The ATCA Awards Program - Recognizing Greatness in Aviation
The goal of ATCA's awards program is to give special recognition to those persons and/or organizations engaged in the development, operation, or maintenance of the worldwide air traffic control system for outstanding achievement.
From heroic air traffic control saves to industry and small business contributions, military recognition to NAS safety, there's an ATCA award for anybody dedicated to the advancement of air traffic control and a safe flying environment.
Nominations for awards will be open from June 12th through August 18th, and the committee will make selections and in August. Finalists will be announced in October and winners will be unveiled and honored at ATCA's Fall Conference in Washington, DC.
Any individual or group of individuals is eligible if properly nominated and qualified. The nominee does not have to be an ATCA member to receive an award, nor do you have to be a member to recommend someone for an award.
In keeping with ATCA’s global representation, the ATCA awards criteria have been amended to encompass the worldwide scope of ATCA. Recommendations for ATCA Awards from all corners of the globe are welcome.
Please mark your calendar to join us November 4th-7th, 2024 at ATCA's annual meeting and exposition to honor the 2024 ATCA Award winners!
Congratulations to our 2023 ATCA Awards Winners:
SAFETY
Jere Hayslett, Retired, FAA, Director of Air Traffic Systems
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
The Clifford P. Burton Memorial Ambassador Award, ATC
Jim Slate, Retired – SME Consultant, RVA
The Earl F. Ward Memorial Team Award for Outstanding Achievement
Group: RVA’s Naples Tower (APF), Fort Myers Tower (FMY), Punta Gorda Tower (PGD)
– Hurricane Ian –
The David J. Hurley Memorial Award for Aviation Traffic Management
Duane Freer, FAA
The Yakima Tower Team
Nancy D’Angelo, ATCS
The General E. R. Quesada Memorial Award for Outstanding Civilian ATC Manager of the Year Award
Jeremy Box, Midwest ATC
Timothy Lindsey, FAA
INDUSTRY AND SMALL BUSINESS
Evans Consulting
ATCSI, LLC
MILITARY
Lingiam “Linn” Odems Memorial Award for Military ATC of the Year
Staff Sergeant (SSGT) Zachary Turpening, United States Marine Corp
ATCA Military ATC Technician of the Year
General E.R. Quesada Memorial Award for Outstanding Military ATC Manager of the Year
The President’s Award
The Chair’s Award
Adam Rhodes (NATCA)
Eric Avila (NATCA)
Ken Harris and the NAS Defense Program Office (NDP) team
Shane Cordes and the Midwest ATC team
for innovation in training contract tower controller and creative solutions for the FCT program to alleviate the staffing shortages.
Past Award Recipients by Year
ATCA 2022 Award Recipients
Tatsuo Tachibana - RADAR, Airfield, and Weather Systems Technician
ACCOM Muwaffaq Salti Air Base ATC Team
Key West FL Airport Traffic Control Tower Team, Robinson Aviation, Inc.
Kevin Winn
Cavan Solutions
CI2 Aviation, Inc.
