PREVIOUS HEROES NOMINEES
Annually, NMBC honors veterans, community leaders, and fallen first responders in NM via our ‘Heroes Banquets’ events. By publicly acknowledging our local heroes- with us or who have passed- we bring the community together and help promote unity.
Listed below are the previous Heroes Banquet awardees, since 2012:
2024 Heroes Banquet
Click HERE to see photos from the event!
Fallen First Responder, Las Cruces Police Dept.
Officer Jonah Hernandez
End of Watch Sunday, February 11, 2024
Fallen First Responder, NM State Police Dept.
Officer Justin Hare
End of Watch Friday, March 15, 2024
Community Hero Award
Dub Girand, Special Olympics of NM
2024 Veteran of the Year
R. Thomas Dawe, U.S. Army Veteran
Public Safety Hero
Ofc. Zachary Garris, Albuquerque Police Dept.
2023 Heroes Banquet
Click HERE to see photos from the event!
Fallen First Responder, Alamogordo Police Dept.
Officer Anthony Ferguson
End of Watch Saturday, July 15, 2023
2023 Veteran of the Year
Ken O’Keefe, U.S. Navy Veteran
Public Safety Heroes, Albuquerque Police Dept.
Sgt. Francisco Hernandez, Ofc. Alex Castellano, Ret. Ofc. Kent Parsons
Public Safety Heroes, Farmington Police Dept.
Sgt. Rachel Discenza-Smith, Ofc. Ben Jemmett
Community Advocate Award
Sarah Smith of NM Freedoms Alliance (NMFA)
Business Hero Award
Jeremy Gay of Advocate Law Center, PA
Community Advocate Award
Juan Garcia, Coalition of Conservatives in Action
2022 Heroes Event
Honored Fallen First Responders
Senior Police Officer Robert Eric Duran
Santa Fe Police Department, New Mexico
End of Watch Wednesday, March 2, 2022
Lieutenant Fred Douglas Beers, III
Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, New Mexico
End of Watch Saturday, July 16, 2022
Deputy Sheriff Michael Adam Levison
Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, New Mexico
End of Watch Saturday, July 16, 2022
Undersheriff Lawrence George Koren
Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, New Mexico
End of Watch Saturday, July 16, 2022
Fire Rescue Specialist Matthew King
Bernalillo County Fire & Rescue
End of Watch Saturday, July 16, 2022
2022 Veteran of the Year Award: Niel Hise
Neil Hise served in the United States Navy as a Seabee, which are an elite group of enlisted personnel trained in both combat and the craft skills of the construction industry.
Continuing his service as a licensed private pilot & plane owner, Neil completed 34 missions with over 154 hours of flight time for Veterans Airlift Command flying combat wounded & families around the U.S. for medical and other compassionate purposes.
Neil and his wife Ty have done a great deal to help Veterans connect with quality, non-drug related treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
** The 2020 & 2021 Heroes Banquets were canceled due to local COVID-19 restrictions. **
2019 Heroes Banquet
Honored Fallen First Responder
Firefighter Jeff Stoble
Roswell Fire Department, New Mexico
End of Watch Sunday, July 21, 2019
Business Leader Award
Matthew Allen of Mt. Taylor Machine
First Responder Award, Roswell Fire Dept.
