The National Aviation Heritage Area is seeking nominations for our annual awards to be presented in August. Please read the award descriptions below and nominate one or more individuals/organizations. Nominations are reviewed by a panel of community and aviation stakeholders. Nominations will be accepted until July 1.
Wick Wright Award
The Wick Wright Award honors an individual or organization for outstanding support of a National Aviation Heritage Area partner or the Alliance as a whole. This individual or organization can be inside or outside the Heritage Area boundaries. This individual or organization may not be a designated aviation heritage organization (as defined by a seat on the board of trustees) or staff member.
PROPS Award
(Partner Recognition of Phenomenal Support)
The PROPS Award goes to a National Aviation Heritage Area partner for outstanding support of one or more other National Aviation Heritage Area partners.
Ivonette Wright Miller Award
The Ivonette Wright Miller Award recognizes a lifetime volunteer in the service of aviation heritage. It is named for the niece of Wilbur and Orville Wright.
National Aviation Heritage Area Award Nomination
Previous Winners
Ivonette Wright Miller Award
1998 Wick Wright
1999 Gerald Sharkey
2000 George “JR” Wedekind
2001 John Warlick
2002 Howard DuFour
2003 Mary Mathews
2004 Judge Walter Rice
2005 Zoe Dell Nutter
2006 J. Bradford Tillson
2007 Amanda Wright Lane
2008 Betty Darst
2009 John Bosch
2011 Harry Seifert
2012 Timothy R. Gaffney
2013 Walt Hoy
2014 Steve Brown
2015 Walter Ohlmann
2016 Jerry Gecowets
2017 Vince Russo
2018 Frank Winslow
2021 Nancy Horlacher
2022 Dan Sadlier
2023 Bob Wagner
Wick Wright Award
2012 The Paul Duke Foundation
2013 Phil Parker, Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce CEO, for outstanding support of the National Aviation Hall of Fame in early 2012 when the future of its annual enshrinement ceremony in Dayton was in doubt.
2014 Dayton Foundation for significant contributions and support to the Wright Family Foundation and its involvement with Hawthorn Hill.
2015 Ohio Rep. Richard (Rick) Perales, R-Beavercreek for sponsoring and supporting a state resolution defending the Wright brothers’ place in history as inventors of the airplane, and for sponsoring the bill that established the Ohio Aerospace and Aviation Technology Committee.
2016 Dayton International Airport and Dayton Aviation Director Terry Slaybaugh for supporting various aviation programs, including Air Camp USA, and for hosting a visit by the Solar Impulse II aircraft and team on short notice.
2017 W. Craig Willan for financial and material support to Wright B. Flyer Inc. and financial support to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.
2018 Two honorees:
James M. Cox Foundation for its support of historic Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum.
Dean W. and Lois Mitchell Family Trust for donating 1940 WACO RPT airplane to WACO.
2019 Michael J. Quiello, Chairman of the National Aviation Hall of Fame, for his financial support of various NAHA partners through United Airlines and for his role in increasing United Airlines’ service to Dayton.
2021 Schiewetz Foundation for support of Air Camp
2022 Dayton Performing Arts Alliance
2023 Two honorees:
Montgomery County
Oakwood Historical Society
PROPS Award (Partner Recognition of Phenomenal Support)
2012 Historic Grimes Field – Champaign Aviation Museum
2013 Wright “B” Flyer Inc. for supporting a number of NAHA partners, including exhibiting a full-size replica of a Wright “B” Flyer at the International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago in September 2012, which promoted the entire heritage area.
2014 Dayton History for accepting ownership of Hawthorn Hill from the Wright Family Foundation.
2015 National Museum of U.S. Air Force for promoting its partners’ aviation heritage sites to the million of visitors who come through the museum’s door each year.
2016 Wright State Special Collections and Archives and Dawne Dewey for providing historical resources to NAHA partners and others, including David McCullough, who made extensive use of the archives’ Wright Brothers Collection in researching his best-selling book The Wright Brothers.
2017 United States Air and Trade Show for outstanding support of partner exhibits at the annual Vectren Dayton Air Show Presented by Kroger.
2021 Aviation Trail Inc. for outstanding promotional support to partners particularly through the COVID-19 pandemic.
2022 National Museum of the United States Air Force and the Air Force Museum Foundation
