></tbody></table></span> <!-- stopprint -->