Centerlines - September 2008 - (Page 23) 2 0 0 8 D O W N E S AWA R D DOWNES AWARD: WALTER BURG B Y T HOM A S J. S M I T H W 1978 1979 1981 alter Burg was an aviation visionary, an environmentalist and to many, “Uncle Wally.” Burg, a 36-year employee of the Tucson International Airport including the last 23 as its CEO, has been selected by the ACI-NA Board as the 2008 William E. Downes Jr. Award winner. Burg, who died suddenly in 2005 at the age of 62, had retired from the airport in 2002. “We are pleased to bestow our highest honor upon Wally Burg, who was loved and respected by so many in the industry,” said Randy Walker, ACI-NA Chairman. Burg served as chairman of ACI-NA from 1991-92. The William E. Downes award is presented to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding leadership in promoting the cause of airports and aviation as a vital part of the local, national or worldwide aviation community. “Wally was one of the most highly regarded professionals in the industry, both nationally and continued on page 35 Previous William E. Downes Jr. Memorial Award Winners General Jimmy Doolittle, for international aviation and aircraft noise abatement policy Sir Frank Whittle, inventor of the jet engine 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1996 1997 1998 T. Wilson, former chairman, Boeing J. Donald Reilly, former executive director, AOCI Colonel Frank Borman, former astronaut and former CEO of Eastern Airlines F. Russell Hoyt, former CEO of AAAE R. Dixon Speas, aviation consultant Clifton A. Moore, retired executive director, Los Angeles International Airport Sir Norman J. Payne, British/European aviation industry leader George J. Bean, retired executive director, Tampa James M. Davey, retired airport director, Detroit John F. Brown, founder of Landrum & Brown 1980 Elrey Jeppesen, developer of the Jeppesen navigation charts Dr. Werner Treibel, for German airport development 1982 Toru Akiyama, for Japanese airport and airline development 1983 Sir Peter Masefield, for British airport development 1985 John Wiley, former aviation director, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey 1986 Knut Hammarskjold, former secretary, IATA 1987 Assad Kotaite, president. International Civil Aviation Organization 2004 James A. Wilding, former CEO, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority 2006 Jim DeLong, former director of aviation, Denver 2007 Robert S. Michael, former aviation director, Louisville continued on page 35 www.aci-na.org | CENTERLINES 23 http://www.aci-na.org
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