Doug Lewis, manager of the Air Traffic Control Tower in Ithaca, was today presented with the 2013 “Manager of the Year” award in a special ceremony at the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport.

Doug has been a controller in Ithaca since May 2001, previously recognized as Controller of the Year in 2005, and became tower manager in April 2007.

Randy Walls, Manager of Air Traffic Services, Eastern Terminal Service Area, for Midwest ATC Service, flew in to present the award to Lewis in recognition of his exemplary service as tower manager as well as his dedication to safe aircraft operations by initiating and conducting annual educational sessions for the region’s private pilots in and around Ithaca.

Midwest ATC Service is a contract tower company managing over 80 contract towers in the United States and overseas.

Earlier in the year 149 of the country’s 251 contract towers, including Ithaca’s, were threatened with closure due to a sequestration agreement affecting all government departments. After much lobbying by the Contract Tower Association and companies like Midwest ATC Service, the threat was averted and funding made available to keep all the towers open. The Federal government, Senate and House of Representatives have all appropriated money in their budgets for full funding of the towers in FY 2014.

 

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