ESAM was founded by four local visionaries, Carl Battaglia, Ernie Tetrault, James Delmonaco and Steven Isreal, a group of friends captivated by aviation. Their excitement was contagious. Starting from humble beginnings, they built their dream with help from the community; charitable foundations, businesses, aviation enthusiasts and local community members who wanted to share in the excitement. It started with only a few planes and has since become what it is today- one of New York State's leading aerosciences museums with over a quarter century of history in the Capital Region.