NATCA News Alert: Announcing the Winners of the 2021 Archie League Medal of Safety Awards, Region X Safety Award
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
The last two years were a challenge for each of us personally, and for our Union, as we constantly adapted to changing situations. But what has remained constant is our members’ exceptional level of professionalism, supreme focus, and dedication to ensuring the safety of the National Airspace System (NAS).
The most dramatic and extraordinary examples of our air traffic controller members’ best work saved the lives of the pilots and passengers aboard aircraft that needed our urgent and expert handling. It is the members who made these saves who, since 2005, we have recognized and celebrated by presenting them with the Archie League Medal of Safety Award, named for the first U.S. air traffic controller. Today, we are proud to announce the group of NATCA members who have won the 2021 Archie League Medal of Safety Award with outstanding saves performed during a 12-month period between April 2020 and April 2021.
We are also proud to announce the 2021 winners of the Region X Commitment to Safety Award, which is given annually to a Region X member who has shown a profound dedication to ensuring the safety of the NAS.
Due to COVID-19, we were unable to present the 2020 and 2021 Archie League Medal of Safety Award and Region X Commitment to Safety Award to those winners at Communicating For Safety the past two years. However, we are happy to announce the celebration of these award recipients will take place as one special event. It will be held on Friday, June 17 in New Orleans.
We will soon share the stories of each of these examples of great work from our 2021 award recipients. For now, please join us in congratulating the 2021 Archie League Medal of Safety Award and Region X Commitment to Safety Award winners below. We also present the 2020 winners, with their stories, as a reminder of these outstanding members as we prepare to honor them in June with the 2021 winners.
In solidarity,
Rich Santa
President
Andrew LeBovidge
Executive Vice President
2021
The 17th Annual Archie League Medal of Safety Award
Central Region
Ingrid Owens, Brett Rolofson, and Taylor Rosenbaum, Kansas City Center (ZKC)
Eastern Region
Jason Dunaway, Joe Mash, and Chris Rhodes, Potomac TRACON (PCT)
Great Lakes Region
Matthew Wyrick, Indianapolis Center (ZID)
New England Region
Casey Allan, Boston Center (ZBW)
Northwest Mountain Region
Kevin Cleavland, Chris Keddie, Adam Schulte, Denver TRACON (D01)
Southern Region
Noah Walker, Greensboro ATCT (GSO)
Southwest Region
Joe Wright, Houston TRACON (I90)
Western Pacific Region
Jeremy Hroblak, Scott Moll, C.J. Wilson, Los Angeles ATCT (LAX)
Region X Commitment to Safety Award
RUNWAY INCURSION MITIGATION (RIM) PROGRAM PIONEER TEAM
Barry Hammer, Engineers New England (ENE)
Cindy Hirsch, Engineers Northwest Mountain (ENM)
Terry Washington, Engineers Southern Region (ESO)
2020
The 16th Annual Archie League Medal of Safety Award
Alaskan Region
Matthew Freidel, Anchorage Center (ZAN)
John Newcomb, Anchorage TRACON (A11)
View story
Listen to podcast
Central Region
Sarah Owens, Kansas City Center (ZKC)
View story
and
Dean Hittner, Hunter Rubin, and James Smart, Wichita ATCT (ICT)
View story
Listen to podcast
Eastern Region
Mark Dzindzio, Potomac TRACON (PCT)
View story
Great Lakes Region
Bob Obma, Indianapolis Center (ZID)
View story
New England Region
Dave Chesley, Boston TRACON (A90)
View story
Listen to podcast
Northwest Mountain Region
Byron Andrews, Joshua Fuller, Ryan Jimenez, and Michael Sellman, Seattle Center (ZSE)
View story
Southern Region
Marcus Troyer, Pensacola TRACON (P31)
View story
Listen to podcast
Southwest Region
Christopher Clavin, and John (Randy) Wilkins, Fort Worth Center (ZFW)
View story
Listen to podcast
and
Larry Bell, Brian Cox, Colin McKinnon, Fort Worth Center (ZFW)
View story
Listen to podcast
Western Pacific Region
Michelle Bruner and Jamie Macomber, San Diego ATCT (SAN)
View story
Listen to podcast
Federal Contract Tower
Brad Burtner, Pompano Beach FCT (PMP)
View story
Listen to podcast
Region X Commitment to Safety Award
Al Arcese, Engineers New England (ENE)
How the 2020, 2021 Archie League Medal of Safety Award Winners Were Selected
For the first time in the history of selecting the Archie League Medal of Safety Award winners, the award selection process was kept within our Union. There were no selection panelists from outside NATCA.
Members of the National Safety Committee (NSC) facilitated the effort of organizing the nominations, acquiring all related material to complete each one, and applying an initial evaluation.
Former NSC chair Steve Hansen (2020) and current NSC Chair Chrissy Padgett (2021) then led the selection process, which included expertise from Director of Safety and Technology Tom Adcock and National Training Rep Jamaal Haltom. The final decisions in 2020 were made by former president Paul Rinaldi and former executive vice president Trish Gilbert, while the final decisions in 2021 were made by President Rich Santa.
The Archive: Lists of All Winners
A look back at the first 17 years of the Archie League Medal of Safety Award:
List of Archie League Medal of Safety Award winners, arranged by year
List of Archie League Medal of Safety Award winners, arranged by region
List of Archie League Medal of Safety Award winners, arranged by facility
View highlights from the top saves of 2005 through 2013, honored with the President’s Award.
View all winners of the President’s Award
A look back at the first five years of the Region X Commitment to Safety Award:
List of Region X Commitment to Safety Award winners, arranged by year
By the Numbers
268: Total members who have won the Archie League Medal of Safety Award, including the new 2021 winners. This total includes three members who have won the award twice.
84: Facilities that have been home to at least one Archie League Medal of Safety Award-winning flight assist.
12: Years the Archie League Medal of Safety Awards have been presented at Communicating For Safety (2008-2019). The 2005, 2006, and 2007 awards were presented at NATCA in Washington.
Resources
View NATCA’s awards webpage | Learn more about Archie League
View NATCA’s Archie League Medal of Safety Award video library
