Pilot Ed Galkin, 89, set the record for being the oldest pilot in history to fly a single-engine airplane across the Atlantic. He has completed four around-the-world flights, including his most recent in 2022 at the age of 87.

Ed was born in Newark, New Jersey and grew up in Hoboken, New Jersey. He attended the University of Connecticut, received his dental degree from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and received his periodontal training at New York University College of Dentistry.

He served two years as a Captain in the United States Army Dental Corps stationed at Fort Hood Texas.

He was clinical assistant professor at The New Jersey College of Medicine and Dentistry (now known as Rutgers University, Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences). He is a past president of The New Jersey Society of Periodontists and a current member of the American Dental Association, Middlesex County Dental Society, New Jersey Society of Periodontists and American Academy of Periodontology.

He had a dental practice called Woodbridge Periodontics, specializing in periodontics and implantology, located in Woodbridge, New Jersey. He was also on the staff of Hackensack Meridian Health JFK Medical Center.

On the aviation side, he is a member of the AOPA, EAA and Ye Anciente and Secret Order of Quiet Birdmen. He has over 6,000 hours of flying time since receiving his pilot license in 1970. He holds a commercial license, instrument rating, CFI, CFII, multi-engine and sea plane rating. He flew his Cessna 210 N2160S with his family in the 1980’s to the United Kingdom and flew to Australia in 1986 and then flew his plane around the world in 1988. He flew the Atlantic in 1997, stopping in Libson, Bordeaux, Paris and London. His second around the world flight was in 2004 with stops in Peru, Easter Island, Tahiti, Australia, South Africa, Brazil and Trinidad (aroundtheworldagain.com). His third flight around the world occurred in 2018 (aroundtheworldagain3.com) in support of the Alzheimer’s Association. Finally, read all about Ed's FOURTH flight around the world in 2022 at flyforthecure.org.

Peter is an experienced pilot and has been piloting small aircraft for over 51 years. He is a member of the Cedar Rapids West Rotary Club and of the International Fellowship of Flying Rotarians.

​Peter is a Funeral Director and President of Teahen Funeral Home in Cedar Rapids.  He is an author, and a mental health professional.  He was awarded the designation of Diplomate from the National Center for Crisis Management and the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. Peter serves on the faculty at the University of Iowa.

Peter has served in leadership roles on seventy-five major disasters throughout the world including the September 11th World Trade Center attack, Hurricane Katrina, Indonesian Tsunami in 2004, the Haiti Earthquake in 2010 and the Genocide in the Darfur Region of Sudan in 2007.  He is recognized for his work on aviation disasters and is internationally known for his work in critical incident stress management and the psycho-social impact of disasters.

Peter is the recipient of numerous national awards of distinction that include the National Public Spirit Award. American Legion Auxiliary.  Previous recipients include Ronald Reagan, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Ann Landers, and Dr. Robert Schuller.

 In 2024, Peter was recognized with Rotary's highest individual honor, The Service Above Self Award. Peter was also recognized in 2024 as 1 of 9 Rotarians worldwide to receive The Rotary Foundation's Service Award for a Polio Free World.

​Peter and his wife Janet have been active community volunteers for many years