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Dec. 18, 2015 // NATCA National Professionalism Award Introduced

By Garth Koleszar
NATCA Professional Standards Co-Lead

The goal of our Professional Standards program is to maintain and promote professionalism across all of NATCA’s bargaining units. We achieve that through a commitment to safety and through upholding the public’s trust. We work to inspire, to motivate, to provide personal examples of our professionalism to others, and to maintain the highest standard of excellence. We know our actions represent all our fellow professionals, and we work to bring honor and respect to all that we do. The NATCA National Professional Standards Committee (PSC) has created a “NATCA National Professionalism Award” as a means to recognize the actions of those who continually strive to achieve these goals.

At each Communicating for Safety (CFS), the PSC will present a NATCA National Professionalism Award to one recipient from each FAA Service Area, guaranteeing a minimum of three recipients each year. The members of the PSC will determine the recipients no later than 60 days prior to the beginning of CFS and will send those names to the National Executive Board (NEB) for approval. The PSC and NEB will select recipients based on their individual professional contributions and performances that enhanced the standings of their profession. Additionally, the PSC will consider the potential recipient’s personal commitment to safety and excellence.

Each of the winners will be invited to attend CFS to be recognized for their achievement and to receive their award.

The first NATCA National Professionalism Awards will be presented at the 2016 CFS conference in Las Vegas (March 21-23, 2016 at Bally’s). Subsequent awards will be presented in the same fashion at each CFS.

Any NATCA member may nominate another member for the award, with no limit on the number of nominations submitted by a single facility, region, or service area. Nominations may also be drawn through the positive submission data provided via the Professional Standards Program data collection process.

Only members in good standing will be eligible to receive the award.

Examples of professionalism exhibited by a team of members are also eligible for the award and will be judged in the same manner as a single member.

Any example of professionalism exhibited since the inception of the Professional Standards program will be eligible for this first annual award. Eligibility for subsequent awards will be for examples of professionalism that occur after Jan. 1 of the full calendar year prior to the CFS conference in which the awards are given.

The PSC must receive one nomination form or electronic submission for each event, in order for the event to be eligible for consideration and judging. Copies of the nomination form are available here.

Along with the nomination form, applicants should submit a description of the event and the audio/video tape of the event (if available). The description should include all relevant information on the event, including the date and an account of the events. These descriptions should provide the selection committee with the details of the professionalism displayed.

Other helpful documentation would include transcripts of the audiotape, official FAA forms documenting the event, statements of co-workers, and any other relevant data. Please submit as much information on the event as possible to assist the PSC in determining award winners.

Nomination forms and audio/video, along with any supporting documentation, should be sent to PS@NATCA.net, or mailed to:

NATCA
Attn: Professional Standards
1325 Massachusetts Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20005

Proof of receipt of the nomination will be emailed to the submitter.

All nomination forms for the first annual NATCA National Professionalism Award must be submitted electronically or postmarked by Dec. 31, 2015.

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