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:

2025 Heroes Banquet

Click HERE to see photos from the event!

Fallen First Responder, Bloomfield Police Dept.

Officer Timothy Ontiveros 

Fallen First Responder, Dona Ana County Sheriff’s Dept.

Deputy Antonio Aleman

Community Hero Award

Los Ojos de la Familia

Public Safety Hero

TSgt James Robinson, Kirtland AFB 377th SFS

2025 Veteran of the Year
Lt. Col. Pat Gaston (Ret), U.S. Army

Public Safety Hero
Officer Justin Collins, Albuquerque Police Dept.

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