Honoring the Legacy of Johnny Mazza

On May 30, the Dinwiddie Airport will fill with vintage airplanes, classic cars and families gathering for a spring day rooted in something much deeper than a show. Each aircraft, each vehicle and each conversation will help tell the story of John V. Mazza Jr., known across his family, business and aviation community as "Big Johnny."

For Johnny Mazza III, the event is a personal tribute to his father: a builder, a pilot, a businessman and a man who had a gift for bringing people together. "All around, he was just a good guy who wanted to be the best at whatever he did," said Mazza, who many know as "Little Johnny."

That spirit is at the heart of Wings and Wheels, a fly-in and car show created to honor Big Johnny's life and the many communities he helped shape. Friends are expected to arrive by aircraft from across the East Coast. The event will have both vintage and modern aircraft, classic cars, custom motorcycles, artisan vendors, food trucks and tethered hot-air balloon rides, all part of the day.

The gathering reflects the breadth of Big Johnny's impact: the personal connections he made through aviation, the relationships he built through Medallion Pools and the legacy of a family business that continues to grow from its Southside Virginia roots.

Built by family, carried forward by community

Medallion Pools began in 1959 with a practical need and an entrepreneurial idea. Mazza's grandfather, a schoolteacher and band director, wanted to build a pool for his own family. At the time, few local companies were in that line of work, so he drove to New York, brought back a kit and built it himself.

What started as one family project quickly became an opportunity. He began assembling pool kits for others, then moved into manufacturing. Over the years, that foundation grew into a company known well beyond its original market.

Big Johnny helped take Medallion Pools to the next level. Under his leadership, the company strengthened its manufacturing operations, expanded its reach and became part of the fabric of the community. Its pools, contractor partnerships and customer relationships have touched thousands of families across Virginia and beyond.

At the same time, Big Johnny built a remarkable life in aviation. On his 16th birthday, he earned his pilot's license in the morning and his driver's license that afternoon. He went on to hold nearly every pilot certification rating, fly more than 100 airplanes and serve on major aviation and transportation boards, including the Virginia Aviation Board. His contributions ultimately earned him a place in the Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame.

His favorite aircraft were warbirds, the vintage military planes that now help carry his story forward.

A father, a partner and a best friend

For Johnny Mazza III, the legacy is not only professional. It is deeply personal.

He grew up in the business beside his father, learning the company from the ground up. He started by sweeping warehouse floors and, through years of hands-on experience, eventually stepped into leadership. The path was shaped by hard work, trust, and the steady guidance of a father who began working at Medallion when he was just eight years old.

"We did everything together," Mazza said. "We worked together, ate lunch together every day. Even on weekends, we'd go grab lunch."

Their bond extended beyond the office. Aviation was a shared passion, and their homes stood at opposite ends of the front-yard runway first installed by Mazza's grandfather. Whether flying for work, attending air shows or simply spending time around airplanes, father and son were often side by side.

That closeness makes the loss even more profound. "It wasn't just that he was my dad," Mazza said. "We were best friends."

Even after work, Big Johnny was rarely done thinking about the company. He would text or call with a new idea, a possible deal or a product concept he believed was worth pursuing.

"He never took no for an answer," Mazza said. "I don't care what anybody said - whether it was a business deal or a new product - it was always, 'There's got to be a way to do it.'"

Today, Mazza carries forward a 60-plus-year family legacy with that same determination. "My grandfather took the company to one level. My dad took it further," he said. "My goal is to take it to the next."

That next chapter includes continued growth in manufacturing, investments in new technology and expanded partnerships across the country. It also includes the values that have long defined Medallion Pools: trusted relationships, consistency and showing up every day ready to work.

A banking relationship built on trust

One of Medallion Pools' long-standing relationships has been with The Bank of Southside Virginia.

The connection between the Mazza family and BSV spans generations. "I remember riding with my grandmother as a kid to make deposits at the Rohoic branch," Mazza said.

Today, that relationship continues to support both the family and the business. Over the years, BSV has been part of important moments in Medallion's growth, including financing major equipment investments that helped modernize operations and increase production capacity.

Most recently, that support helped Medallion add equipment that improved efficiency and created new opportunities for the company.

"It was a big step for us," Mazza said. "It allowed us to do more and do it better."

Honoring Big Johnny through Wings and Wheels

Now, the community is showing up for the Mazza family.

The response to Wings and Wheels has already been strong. The event pays tribute to the family's long-running annual fly-in, traditionally held the weekend after Labor Day on its home runway. Many of the friends and family members who gathered there over the years are now planning to come together in May to honor Big Johnny.

The event will feature vintage and modern aircraft, classic cars, custom motorcycles and first-responder vehicles. BSV is honored to serve as a primary sponsor and to sponsor the tethered hot-air balloon rides.

Proceeds from Wings and Wheels will support scholarships for students pursuing business studies and for individuals working toward earning a pilot's license.

For the Mazza family, the day is a way to celebrate a life defined by hard work, flight, family and community. For those who knew Big Johnny, it is also a reminder that a strong legacy does more than endure. It continues to bring people together.

"The Bank of Southside Virginia is a Member FDIC Bank."