SrA Andrew Kimrey, United States Air Force – 4th Fighter Wing
Staff Sergeant (SSGT) Nelson A. Guerra, United States Air Force – 51ST Operations Support Squadron
Master Sergeant (MSgt) Zachary Miller, United States Air Force – 48th Operations Support Squadron
Young Aviation Professionals Program
ATCA Chairman’s Award
Stefan Galler, Frequentis
ATCA Membership Program Development
ATCA Chairman’s Award
Steven Ruehl, United States Air Force
ATCA Chairman’s Award
Michael W. Weiler
Group Manager, AJW-15
Spectrum Engineering Services
ATO Operations Support/Technical Operations
ATCA President’s Award
Steve Bradford
ATCA 2021 Award Recipients
ATCA 2020 Award Recipients
ATCA Annual Safety Award
Mr. Jimmy Mills, RVA
Mr. Douglas Lowe, FAA
ATCA Ambassador Award
Mr. James "JJ" Johnson, Raytheon Technologies
ATCA Annual Team Award for Outstanding Achievement
Civilian: NextGen Weather Processor (NWP) Team
Military: Fox Company 1-189th General Support Aviation Battalion (GSAB)
ATCA Award for Exceptional Service
FAA Air Traffic Organization in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
Andy Pitas Aircraft Save Award
RVA Control Tower Team at Mesquite, Texas (Michael Woods and Greg Davis)
Kevin Scoggin, SERCO FCT Redmond Municipal Airport
Tim Maune, SERCO FCT Riverside Municipal Airport
ATCA Outstanding Civilian ATC Manager of the Year Award
Glenn Huckeba, RVA – Kissimmee Tower
ATCA Annual Outstanding Achievement Award for Small Business
A3 Technology, Inc.
ATCA Annual Outstanding Achievement Award for Small & Disadvantaged Business
Washington Progress Group, LLC
ATCA Annual Industry Award
Unifly
ATCA Life Cycle Management Award
General Dynamics Ground to Air Radio Systems Team
ATCA Military Air Traffic Controller of the Year Award
United States Navy: Petty Officer Crystal Money
United States Army: Staff Sergeant Ricky D. Gibbs
United States Air Force: Senior Airman Brad E. Borowy
United States Marines: Staff Sergeant Leonard Martinez
ATCA Military Air Traffic Control Technician of the Year Award
United States Navy: ET Second Class Brian L. Shepard
United States Army: Sgt. Kurtis L. Miller
United States Air Force: Technical Sergeant Domditer Chan
United States Marines: Sgt. Lukas Davis
ATCA Outstanding Military Air Traffic Control Manager of the Year Award
United States Navy: Lieutenant Samuel Hughes
United States Army: Chief Warrant Officer Two Bryan J. Nelson
United States Air Force: Master Sergeant Joseph D. Crutcher
United States Marines: Captain Peter J. Witte
Chairman’s Award
Key West Tower Team, RVA
Midwest ATC, Kandahar Team
President’s Award
ATO Space Operations Team
ATCA 2019 Award Recipients
ATCA Annual Safety Award
Nick Paraskevopoulos, NAV CANADA
Andy Pitas Aircraft Save Award
Michael Tamez, NATCA
Kenneth Stanley, Robinson Aviation (RVA), Inc.
ATCA Annual Team Award for Outstanding Achievement
Civilian Award: GBDAA SkyVision Team
Military Award: Foxtrot Company, 6th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, US Army
ATCA Annual Industry AwardAireon, NATS, and NAV CANADA
ATCA Annual Outstanding Achievement Award for Small & Disadvantaged Business
Changeis, Inc.
ATCA Annual Outstanding Achievement Award for Small Business
DIGITALiBiz
ATCA Outstanding Civilian ATC Manager of the Year Award
Cedric McQueen, Robinson Aviation (RVA), Inc.
ATCA Military Air Traffic Control Technician of the Year Award
United States Navy: ET1 Joshua Coatney
United States Army: SSG Carlo G. Chirinospacussich
United States Air Force: MSgt John Dean
United States Marines: SSgt Randal D. Rakestraw
ATCA Outstanding Military ATC Manager of the Year Award
Brian Mixon, US Army
ATCA Military Air Traffic Controller of the Year Award
United States Navy: PO Jonathan Epperson
United States Army: SGT Samantha Purdom
United States Air Force: SrA Bradley L. O’Grady
United States Marines: SSgt Bret C. Piburn
ATCA Annual Aviation Systems Specialists Safety Award
Shelley Bailey, NAV CANADA
ATCA Life Cycle Management Award
Changeis, Inc.
David J. Hurley Memorial Award For Aviation Traffic Management
Joseph Sultana, EUROCONTROL
ATCA Award for Exceptional ServiceCI2 Aviation Inc.
