Air Force Food Service Excellence

Hennessy Awards Celebrate the Skills of Airmen and Reservists

The Air Force is set to celebrate the foodservice skills and accomplishments of the airmen and

reservists selected as the winners of this year’s John L. Hennessy and Kenneth Disney Awards.

Awards are being presented by the Air Force dur-ing a joint breakfast in which the Marines also pres-ent W.P.T. Hill Memorial Awards for excellence in food service.

This year’s awards presentation is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 21, at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers. It is the fourth consecu-tive year that the Air Force and Marines present their respective awards together.

The Hennessy Trophy is presented annually to Air Force installations with the best foodservice pro-grams. Established in 1957 for single and multiple facility category competition, it is based on the en-tire scope of an installation’s foodservice program

and named for the late hotel and restaurant execu-tive John L. Hennessy. He led a special Hoover Com-mission Task Group advisory of military food service and commissaries board to improve military food service.

Since then, the program has grown and evolved with other trophies introduced, creating a collection that represents being acknowledged by respected peers within the hospitality industry. Awards include Active Duty (1957) and Air Force Reserve Command (2005). In 2000, the Air National Guard Headquar-ters founded the Senior Master Sgt. Kenneth Disney Award to promote excellence in guest service and meal quality as well as inspire high morale, moti-vation, mission support and a professional image through pride and spirited competition.

This year is the inaugural Arthur J. Myers Awards for Food Service Excellence winners.

—GFS

JOHN L. HENNESSY WINNERS:Single-Facility CategoryKirtland AFB, N.M.

Multiple-Facility CategoryHurlburt Field, Fla.

United States Air Forces in Europe Food Service Small-Site Award702 Munitions Support Squadron, Buechel AS, Germany

Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) Best Missile Feeding Operation91st Space Wing, Minot AFB, N.D.

Air Force Global Strike Command Missile Chef Superior Performer Staff Sgt. Erik Bell

Air Force Reserve919th Force Support Squadron (Duke Field) Dining Facility of the 919th Special Opera-tions Wing, Duke Field, Fla.

Hennessy Travelers Association Award Excellence This award is determined each year by Hen-nessy evaluators on both the Single and Multiple teams. Each team selects an Air Force military foodservice member who exemplifi es the highest standard of profes-sionalism, attitude, and culinary skill as the recipient of the Award of Excellence.Winners will be announced at the Air Force Awards Ceremony on May 20, 2011, in Chi-cago, Ill.

Nominees for Single-Facility Category:Staff Sgt. Reid W. Merriwether, Misawa Air Base, JapanSenior Airman Ashleen G. Cacciatore, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.Airman 1st Class Kevin J. Pordon, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, U.K.Senior Airman Joshua W. Burson, Tyndall AFB, Fla.Airman 1st Class Rebecca A. Labelle, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.

Hennessy Travelers Association Award Excellence This award is determined each year by Hen-nessy evaluators on both the Single and Multiple teams. Each team selects an Air Force military foodservice member who exemplifi es the highest standard of profes-sionalism, attitude, and culinary skill as the recipient of the Award of Excellence.Winners will be announced at the Air Force Awards Ceremony on May 20, 2011, in Chi-cago, Ill.

Nominees for Single-Facility Category:Staff Sgt. Reid W. Merriwether, Misawa Air Base, JapanSenior Airman Ashleen G. Cacciatore, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.Airman 1st Class Kevin J. Pordon, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, U.K.Senior Airman Joshua W. Burson, Tyndall AFB, Fla.Airman 1st Class Rebecca A. Labelle, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.

GOVERNMENT FOOD SERVICE • MAY 2011

HENNESSY/DISNEY AWARDS

Nominees for Multiple-Facility Category:Airman 1st Class Fa Y. Pham, Osan Air Base, KoreaAirman 1st Class Precious L. Avent, Seymour-Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.Senior Airman John B. Letriz III, Aviano Air Base, ItalyAirman 1st Class Jeffrey L. Peoples, Hurlburt Field, Fla.Senior Airman Melissa R. Caballero, Barksdale Air Force Base, La.

The Inaugural Arthur J. Myers Awards for Food Service Excellence winners:Airman 1st Class Kevin J. Pordon, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, U.K.Airman 1st Class Jeffrey L. Peoples, Hurlburt Field, Fla.Winners will be announced at the Air Force Awards Ceremony on May 20, 2011, in Chi-cago, Ill.

Disney Award121st Force Support Squadron – Rickenbacker ANGB Air Refueling Wing Ohio Air National Guard.

TravelersJohn L. Hennessy Awards(multiple-unit team)Bill McCormick, CEO, McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants Board for Directors (Na-tional Restaurant Association), former ambas-sador to New Zealand and SamoaNydia Ekstrom, Unilever Food solutions Inc. (International Food Service Executives Asso-ciation)

(single-unit team)Linda Bacin, vice president and co-owner Bella Bacino’s Restaurant Group, past chair-woman National Restaurant Association Education Foundation

Jara Allen, executive consultant (Society for Foodservice Management)

Active Duty(multiple-unit)Maj. Charles Hamilton, team chief, Headquar-ters Air Force Services Agency (Air Force)Chief Master Sgt. (Sel) Alex Garcia, Headquar-ters Air Force Services Agency (Air Force)

(single-unit)Arthur Myers, team chief, Department of De-

fense, retired April 2010 as principal director at Military Com-munity and Family Policy, and former director of Air Force ServicesMaster Sgt. Stephanie Thomas, Headquarters Air Force Ser-vices Agency

Air Force Reserve John L. Hennessy Special Program AwardsDick Crawford, Geezer’s Consulting (National Restaurant Association)Elsie Houey, Air Force Reserve Command, Robins Air Reserve BaseMaster Sgt. Brian Denny, Air Force, Headquar-ters Reserve Command Robins Air Reserve Base, Georgia

Staff Master Sgt. Kenneth W. Disney Awards (Air National Guard)Major Gerald Cullens, Headquarters Air Na-tional Guard BureauStaff Master Sgt. Ed Walden, Headquarters Air National Guard BureauMaster Sgt. Ed Hoskinson, Air National Guard BureauDick Hynes, director, Hobart Consulting Ser-vices, Hobart-Traulsen Corporation (Society for Foodservice Management)

Nominees for Multiple-Facility Category:

Jara Allen, executive consultant (Society for Foodservice Management)

Active Duty(multiple-unit)Maj. Charles Hamilton, team chief, Headquar-ters Air Force Services Agency (Air Force)Chief Master Sgt. (Sel) Alex Garcia, Headquar-ters Air Force Services Agency (Air Force)

(single-unit)Arthur Myers, team chief, Department of De-

Air Force Reserve John L. Hennessy Special Program AwardsDick Crawford, Geezer’s Consulting (National Restaurant Association)Elsie Houey, Air Force Reserve Command, Robins Air Reserve BaseMaster Sgt. Brian Denny, Air Force, Headquar-ters Reserve Command Robins Air Reserve Base, GeorgiaBase, Georgia

Staff Master Sgt. Kenneth W. Disney Awards (Air National Guard)Major Gerald Cullens, Headquarters Air Na-tional Guard BureauStaff Master Sgt. Ed Walden, Headquarters Air National Guard BureauMaster Sgt. Ed Hoskinson, Air National Guard BureauDick Hynes, director, Hobart Consulting Ser-vices, Hobart-Traulsen Corporation (Society for Foodservice Management)

GOVERNMENT FOOD SERVICE • MAY 2011

HENNESSY/DISNEY AWARDS