Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III

Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger III is the heroic pilot who masterfully landed US Airways Flight 1549 on the Hudson River and saved the lives of 155 people. Captain of what has been dubbed the "Miracle on the Hudson," Sullenberger is an aviation safety expert and accident investigator. He also serves as the founder and chief executive officer of Safety Reliability Methods, a consulting company dedicated to management, safety, performance and reliability consulting.

Sullenberger was born and raised in Denison, Texas. After high school, he enrolled at the United States Air Force Academy to pursue his childhood love of aviation. Recipient of a bachelor's degree from the academy, Sullenberger majored in psychology. In his final year there, he received the Outstanding Cadet in Airmanship Award. In addition to his bachelor’s degree, he also holds two master's degrees -- one in industrial psychology from Purdue University and another in public administration from the University of Northern Colorado.

Upon graduating from the academy, Sullenberger served as a fighter pilot for the United States Air Force from 1975 to 1980. He advanced to become a flight leader and training officer, attaining the rank of captain. His service in the military stationed him in both North America and Europe.

After serving in the Air Force, Sullenberger became a commercial airline pilot with Pacific Southwest Airlines, which was later acquired by US Airways. With more than 40 years of flying experience, he has performed accident investigation duties for the United States Air Force and served as an Air Line Pilots Association representative during a National Transportation Safety Board investigation, as well. Sullenberger has served as a Local Air Safety Chairman for the Air Line Pilots Association and as a member of an Air Line Pilots Association national technical committee; his work led to the creation of a Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular. He was also instrumental in developing and implementing US Airways' crew resource management course, which he has taught to hundreds of other airline members.

After logging more than 19,000 hours of service in the skies, Sullenberger became an international hero on Jan. 15, 2009, when he and his crew safely guided US Airways Flight 1549 to an emergency water landing in New York City's frigid Hudson River. The Airbus A320's two engines had lost thrust following a bird strike. Sullenberger and his crew have won international acclaim for their actions that day, including the passage of a congressional resolution recognizing their bravery.

Sullenberger is married to fitness expert and television personality Lorrie Sullenberger. The couple and their two daughters reside in Danville, Calif.