Ninety-Nines Announces 2015 Award Recipients

The Ninety-Nines is pleased to announce the 2015 Award Recipients.

President's Award: Pat McCollum Pat McCollum began contributing to The Ninety-Nines the day after she got her pilot's license in 1998. She is highly skilled in Graphic Design, Trade Show Management, Advertising and Corporate Communications and immediately used those skills to benefit The 99s.

When her Section was assigned to host the 2010 Annual Conference in Hawaii, Pat created beautiful brochures and other artwork for the event. To pay for the deposits needed for the Conference, she produced a "Governor's Tea" and invited the whole Section. She designed and printed fabulous invitations, got sponsors, commandeered a maintenance hangar and decorated it, made 50 beautiful baskets for a Silent Auction, and held a contest for the best-themed tea table.

She produced a PowerPoint presentation designed to increase member retention, created PowerPoint presentations for International Fund-Raising Chair, Susan Liebeler's Fundraising Seminars and specifically the memorable "Raise the Roof" drive which garnered over $65,000 for repairs to the Museum and Headquarters building.

Drawing on her trade show expertise, she evaluated the effectiveness of our participation at the EAA's AirVenture in Oshkosh. Following her recommendations, we secured an indoor booth quadrupling the number of new members recruited. Pat helped us upgrade our trade show presence by designing a new booth display that is lighter, easier to install, and less costly for shipping.

With all of this, the most important thing that our members have seen and embraced is the new version of our logo. Pat redesigned the interlocking 99s to be more relevant to aviation with the addition of a plane and our name underneath. It was an immediate hit and has gained acceptance throughout our organization.

Pat embodies the spirit of our volunteer organization and does so with grace and generosity.

Award of Achievement for Humanitarian Efforts: Heather Sterzick The Award of Achievement for Humanitarian Efforts recognizes significant contribution(s), through aviation, in a humanitarian effort.

Heather Sterzick is this year's recipient of The 99s Award of Achievement for Humanitarian Efforts. A member for only three years, Heather joined The Ninety-Nines in June 2012 when she was awarded the Wings of the Future Scholarship by the Oklahoma Chapter. Inspired by fellow chapter members, she became an active member volunteering at events and raising scholarship funding. If this weren't enough, she serves as Director of Discover Aviation & Airshow Spectacular (a local airshow that raises funds for flight training scholarships), is a FAASTeam representative, began a flight school, serves as the local 99s Chapter Chairman, and has chaired the chapter's Okie Derby, a proficiency rally. As if Heather's aviation involvement hasn't kept her busy enough, she graciously gives her time to a variety of needs in the Oklahoma City area: serving as a mentor for foster children; serving as a Chief Finance Officer for K&K World Wide, a non-profit organization that provides support to orphanages; and speaking at TED conferences.

A veteran of the US Army, serving as an Air Traffic Controller, she has worked as a local Air Traffic Controller at Wiley Post Airport. A graduate of Embry-Riddle and a certificated auditor, Heather is currently a corporate pilot, continually striving to fulfill her aviation dreams and the dreams of others.

Award of Achievement for Contributions to The Ninety-Nines: Joan Kerwin The Award of Achievement for Contributions to The Ninety-Nines is presented this year to Joan Kerwin, Chicago Area Chapter. The award recognizes a significant contribution to the mission of the 99s or any of the organization's activities.

Joan Kerwin believes that belonging to an organization comes with a responsibility to serve. She has tirelessly and selflessly contributed to The 99s starting almost as soon as she joined in 1970. Those who know Joan appreciate her subtle sense of humor, her quick wit, her aviation knowledge and expertise and her allegiance to The Ninety-Nines.

For the past 44 years, Joan has worked quietly in the background, never seeking praise or accolades. She rolls up her sleeves and gets busy taking care of business, contributing her time and energy to all levels of our organization. Most importantly, she is a constant ambassador for The 99s, making a point of travelling the world to promote the organization at her own expense. In addition to attending Section meetings across the U.S., she has been to New Zealand, Australia, China, Northern Ireland, Russia and Kazakhstan (and those are just the ones we know about) all with the intent of spreading the word about The 99s and bringing the continents together.

Joan has used her flight certificates in a variety of community events from fundraising to convincing the Chicago Board of Education that through orientation flights there was value in placing the study of aviation in public schools. In recognition for her contributions to aviation, Joan was subsequently inducted into the Illinois Aviation Hall of Fame in 2002.

