Dewey Conroy learned to fly when he was 19 and went to work as a fueler and cleaner of customer aircraft for a Commander dealer in Hillsboro, Oregon, in 1979, where he worked his way to the parts department.
In 1984, Conroy accepted an offer from American Avionics in Seattle to do inventory control. Shortly after, he was asked to work in avionics sales. By 1989, he was promoted to avionics sales manager.
In 1991, Rick Garcia of Gulf Coast Avionics asked Conroy to be a partner in starting a West Coast avionics shop. On June 1, 1991, Pacific Coast Avionics opened its doors in Auburn, Washington, with one employee: Conroy.
By 1997, Pacific Coast Avionics needed to expand and moved to its current location at the Aurora State Airport. Since then, the company has grown from four employees and 6,500 square feet to 24 employees (14 installers) and over 18,000 square feet.
With Conroy serving as vice president and chief operating officer, Pacific Coast Avionics has been awarded the Garmin Platinum Elite Dealer Award numerous times and is recognized as one of the best shops on the West Coast.