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

  • If appropriate, please also include your organization.

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

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 winners:

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

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