September 3, 2010
NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS – Outstanding Civil Air Patrol public affairs officers were recognized today at the 2010 Annual Conference and National Board in San Diego with Maj. Howell Balsem CAP Public Affairs Awards for their achievements in publicizing and promoting the organization, its missions and its members.
The Balsem awards, first presented in 2007, are named in honor of the U.S. Air Force officer considered by Civil Air Patrol’s historians to have been the first public affairs officer to serve CAP at the national level, having done so in the 1950s.
The awards competition provides CAP public affairs officers with the opportunity for recognition of their hard work and achievements in these categories:
•Writing for the Media.
•Brochure/Poster/Flyer.
•Newsletters.
•Slide/PowerPoint Presentations.
•Website.
•Photography.
•Media Coverage of CAP.
•Event Promotion/Crisis Management.
Entries must have been produced from May 2009-May 2010 by an active CAP member in good standing.
Entries were judged by a committee of public affairs/media professionals:
•Scott Jameson, the principal at Killer Penguin Productions, a media production company based in Minneapolis. Jameson is an award-winning television and event producer whose programs have aired across the country. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Northwest Community Television, a community television center in Brooklyn Park, Minn., and is employed by Channel 12, also in Brooklyn Park.
•Dave Kiser, the programming and community relations manager at Channel 12 in Brooklyn Park. Kiser’s duties at Channel 12 — which produces local news, sports and specialevents coverage for cable subscribers in the northwest suburbs of Minneapolis — include department management, hosting, shooting, editing and public relations with area cities, organizations and residents. He has been recognized with many awards for production work, community involvement and community leadership over his 25-year career at Channel 12.
•Staff Sgt. Austin May, a U.S. Air Force public affairs craftsman assigned to the 100th Air Refueling Wing at Royal Air Force Mildenhall in the United Kingdom. May, who designed the set of wings to be worn by the branch’s new Unmanned Aircraft System pilots and sensor operators, is perhaps best known for being the artist behind the “AF Blues” web comic.
Each entry was judged using a point scale ranging from 0-100, with 100 being the top score. Each entry was ranked within its category, and this ranking determined who received the Balsem Award and other recognition within each category.
Each entry was eligible for the following recognition in each category:
•Balsem Award – First Place.
•Award of Excellence – Second Place.
•Certificate of Merit – Third Place.
•Honorable Mention – Fourth Place.
This year’s awards were administered by CAP National Headquarters and the CAP National Public Affairs team leader.
The awards:
Writing for the Media
•Balsem Award – Maj. Steven Solomon, Southeast Region.
•Award of Excellence – Cadet 2nd Lt. Lydia Wiff, Minnesota Wing.
•Certificate of Merit – Lt. Col. Maria Ann Rivera, Puerto Rico Wing.
•Certificate of Merit – Maj. James Ridley, Northeast Region.
•Certificate of Merit – Capt. Scott Orr, Colorado Wing.
•Honorable Mention – Capt. Julie Holley, Maryland Wing.
Brochure/Poster/Flyer
•Balsem Award – 1st Lt. Jeri Gonwa, Wisconsin Wing.
•Award of Excellence – 1st Lt. Joan Scarborough, Georgia Wing.
Newsletter
•Award of Excellence – 1st Lt. Scott Richardson, Minnesota Wing.
•Certificate of Merit – Capt. Susie Wickman, Colorado Wing.
•Certificate of Merit – 1st Lt. Erik Lindquist, Minnesota Wing.
•Honorable Mention – Maj. Arthur Woodgate, Southwest Region.
•Honorable Mention – 2nd Lt. Jessa Brace, Iowa Wing.
PowerPoint/Slide Presentation
•Balsem Award – Maj. Mike Reed, Georgia Wing.
•Award of Excellence – Maj. Melinda Berry, Missouri Wing.
•Certificate of Merit – Maj. James Ridley, Northeast Region.
•Certificate of Merit – Lt. Col. Michael Daniels, Colorado Wing.
Website
•Balsem Award – Maj. Brenda Reed, Maryland Wing.
•Award of Excellence – 1st Lt. Anthony Kugler and 2nd Lt. Francisco Leyva, Arizona Wing.
•Award of Excellence – Maj. Arthur Woodgate, Southwest Region.
•Award of Excellence – 1st Lt. Jessa Brace, Iowa Wing.
•Certificate of Merit – Maj. Paul Cianciolo, National Capital Wing.
