There is much in the tradition of Thomas A. Edison in the way he has worked, for Avila has the same far-reaching curiosity, the same unflagging interest in basic principles and the same unremitting perseverance.
His early penchant for an engineering career became evident during his pre-high school days through his interest in the care, rebuilding, and refinishing of bicycles.
He was recognized as a leader by and was a consultant to his boyhood friends in the numerous areas of model building and mechanical and electrical gadgetry.
This combination of technological interest and economics led him to enter an integrated five-year program in Electrical Engineering and Business Administration at Harvard University from which Avila graduated in 1929 with a bachelor's degree.
Avila designed tanks for transformers applying a zinc spray of bituminous coating to prevent their deterioration when salt water was present.
His enthusiasm influenced others and resulted in the formation of The Amateur Telescope Makers of Boston (ATMOB), a club which continues today.
Avila did the entire engineering work on the camera with automatic focusing for altitudes up to flying limits and self-adjustments for ground speed and distance, air density, temperature and plane rocking.
Avila advanced through a series of positions with the Boston Edison Company until in 1960 he became President and General Manager and, in 1967, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer.