BY KAREN BOSSICK

Friedman Memorial Airport (SUN) has been awarded the esteemed Balchen/Post Award for excellence in snow and ice control.

The airport, which serves passengers going to and from Sun Valley, received the award at the International Aviation Snow Symposium. It was held in Buffalo, N.Y., a place that is famed for its lake effect blizzards.

The internationally recognized award was presented by the Northeast Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives. Its purpose is to promote better snow and ice control.

Friedman Memorial Airport was honored for its attention to swift, efficient and safe snow and ice removal while maintaining uninterrupted airport operations in the Small Commercial Airport Category. That category recognizes those with fewer than 100,000 annual operations.

"This award symbolizes the commitment, dedication, and tireless efforts of our exceptional Airport Operations team and our seasonal staff," said Tim Burke, the airport’s deputy director. "Their round-the-clock dedication, including early mornings and late nights, ensures that SUN remains one of the safest, reliable and most effectively managed commercial service airports in the nation. This achievement is a testament to their professionalism and our unwavering commitment to excellence."

The 2023-2024 Winter Ops Snow Team included Airport Operations Supervisors Greg Beaver and Nick Carnes, Airport Operations Specialists Scott Beaver, Jesse Gillett, Oliver Nordlie, Deano Miller and Trent Shoemaker. Assisting the Airport Ops team as seasonal airfield maintenance staff were heavy equipment operators Jesse Goodwin, Mike Elle, Nick Schell, Patrick Szczotka, and Karl Peterson.

The airport they serve generates the second-highest economic impact for commercial service airports in Idaho, second only behind Boise Airport. SUN offers scheduled airline service to Salt Lake City, Seattle, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, and Chicago.

It generates nearly $300 million in economic impact each year for the region.