Isla Grande Airport in San Juan, PR; Rafael Hernandez Airport in Aguadilla, PR; and St. Croix, US Virgin Islands
ATCA Ambassador Award
Gene Hayman, CACI
Chairman’s Citation of Merit Award
Midori Tanino, ATO International, FAA
President’s Citation of Merit Award
Philip Braswell, Naval Information Warfare Center AtlanticMidwest ATC, Team Bagram
ATCA Lifetime Achievement Award
Roger Stern, Leidos
ATCA 2018 Award Recipients
ATCA Annual Safety Award
David Knight, Robinson Aviation, Inc.
Andy Pitas Aircraft Save Award
Karen Hagstrom, Ruben Lopez, Tim Martin, and Chris Watton, DAB
Ben Kotrla and Eric Muench, NAV CANADA
Christopher Liu, HCF
Charles Abernethy, Vijay Kanhai, and Dan McNeil, F11
Christina Munro, SCT
Stephen Newman, NAV CANADA
ATCA Annual Team Award for Outstanding Achievement
Naval Air Station Key West, SPAWAR
FAA and NATCA, N90
ATCA Annual Industry Award
Raytheon STARS Team
ATCA Annual Outstanding Achievement for Small & Disadvantaged Business
Changeis, Inc.
ATCA Annual Outstanding Achievement for Small Business
AirMap
ATCA Outstanding ATC Manager of the Year Award
Bud Griner, Robinson Aviation, Inc.
ATCA Military ATC Technician of the Year Award
CPL Bryce Cornell, US Marine Corps
ET1 Bryce Halvorson, US Navy
SGT Kurtis Miller, US Army
ATCA Military ATC Manager of the Year Award
CW2 Robert Bagardo, US Army
ATCA Military Air Traffic Controller of the Year Award
PO Jennifer Oberholzer, US Navy
SPC Shawn White, US Army
SRA Damien Williams, US Air Force
ATCA Annual Aviation Systems Specialist Safety Award
Lyne Théorêt, NAV CANADA
ATCA Life Cycle Management Award
ILS Cradle Team, NAV CANADA
David J. Hurley Memorial Award for Aviation Traffic Management
FABEC
ATCA Ambassador Award
Steve Carver, GDIT
The Chairman’s Citation of Merit Award
David Nakamura
The President’s Citation of Merit Award
John Gray, Midwest ATC
ATCA Lifetime Achievement Award
James Bunnell (posthumous)
ATCA 2017 Award Recipients
Andy Pitas Aircraft Safety Award
ATCA Annual Team Award for Outstanding Achievement Winner
ATCA Annual Industry Award
ATCA Annual Outstanding Achievement for Small & Disadvantaged Business
ATCA Annual Outstanding Achievement for Small Business
ATCA Outstanding ATC Manager of the Year Award
ATCA Military ATC Technician of the Year Award
ATCA Military Air Traffic Controller of the Year Award
ATCA Airway Transportation Systems Specialist of the Year Award
ATCA Annual Aviation Systems Specialist Safety Award
ATCA Life Cycle Management Award
The Chairman’s Citation of Merit Award
ATCA Ambassador Award
The President’s Citation of Merit Award
Jim Eck, FAA
ATCA 2016 Award Recipients
The George W. Kriske Memorial Award
The William A. Parenteau Memorial Award
The Andy Pitas Memorial Award
The Earl F. Ward Memorial Award
The ATCA Industrial Award
The Charles E. Varnell Memorial Award for Small Business
The ATCA Small & Disadvantaged Business Award
The ATCA Air Traffic Control Specialist of the Year Award
Lingiam Odems Memorial Award for Air Traffic Control Specialist of the Military
ATCA Airway Transportation Systems Specialist of the Year Award
ATCA Life Cycle Management Award
The Clifford P. Burton Memorial Award
The David J. Hurley Memorial Award
The Chairman's Citation of Merit Award
The President’s Citation of Merit Award
ATCA 2015 Award Recipients
ATCA 2014 Award Recipients
The General E.R. Quesada Memorial Award
John Martin, Midwest Air Traffic Control Service, Inc.
