A Look Back at Leadership

March 17, 2022
Since 2005, Ground Support Worldwide has sought to honor key members of the ground support industry.

Ground Support Worldwide began its Leaders of the Year awards in 2005. At its inception, the award was a singular one: Ground Support Leader of the Year. The award was created to spotlight an individual or company that had made a significant contribution to the industry.

In 2008, Ground Support Leader of the Year was expanded into an award program aimed at recognizing leaders in several aspects of our industry, including safety, environment, engineering and processes. In 2008, the Lifetime Achievement Award also joined the line-up of annual awards.

The Green/Environmental Leader of the Year Award was presented to a person or a company that had introduced environmentally friendly equipment or processes. The Engineer/Innovator Leader of the Year Award was awarded to a company or a person that has introduced a revolutionary product. The Kaizen Leader of the Year Award was presented from 2008 to 2010. Japanese for “continuous and incremental improvement,” the award went to a person or company that had implemented a new business philosophy about business workplace practices, focusing on efficiency and improvement in productivity, performance or processes. The Safety Leader of the Year Award was presented to a person or company that had introduced a new method, procedure or product to improve industry safety records. The Team Leader of the Year Award, similar to the original Leader of the Year Award, was intended for an individual who had taken a leadership role with personnel. The Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes a person who has demonstrated commitment to the industry through numerous years of dedicated service.

In 2012, the current format was introduced featuring the Product/Service Leader, Team Leader and Lifetime Achievement Award as cover story subjects in Ground Support Worldwide. The Product/Service Leader of the Year celebrates the products, services and manufacturers making a difference in the industry. The Team Leader of the Year and the Lifetime Achievement Award continues their tradition of honoring an individual who has taken a leadership role with personnel and recognizing a person who has demonstrated commitment to the industry through numerous years of dedicated service, respectively.

The following are the all-time recipients of Leader of the Year recognition.

2005

Ground Support Leader of the Year – Jim Houck, Continental Airlines

2006

Ground Support Leader of the Year – Tim Wix, Delta Air Lines

2007

Ground Support Leader of the Year – Greg Nist, US Airways

2008

Engineer/Innovator Leader of the Year – Joe Hart, Kersey Manufacturing (electric pushback)/Charlatte

Green/Environmental Leader of the Year – Jody Lonergan, Continental Airlines

Kaizen Leader of the Year– Mark Pollack, Sage Parts Plus Inc.

Safety Leader of the Year – Shawn Mack, Banyan Air Service

Team Leader of the Year – Larry Laney, Southwest Airlines

Lifetime Achievement Award – George Prill, GSE Today

2009

Engineer/Innovator Leader of the Year – Robert Engholm, Interphasic LLC

Green/Environmental Leader of the Year – TLD

Kaizen Leader of the Year – William Bohnett, Allegiant Air

Safety Leader of the Year – JLG Industries

Team Leader of the Year – Joseph Fuqua, Delta Air Lines

Lifetime Achievement Award – Henry Foster, Fortbrand Services

2010

Engineer/Innovator Leader of the Year – I.D. Systems

Green/Environmental Leader of the Year – Neil Bennett, eTug LLC

Kaizen Leader of the Year – Sean Hopkins, Allegiant Air

Safety Leader of the Year – Shawn Mack, Banyan Air Service

Team Leader of the Year – Joe Daniels, UPS

Lifetime Achievement Award – Louis Lombardi, Aviation Systems

2011

Engineer/Innovator Leader of the Year – Gene Velazquez, One Mile Up Inc.

Green/Environmental Leader of the Year – Ryan Gibson, AeroVironment Inc.

Safety Leader of the Year – Don Redwine, Southwest Airlines

Team Leader of the Year – Larry Laney, Southwest Airlines

Lifetime Achievement Award – Patrick O’Brien, MCM Engineering

2012

Product Leader of the Year – Flightcom

Team Leader of the Year – Gergory McDermott, US Coast Guard

Lifetime Achievement Award – William “Bill” Jacob, UPS

2013

Product Leader of the Year – Tronair

Team Leader of the Year – Travis Blair, American Eagle Airlines

Lifetime Achievement Award – Bill Biermann, Charlatte of America

2014

Product Leader of the Year – Rampmaster

Team Leader of the Year – Tom McCarten, Southwest Airlines

Lifetime Achievement Award – Alan J. Janis, J&B Aviation Services

2015

Product Leader of the Year – WASP Inc.

Team Leader of the Year – Matthew Sheehan, AERO Specialties

Lifetime Achievement Award – Gerald (Jerry) Eberle, founder, PAGE

2016

Service Leader of the Year – Xced Aviation

Team Leader of the Year – Johnathan Bluth, Atlantic Aviation

Lifetime Achievement Award – Dick Cloud, United Airlines

2017

Product Leader of the Year – LEKTRO

Team Leader of the Year – Robert Wright, Alliance Ground International and Cargo Force

Lifetime Achievement Award – Jean O. Raines, GAT Airline Ground Support

2018

Product Leader of the Year – Qtpod

Team Leader of the Year – Ricardo Carazo, American Airlines

Lifetime Achievement Award – Rich Boily, Fortbrand Services

2019

Product Leader of the Year – Mototok (Spacer 8600)

Team Leader of the Year – Bob Fleschert, Airport Terminal Services

Lifetime Achievement Award – Dewey Kulzer, Daifuku Elite Line Services

2020

Product Leader of the Year – ITW GSE

Team Leader of the Year – Dana Perry, Total Airport Services

Lifetime Achievement Award – Larry Laney, Southwest Airlines

2021

Product Leader of the Year – PrimeFlight Aviation Services

Team Leader of the Year – Brian Bourbeau, Premier Jet Center

Lifetime Achievement Award – Jim Gammon, Gammon Technical Products        

About the Author

Josh Smith | Editor