Chief: Devin Graham, Division Chief: Tom Graham, Lieutenant: Warren Aldrich, Fire Marshall: Matt Miller
Elected Official Award
NM Representative Rebecca Dow
First Responder Award, APD Armed Robbery Unit
Sgt. Hollie Anderson; Det. Tyler Burt, Isaac Romero, & Michael Shook; Agents Bryan Acee (FBI) & Sam Supnick (ATF); Analyst Josie Campos
Community Leader Award
Joshua & Heather Price of Lobo Little League
Young Leader Award
Ben Manatt
First Responder Award
Colin Garlie of Abq Ambulance Service
2018 Heroes Banquet
Elected Official Award
Peggy Muller-Aragon
First Responder Award, APD Auto Theft Unit
Jerry Arnold, Joel Block, John Dear, Byron, Economidy, Armondo Hernandez, Ryan Holets, Sgt. Aaron Jones, Angelo Lovato, Anthony Luna, Kenneth Miller, Robert, Radosevich, David Taylor
Business Leader Award
Houston Wholesale Cars
Community Leader Award
Julie Wright
First Responder Award, Volunteer Firefighters
Logan Fire Dept: Rex Stall, Nara Visa Fire Dept: Gary Girard, Rosebud Fire Dept: Robert Casados
2017 Heroes Banquet
First Responder Awards
Abq Fire Dept: Chris Carlson & Gary Tinagero
Sandoval Fire Dept: James Maxon
Lincoln County Sheriff Dept: Jason Green
APD: Vicente Martinez
Rio Rancho Fire Dept: David Patterson
Business Leader Award
Kathy & Miguel Diaz of Monroe’s
Elected Official Award
NM Representative James Townsend
Community Leader Award
Frank Ruvolo
Community Leader Award
Diego Sy
2016 Heroes Banquet
Elected Official Award
Aubrey Dunn
Elected Official Award
Dan Lewis
Elected Official Award
Wayne Johnson
Elected Official Award
Don Chapman
Elected Official Award
Lawrence Martin
Business Leader Award
Gary & Linda Hays
Business Leader Award
John Rockwell
Business Leader Award
Alisha Hawthone-Martinez
Community Leader Award
Marge Tapia
Community Leader Award
Barbara Bruin
Appointed Official Award
Conrad Candelaria
Young Leader Award
Cassidy Leonard
2015 Heroes Banquet
Hero of the Year
Officer Lou Golson
Business Leader Award
Marc Powell
Elected Official Award
Yvette Herrell
Community Leader Award
A. Blair Dunn
Elected Official Award
Dona Irwin
2014 Heroes Banquet
Elected Official Award
Dianna Duran
Hero of the Year
Lt. Gov. John Sanchez
Elected Official Award
Dan Houston
Community Leader Award
Rick Lopez
Appointed Official Award
Tim Hale
Business Leader Award
Mark Menicucci
2013 Heroes Banquet
Hero of the Year
Senator John Arthur Smith
Media Leader Award
Larry Barker
Elected Official Award
Carl Trujillo
Elected Official Award
Janice Arnold-Jones
Elected Official Award
Wayne Johnson
Business Leader Award
Neil, Ty, & Jennifer Hise, CEMCO Inc.
Business Leader Award
T. Greg Merrion
2012 Heroes Banquet
Elected Official Award
Senator John Arthur Smith
Elected Official Award
Andy Nunez
Elected Official Award
Celina Bussey
Elected Official Award
Gregg Marcantel
Elected Official Award
Candy Spence-Ezzell
Volunteer of the Year
Sylvia Bokor
Community Leader Award
Marianne Chiffelle
Heroes Master List
Bryan Acee, Agent, Federal Bureau of Investigation, First Responder, 2019
Warren Aldrich, Lieutenant, Roswell Fire Dept., First Responder, 2019
Matthew Allen, Business Leader, 2019
Hollie Anderson, Sergeant, Albuquerque Police Dept., First Responder, 2019
Jerry Arnold, Officer, Albuquerque Police Dept., First Responder, 2018
Janice Arnold-Jones, Albuquerque City Councilor, Elected Official, 2013
Larry Baker, Investigative Reporter, Media, 2013
Joel Block, Officer, Albuquerque Police Dept., First Responder, 2018
Sylvia Bokor, Volunteer of the Year, 2012
Tyler Burt, Detective, Albuquerque Police Dept., First Responder, 2019
Celina Bussey, New Mexico Dept. of Workforce Solutions Secretary, Elected Official, 2013
Josie Campos, Crime Analyst, Albuquerque Police Dept., First Responder, 2019
Chris Carlson, Captain, Albuquerque Fire Dept., First Responder, 2017
Robert Casados, Chief, Rosebud Fire Dept., First Responder, 2018
Don Chapman, Sandoval County Commissioner, District 3, Elected Official, 2016
Emilio Chavez, Houston Wholesale Cars, Business Leader, 2018
Marianne Chiffelle, Community Leader, 2012
John Dear, Officer, Albuquerque Police Dept., First Responder, 2018
Kathy Diaz, Owner, Monroe’s Restaurant, Business Leader, 2017
