PREVIOUS HEROES NOMINEES
The New Mexico Business Coalition advocates for businesses and the laws that support them, while also looking to partner with leaders across the state who are also on this same mission. With that, we hold our 'Heroes Banquets' to honor these leaders across our state, those that are actively serving locally, and our state officials who advocate for the people.
Similar to our B.A.S.H. (Business and Social Hour) events, the ‘Heroes Banquet’ is an opportunity to learn more about our leadership, network with those individuals and many others, while publicly honoring those that make New Mexico a better place to live and work.
As you scroll through this page, you’ll see our previous ‘Heroes Banquet’ events from 2012-2019 and due to the pandemic, there were no banquets in 2020 or 2021, but were revamped in 2022. For any other questions or to sponsor our future events, call our office at (505)836-4223 or email us at nmbiz@nmbizcoalition.org
2022 HEROES EVENT
In Honor of these 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
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.
2019 HEROES BANQUET
In Honor of Jeff Stoble...
Jeff Stroble, a 17-year veteran of the Roswell Fire Department.
On July 21, 2019, Jeff lost his life from an accident while on duty.
Elected Official Award: Rep. Rebecca Dow
Business Leader Award:
Matthew Allen of Mt. Taylor Manufacturing
Community Leader Award: Joshua & Heather Price, Lobo Little League Challenger Division
Young Leader Award: Ben Manatt
First Responder Award: Roswell Fire Dept.
Chief Devin Graham
Division Chief Tom Graham
Lieutenant Warren Aldrich
Roswell Fire Marshal Matt Miller
First Responder Award: ABQ Police Dept., the Armed Robbery Unit
Sgt. Hollie Anderson
Det. Tyler Burt
Crime Analyst Josie Campos
Det. Isaac Romero
Det. Michael Shook
Agent Bryan Acee, FBI
Agent Sam Supnick, ATF
First Responder Award: Colin Garlie
Commander, Albuquerque Ambulance Service
2018 HEROES BANQUET
Elected Official Award: Peggy Muller-Aragon
Business Leader Award: Houston Wholesale Cars
Emilio Chavez
Scott Frankel
Gary Padilla
Community Leader Award: Julie Wright
First Responder Award: ABQ Police Dept., Auto Theft Unit
Jerry Arnold
Joel Block
John Dear
Byron Economidy
Armando Hernandez
Ryan Holets
Sgt. Aaron Jones
Angelo Lovato
Anthony Luna
Kenneth Miller
Robert Radosevich
David Taylor
First Responder Award: Volunteer Firefighters
Chief Rex Stall, Logan Fire Dept.
Chief Gary Girard, Nara Visa Fire Dept.
Chief Robert Casados, Rosebud Fire Dept.
2017 HEROES BANQUET
Elected Official Award: James Townsend
Business Leader Award:
Kathy & Miguel Diaz of Monroe's Restaurant
Community Leader Award: Frank Ruvolo
First Responder Awards:
Chris Carlson, Albuquerque Fire Dept.
Jason Green, Lincoln County Sheriff’s Dept.
Vicente Martinez, Albuquerque Police Dept.
James Maxon, Sandoval County Fire Dept.
David Patterson, Rio Rancho Fire Dept.
Gary “Skip” Tinagero, Albuquerque Fire Dept.
Young Leader Award: Diego Sy
2016 HEROES BANQUET
Elected Official Awards
Aubrey Dunn
Wayne Johnson
Dan Lewis
Don Chapman
Lawrence Martin
Community Leader Awards:
Marge Tapia
Barbara Bruin
Appointed Official Award: Conrad Candelaria
Business Leader Awards:
Alisha Hawthone-Martinez
Gary & Linda Hays
John Rockwell
Young Leader Award: Cassidy Leonard
2015 HEROES BANQUET
Hero of the Year: Officer Lou Golson
Business Leader Award: Marc Powell
Elected Officials Awards:
Yvette Herrell
Dona Irwin
Community Leader Award: A. Blair Dunn
2014 HEROES BANQUET
Hero of the Year:
Lt. Gov. John Sanchez
Elected Officials Awards:
Dianna Duran
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
Elected Officials Awards:
Janice Arnold-Jones
Wayne Johnson
Carl Trujillo
Business Leader Awards:
Neil, Ty & Jennifer Hise
T. Greg Merrion
Media Leader Award: Larry Barker
2012 HEROES BANQUET
Elected Officials Awards:
Celina Bussey
Candy Spence-Ezzell
Gregg Marcantel
Andy Nunez
John Arthur Smith
Volunteer of the Year Award:
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 Hise, CEMCO, Business Leader, 2013
Ty Hise, CEMCO, Business Leader, 2013
Jennifer Hise, CEMCO, Business Leader, 2013
Ryan Holets, Officer, Albuquerque Police Dept., First Responder, 2018
Dan Houston, Sheriff, Bernalillo County, Elected Official, 2014
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
John Arthur Smith, New Mexico State Senator, 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
Gary “Skip” Tinagero, Battalion Chief, Albuquerque Police Dept., First Responder, 2017
Jim Townsend, New Mexico State Representative, Elected Official, 2017
Carl Trujillo, New Mexico State Representative, Elected Official 2013
Julie Wright, Community Leader, 2018