•Certificate of Merit – Maj. Mike Reed, Georgia Wing.
•Honorable Mention – Maj. Garret Robertson and Capt. James Kalemis, Illinois Wing.
•Honorable Mention – Lt. Col. Troy Campbell and Maj. Brad Sanker, Missouri Wing.
•Honorable Mention – Missouri Wing Facebook Team, Missouri Wing.
•Honorable Mention – Maj. Steven Solomon, Southeast Region.
Photography
•Balsem Award – Maj. Brenda Reed, Maryland Wing.
•Balsem Award – 1st Lt. Jessa Brace, Iowa Wing.
•Award of Excellence – Capt. Jay Jondro, Michigan Wing.
•Certificate of Merit – Senior Member Maria Balarin, New Jersey Wing.
•Honorable Mention – Capt. James Kalemis, Great Lakes Region.
Media Coverage of CAP
•Balsem Award – 1st Lt. Joan Scarborough, Georgia Wing.
•Award of Excellence – Maj. James Ridley, Northeast Region.
•Award of Excellence – Maj. Steven Solomon, Southeast Region.
•Certificate of Merit – Lt. Col. Michael Daniels, Colorado Wing.
•Honorable Mention – Lt. Col. Maria Ann Rivera, Puerto Rico Wing.
Event Promotion/Crisis Management
•Balsem Award – Maj. David Miller, Missouri Wing.
•Award of Excellence – Capt. Julie Holley, Maryland Wing.
•Certificate of Merit – Capt. George Supan, Minnesota Wing.
•Honorable Mention – 1st Lt. Gary Haslam, Arizona Wing.
The complete list of nominees:
•Maj. Phil Hubacek, Arizona Wing.
•1st Lt. Gary Haslam, Arizona Wing.
•1st Lt. Anthony Kugler, Arizona Wing.
•2nd Lt. Francisco Leyva, Arizona Wing.
•Lt. Col. Michael Daniels, Colorado Wing.
•Capt. Scott Orr, Colorado Wing.
•Capt. Susie Wickman, Colorado Wing.
•1st Lt. Shad Brown, Colorado Wing.
•Maj. Mike Reed, Georgia Wing.
•1st Lt. Joan Scarborough, Georgia Wing.
•Capt. James Kalemis, Great Lakes Region.
•Maj. Garret K. Robertson, Illinois Wing.
•Maj. Corey Stohlquist, Illinois Wing.
•2nd Lt. Mark Archer, Indiana Wing.
•1st Lt. Jessa Brace, Iowa Wing.
•Maj. George R. Murray Jr., Maryland Wing.
•Maj. Brenda Reed, Maryland Wing.
•Capt. Julie Holley, Maryland Wing.
•Capt. Jay Jondro, Michigan Wing.
•Lt. Col. Chet Wilberg, Minnesota Wing.
•Capt. George Supan, Minnesota Wing.
•1st Lt. Erik Lindquist, Minnesota Wing.
•1st Lt. Scott Richardson, Minnesota Wing.
•Cadet 2nd Lt. Lydia Wiff, Minnesota Wing.
•Lt. Col. Troy Campbell, Missouri Wing.
•Capt. Eric Dean, Missouri Wing.
•2nd Lt. Jamie Myers, Missouri Wing.
•Maj. Melinda Berry, Missouri Wing.
•Maj. David Miller, Missouri Wing.
•Maj. Julie Oldham, Missouri Wing.
•Maj. Brad Sanker, Missouri Wing.
•1st Cadet Training Group Newsletter Team, Missouri Wing.
•Facebook Team, Missouri Wing.
•Maj. Paul Cianciolo, National Capital Wing.
•Senior Member Maria Balarin, New Jersey Wing.
•Maj. Kevin Barry, New York Wing.
•Maj. James Ridley, New York Wing.
•1st Lt. Robert Stronach, New York Wing.
•Capt. Don Penven, North Carolina Wing.
•1st Lt. Clay Morton, Oklahoma Wing.
•2nd Lt. Dale Matthews, Oregon Wing.
•Lt. Col. Doris N. Ortiz, Puerto Rico Wing.
•Lt. Col. Maria Ann Rivera, Puerto Rico Wing.
•Maj. Steven Solomon, Southeast Region.
•Maj. Arthur Woodgate, Southwest Region.
•1st Lt. Nancy Kerr, Texas Wing.
•1st Lt. Jeri Gonwa, Wisconsin Wing.
Iowa Wing News
