ARSA Honors John Goglia with Leo Weston Award for Excellence in Government Service

The Aeronautical Repair Station Association (ARSA) recently presented the Honorable John Goglia with the Leo Weston Award for Excellence in Government Service.

ARSA awards this honor during its Annual Repair Symposium, which occurred this year on March 19, 2026, before the organization’s Annual Conference.

The Leo Weston Award celebrates individuals who are dedicated to supporting the aviation maintenance community and enhancing safety across aviation.

Leo Weston—the award’s namesake and first winner in 2005—is a key figure in ARSA’s story and a former FAA officially who was committed to establishing an organization to represent maintenance providers in aviation.

Goglia, this year’s winner, also knew Weston personally.

Having served as a certified mechanic and National Transportation Safety Board member, Goglia now advocates for maintenance career development across the industry. He is also a member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame, having been inducted in 2024, the first aviation maintenance technician to be inducted since Charlie Taylor.

One of Goglia’s greatest passions is the Aerospace Maintenance Council’s Competition, which celebrates and awards the dedication and skill of AMTs globally.

At the award presentation, ARSA Executive Director Sarah MacLeod said, “John has worked hard to bring young people into the industry for years and one of those people, believe it or not, was me.”

MacLeod noted how she remembers Goglia always fervently supporting positions he knew were correct, even if it meant going against the majority. She emphasized how he stands up for diverse perspectives and expertise from all levels, showing respect and regard for technicians and experts of all backgrounds.

“I’m home,” Goglia said while accepting the award, “This is my home. This is my people…We’re all cut from the same cloth. We all do the same things. Now we’ve got to pull together to change that paradigm [distracting attention from the importance of aerospace technicians].”

In celebration of Goglia, ARSA is also raising money for the John J. Goglia Trophy Endowment Campaign, committing $1,000 to the fund and encouraging association members to donate as well.

The National Aeronautic Association is going to manage the trophy, as it’s the only award in the United States that focuses only on aviation maintenance contributions.

“I’m going to push this industry ahead,” Goglia asserted, “I’m going to get us the recognition we [deserve].”