Airport Communication Center Honors Award Winners

Employees in the Airport Communication Center – including airport information and paging, maintenance dispatch, and the communications center – serve as the hub of our airport.

Recently the team held an award ceremony for some of their standout team members. Read about the winners below and extend your thanks and appreciation to this team that acts as the trusted lifeline between travelers and emergency personnel.

Bridging Gaps Award

Melissa Beal

"Melissa has an incredible ability to bring people together. She consistently goes out of her way to ensure the entire team feels included, whether it's a quick coffee run or a group meal. Melissa is exceptionally easy to work with and always offers help with a genuine smile. Her efforts to foster a sense of belonging and community make her an absolute joy to know and work alongside."

The Heart Award

Jeris Nakamasu

"You couldn't ask for a better co-worker than Jeris. Jeris comes into work every single day with a positive attitude. He is always willing to lend an understanding ear to the people around him – whether that means listening to a rant about stressful conditions without an ounce of judgment or brainstorming solutions to whatever challenges the ACC is facing that week – Jeris is always there for anyone who needs him! Not only is Jeris always willing to support a co-worker in need, but he also proactively finds ways he can help without the person even needing to ask. This award was made for Jeris."

Telecommunicator of the Year

Karen Soules

"Karen is a natural leader who consistently takes the initiative to help others. She possesses an impressive depth of knowledge in her role and maintains a thoughtful focus on the needs of her colleagues. Karen’s 'can-do' attitude and expertise do not go unnoticed, and she is a deeply appreciated member of this team."

Customer Care Representative of the Year

Justin Marasco

"Justin operates from a vantage of airline and airport knowledge and is measured, concise, and thorough with every call I've heard him take."

Maintenance Operations Center Dispatcher of the Year

Will McLeod

"Will has been consistent in learning about the Maintenance Operations Center (MOC) throughout his time here. He is an excellent communicator and always helps complete our tasks at hand. He is dependable, continually shows up to perform project, and understands that our department relies on teamwork. Moreover, he is incredibly easygoing and focused, which is helpful during high stress situations."

Rookie of the Year

Thomas Dominguez

Thomas received multiple nominations – here is an excerpt from one of them: "Thomas' growth throughout the past year as an entry level call taker has been an absolute delight to witness. Learning this job/industry at a secondary Public Safety Answering Point with only moderate call volume poses unique challenges, but Thomas has met those with poise. As a trainee, Thomas remained curious and driven to become better week by week, and now –  almost a year later – that hard work has paid off and Thomas is killing it on a daily basis. Even so, Thomas remains humble and is motivated to continually look for areas to improve. This particular trait will serve Thomas extremely well throughout his career."