Feb. 10, 2017 // NATCA 2017 Professionalism Award Recipient: Aaron Rose (ZSE)

This is the first article in a series profiling the 2017 NATCA National Professionalism Award winners.

Seattle Center (ZSE) member Aaron Rose is among five winners of this year’s NATCA National Professionalism Award. NATCA will recognize his accomplishments on March 21 at Communicating For Safety. He is the winner for the Western Service Area.

The National Professional Standards Committee (PSC) created the National Professionalism Award in 2015 as a means to recognize NATCA members who demonstrate a consistent personal commitment to safety and excellence, and whose professional contributions and individual performance enhance the standings of air traffic control.

Rose, who recently transferred to ZSE after working at Seattle TRACON (S46), was also nominated for the award in 2015, becoming the first repeat submission.

“Last year Aaron was submitted by an entirely separate group of individuals, which speaks volumes about his impact,” said PSC member Garth Koleszar. “Aaron is a NATCA PSC member and his outreach with the user community was evident in the testimonials submitted by several user groups.”

Rose has organized briefings at Western Airpark (Yelm, Wash.), Rainier Flight Service (KRNT), Galvin’s Aviation (KBFI), Regal Air (KPAE), the Washington Pilots Association Annual Banquet, Flyers Club Meeting (KPWT), Northwest Paragliding Club (Tiger Mountain, Wash.), Modern Pilot (Ballard, Wash.), Operation Raincheck (Hosted by S46), Flights Above the Pacific Northwest (a local aviation Facebook community with over 5,400 members) and, most recently, with the Seattle hub Delta pilots at their local regional meeting. There, they discussed such safety issues as runway assignments, lasers, unmanned aircraft systems, separation on final, and other rules.

Rose has also traveled to local airshows and to the Northwest Aviation Trade Show (Puyallup, Wash.) to provide presentations and answer questions.

Aaron’s work with these entities has been instrumental in moving the safety culture of the Northwest Mountain Region in a positive direction, Koleszar said.

“Because of Aaron’s work in 2015, he received an ‘Award of Special Recognition’ from the United States Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association at their annual conference in Denver,” Koleszar said.

One of his previous co-workers had this to say about Rose:

“Aaron Rose is an exemplary employee who always exudes professionalism in every facet of this job. He is always there to help his peers in a respectful manner. He radiates confidence and is a trusted leader in his role as a member of the local safety council. He also displays a high degree of courage with his ability to tactfully coach upward. He has no problem pointing out his weaknesses which gives him the latitude to evolve them into strengths.”

For more about the National Professionalism Award, please click here.