The list of Joan's contributions to The 99s goes on. Most people run for cover whenever someone asks for volunteers; not Joan! She eagerly steps forward and offers to help. Joan has given so much of herself - time, money, laughs, sweat - to the 99s. We recognize her - and say "THANK YOU."

Award of Achievement for Contributions to Aviation: Petra Illig

The Award of Achievement for Contributions to Aviation recognizes significant contributions to any facet of aviation.

Dr. Petra Illig has become the "Go To" Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) for pilots with medical issues, having given countless presentations and written numerous articles on aviation medicine to and for doctors and the pilot community on local, nation and international levels. She has built a career on her dedication to pilot health and advocacy to keep pilots with stable medical conditions flying and is most deserving of this award.

Dr. Illig received her Private Pilot license a month before she graduated from medical school in 1981, subsequently becoming an FAA certified AME. She was hired by Delta Air Lines in 1998 as the company flight surgeon, working with pilots to get their medicals back and developed their in-flight passenger medical emergency response procedures, still in place today. In 2001 she moved back to Alaska to serve the local pilot community. In 2007, the U.S. Center of Disease Control (CDC) recruited her to lead the Aviation Team in their division of Global Migration and Quarantine. In this capacity she has been a liaison with the aviation industry and international aviation regulatory agencies.

Petra is a Fellow of the Aerospace Medicine Association as well as the Civil Aviation Medical Association; she sits on the executive board of the latter organization. She serves as the Secretary of the Aviation Medical Director's Association. She has been an adjunct professor in the University of Alaska, teaching aviation physiology in their Aviation Technology Division. She is a founder of the Space Medicine Association, a company that promotes health and safety for pilots and passengers in the upcoming commercial human spaceflight industry. These organizations promote safety in aviation, and are particularly important in ensuring pilot health while satisfying regulatory requirements for aeromedical certification.

George Palmer Putnam Award: Jerry Hunter The George Palmer Putnam Award Recognizes the support provided to The Ninety-Nines by an individual or an organization.

Having struggled to afford flight lessons himself at the age of 20, Jerry Hunter now offers his support to a variety of aviation organizations in the State of Oklahoma including the Oklahoma Chapter of The 99s. He not only provides financial support, but also promotes The 99s to the Sundance Flight Academy students based at his airport, many subsequently joining The 99s. Since "discovering" The 99s in 2012, the year he acquired Sundance Airpark (KHSD) in Oklahoma City, he has unflinchingly offered his resources to fulfill the mission of The 99s. A self-taught electronics and software engineer, Jerry built his business, US Fleet Tracking, on a GPS tracking devise that now provides live vehicle tracking in over 150 countries. His airport has hosted the Okie Air Derby and his donations to the Wings of the Future Scholarship have ensured that the chapter has been able to fund significant scholarships. The George Palmer Putnam Award recognizes the support of an organization or non-member individual whether a single action or a series of events.

Award of Inspiration: Alia Twal The Award of Inspiration is presented by the Board of Directors to an individual or organization whose participation, achievements, or activities have had a significant impact on The Ninety-Nines, the world aviation community, or the art and science of aviation or aerospace.

Alia Twal, member of the Arabian Section 99s and the current Section Governor, is this year's recipient for the inspiration she provides through her dedication to aviation and The 99s.

"My aviation dream started when I was in a high school and we had a career day. I joined the aviation class, and the way the captain was standing and talking about aviation, I knew immediately that I belonged to that world. I knew that I wanted to be standing in his shoes one day and giving other people a chance to know about aviation," Alia said. "The happiest day in my life was when I obtained my PPL," she adds. After earning her commercial instrument rating, she obtained her CFI and then passed the DLR exam for Royal Jordanian Airlines.

"I thought I didn't have a chance of being a pilot due to my gender. I was surprised to know at age 16 that in Jordan we had female pilots since the 1970s. And there it all started! So, going with my own motto since I was a child (Whatever you want to be, be a good one!) I graduated from school with the second highest mark in Jordan." Alia now flies the Airbus 320 family for Royal Jordanian Airlines.

In 2010 she was contacted by the then governor of the Arabian section, Yvonne Trueman, and subsequently introduced to The 99s. At the time there were around 18 members in the Arabian Section. Happy to join an organization for female pilots and receive a welcome from so many members from around the world, she fell in love with The Ninety Nines and became an active member. Becoming Governor in 2012, Alia promised herself to make a difference. And now the Arabian Section has 78 members from different cultures but with the same passion. Alia says that despite the growth of the Arabian section "...we have succeeded in maintaining the family atmosphere and the close relationships between our members and that's what makes this Section very special."