Alan Burgess’s name will appear on the passenger side of Ryan Reed’s No. 16 Lilly Diabetes Ford
CONCORD, N.C. (May 25, 2017) – Ryan Reed will have Alan Burgess, retired USAF Major, riding along with him this Saturday afternoon at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Burgess’s name will appear over the passenger side of Reed’s No. 16 Lilly Diabetes Ford Mustang in honor of NASCAR Salutes initiatives over the Memorial Day weekend.
“On Tuesday I got to unveil this special paint scheme for Charlotte at the shop with Alan and a handful of other Veterans on hand,” said Reed. “It was such an honor to be able to personally thank them for their service and to be able to see their reaction to the paint scheme was extremely memorable. I’m excited to have Alan riding along with me this week and hopefully we can get him a win.”
Burgess was living in Upstate N.Y. when he first enlisted in 1966 as a Medical Service Corps officer in the U.S. Air Force. Burgess served three years before going back to school to earn his Masters in Hospital Administration from George Washington University. After receiving his Master’s degree, Burgess went back into the Air Force, spending multiple years in Turkey and Germany.
Though Burgess was never directly in any conflicts during his time of service, he did work very closely with war zones. Burgess unloaded patients injured in battle for return to the US VA Hospitals. Burgess was also a key asset who was fluent in many languages and travelled extensively over the Middle East.
A history of service was instilled in Burgess from a very young age. His Father landed on Normandy beach on D-Day and his ancestors and relatives can be traced back to the French and Indian war, American Revolution and every war since.
Burgess officially retired in 2013 at the rank of Major. The Father of four sons and Grandfather to 12 grandkids. Burgess moved to North Carolina to be close to two of his sons, one in Mint Hill and the other in Matthews. His other two sons reside in Washington and New Jersey.
In his spare time, Burgess and his wife Kathy enjoy making appearances at special events as Mr. and Mrs. Claus.
About Lilly Diabetes
Lilly has been a global leader in diabetes care since 1923, when we introduced the world’s first commercial insulin. Today we are building upon this heritage by working to meet the diverse needs of people with diabetes and those who care for them. Through research and collaboration, a wide range of therapies and a continued determination to provide real solutions—from medicines to support programs and more—we strive to make life better for all those affected by diabetes around the world. For more information, visit www.lillydiabetes.com or follow us on Twitter: @LillyDiabetes.
About Eli Lilly and Company
Lilly is a global healthcare leader that unites caring with discovery to make life better for people around the world. We were founded more than a century ago by a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that meet real needs, and today we remain true to that mission in all our work. Across the globe, Lilly employees work to discover and bring life-changing medicines to those who need them, improve the understanding and management of disease, and give back to communities through philanthropy and volunteerism. To learn more about Lilly, please visit us at www.lilly.com and www.lilly.com/newsroom/social-channels.
About Roush Fenway Racing
Roush Fenway Racing is the winningest team in NASCAR history, fielding multiple teams in Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series competition. Moving into its 30th season, Roush Fenway is a leader in driver development, having launched the careers for many of the top drivers in the sport. Off-track, Roush Fenway is a leader in NASCAR marketing solutions, pioneering motorsport’s first team-focused TV show and producing multiple award-winning Social Media, digital content and experiential marketing campaigns. Roush Fenway is co-owned by Jack Roush, the winningest team owner in NASCAR history and Fenway Sports Group, parent company of Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox and English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C. Visit RoushFenway.com, circle on Google+, become a fan on Facebook and Instagram and follow on Twitter at @roushfenway.