Miguel Diaz, Owner, Monroe’s Restaurant, Business Leader, 2017
Rebecca Dow, Elected Official, 2019
A. Blair Dunn, Community Leader, 2015
Aubrey Dunn, New Mexico Land Commissioner, Elected Official, 2016
Dianna J. Duran, Secretary of State, Elected Official, 2014
Byron Economidy, Officer, Albuquerque Police Dept., First Responder, 2018
Candy Spence Ezzell, New Mexico State Representative, Elected Official, 2012
Scott Frankel, Houston Wholesale Cars, Business Leader, 2018
Colin Garlie, First Responder, 2019
Gary Girard, Chief, Nara Visa Fire Dept., Fire Responder, 2018
Lou Golson, Officer, Albuquerque Police Dept., Hero of the Year, 2015
Devin Graham, Chief, Roswell Fire Dept., First Responder, 2019
Tom Graham, Division Chief, Roswell Fire Dept., First Responder, 2019
Jason Green, Officer, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Dept., First Responder, 2017
Timothy Hale, Cabinet Secretary Colonel, Appointed Official, 2014
Alisha Hawthorne-Martinez, Business Leader, 2016
Gary Hays, Owner, Cliff’s Amusement Park, Business Leader, 2016
Linda Hays, Owner, Cliff’s Amusement Park, Business Leader, 2016
Armando Hernandez, Officer, Albuquerque Police Dept., First Responder, 2018
Yvette Herrell, New Mexico State Representative, Elected Official, 2015
Neil, Ty, & Jennifer Hise, CEMCO, Business Leader, 2013
Ryan Holets, Officer, Albuquerque Police Dept., First Responder, 2018
Dan Houston, Sheriff, Bernalillo County, Elected Official, 2014
Gary “Skip” Tinagero, Battalion Chief, Albuquerque Police Dept., First Responder, 2017
Dona Irwin, New Mexico State Representative, Elected Official, 2015
Wayne Johnson, Bernalillo County Commissioner, Elected Official, 2013
Wayne Johnson, Bernalillo County Commissioner, Elected Official, 2016
Aaron Jones, Sergeant, Albuquerque Police Dept., First Responder, 2018
Cassady Leonard, Young Leader, 2016
Dan Lewis, Albuquerque City Councilor, Elected Official, 2016
Rick Lopez, Community Leader, 2014
Angelo Lovato, Officer, Albuquerque Police Dept., First Responder, 2018
Anthony Luna, Officer, Albuquerque Police Dept., First Responder, 2018
Ben Manatt, Young Leader, 2019
Gregg Marcantel, Secretary, New Mexico Dept. of Corrections, Elected Official, 2012
Vicente Martinez, Officer, Albuquerque Police Dept., First Responder, 2017
Lawrence Martin, Probate Judge, Sandoval County, Elected Official, 2016
James Maxon, Chief, Sandoval County Fire Dept., First Responder, 2017
Mark Menicucci, Menicucci Insurance, Business Leader, 2014
T. Greg Merrion, Merrion Oil & Gas, Business Leader, 2013
Kenneth Miller, Officer, Albuquerque Police Dept., First Responder, 2018
Matt Miller, Roswell Fire Marshal, First Responder, 2019
Peggy Muller-Aragon, Committee Chair, Albuquerque Public Schools, Elected Official, 2018
Andy Nunez, New Mexico State Representative, Elected Official, 2012
Gary Padilla, Houston Wholesale Cars, Business Leader, 2018
David Patterson, Battalion Chief, Rio Rancho Fire Dept., First Responder, 2017
Marc Powell, ReCARnation, Business Leader, 2015
Heather Price, Community Leader, 2019
Joshua Price, Community Leader, 2019
Robert Radosevich, Officer, Albuquerque Police Dept., First Responder, 2018
John Rockwell, President, Marpac Medical Devices & Sierra Peaks, Business Leader, 2016
Isaac Romero, Detective, Albuquerque Police Dept., First Responder, 2019
Frank Ruvolo, Chairman, Republican Party of Bernalillo County, Community Leader, 2017
John Sanchez, Lieutenant Governor, Hero of the Year, 2014
Michael Shook, Detective, Albuquerque Police Dept., First Responder, 2019
John Arthur Smith, New Mexico State Senator, Elected Official, 2012 & Hero of the Year 2013
Rex Stall, Chief, Logan Fire Dept., First Responder, 2018
Sam Supnick, Agent, Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms, First Responder, 2019
Diego Sy, Entrepreneur, Young Leader, 2017
Marge Tapia, Community Leader, 2016
David Taylor, Officer, Albuquerque Police Dept., First Responder, 2018
Jim Townsend, New Mexico State Representative, Elected Official, 2017
Carl Trujillo, New Mexico State Representative, Elected Official 2013
Miguel Diaz, Owner, Monroe’s Restaurant, Business Leader, 2017
Julie Wright, Community Leader, 2018