The George W. Kriske Memorial Award
Bill Peacock, RVA
The William A. Parenteau Memorial Award
Michael Glasgow, Lockheed Martin
The Andy Pitas Memorial Award
Matt Sheffield, FAA Austin TRACON
Mark Schad, FAA St. Louis TRACON
Nunzio DiMillo, FAA BOS ATCT
Kristen Kewandowski, FAA Austin TRACON
The Earl F. Ward Memorial Award
Foxtrot Company, 7th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, Task Force Wings, 159th Combat Aviation Brigade, U.S. Army
The ATCA Industrial Award
Tetra Tech AMT
The ATCA Small & Disadvantaged Business Award
CI² Aviation, Inc.
The Charles E. Varnell Memorial Award for Small Business
Architecture Technology Corporation (ATCorp)
The ATCA Air Traffic Control Specialist of the Year Award
Kevin Oswald, RVA
Glenn Hamilton, NAV CANADA FSS
Lingiam Odems Memorial Award for Air Traffic Control Specialist of the Military
SSgt Hugh Stout, U.S. Air Force
SSgt Roy Covington, U.S. Marine Corps
CW2 Shane Greenwood, U.S. Army
AC1 Jason Grabau, U.S. Navy
ATCA Airway Transportation Systems Specialist of the Year Award
ET2 Matthew Graham, U.S. Navy
ATCA Life Cycle Management Award
Patrick Bureau, NAV CANADA
The David J. Hurley Memorial Award for Aviation Traffic Management
Karen Walker, NAV CANADA
The Chairman's Citation of Merit Award
Fox Company, 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment ("Arctic Foxes"), U.S. Army
SSgt Brian Eaton, U.S. Army
Joseph Dias, RVA
Walt Smith, Clancy JG International
MCO ATCT
ATCA 2013 Award Recipients
The General E.R. Quesada Memorial Award
Edwin Reyes, Korea
The George W. Kriske Memorial Award
Jon Siverly, SERCO
Jason Shadbolt, NavCanada
The Andy Pitas Memorial Award
Guy Mortensen & Nelson Wheeler, FAA
John Deutscher, FAA
Steven Boran, FAA
Roddy Mick, NAVCANADA
LouElla Hollingsworth, FAA
Emily Birkland & Roy Teshima, FAA
3rd Battalion, 58th Aviation Regiment Airfield Operations Battalion
FAA Optimization of Airspace and Procedures in the Metroplex Project Team
New York New Jersey Port Authority
The ATCA Small & Disadvantaged Business Award
JMA Solutions
The Charles E. Varnell Memorial Award for Small Business
Mosaic ATM
The ATCA Air Traffic Control Specialist of the Year Award
Julio Henriques, FAAJeff Davis, RVAWayne Adams, NAV CANADA
Lingiam Odems Memorial Award for Air Traffic Control Specialist of the Military
SRA Justin Loranger, United States Air Force
SSgt. Justin Studler, United States Marine Corps
Captain Doug Godden, Royal Canadian Air Force
Montrel Worsley, United States Navy
Mr. Terry Brown, US Army
Robert Lyle, NAV CANADA
SSgt. Travis Bliss, United States Marine Corps
ET2. Eric Iannone, United States Navy
Tom Fleming, FAA
Air Force Flight Standards Agency, United States Air Force
The David J. Hurley Memorial Award for Aviation Traffic Management
Marshall Mowery
Denver RNAV
Bernard Sims, Midwest ATC
Joe Okuda, SFO
Evans Inc.
Sherry Borener, FAA
The Clifford Burton Memorial Award
Tim Halpin