WILLIAMSBURG — Six people were recognized Wednesday for their contributions to the state’s aviation industry during the 2026 Virginia Aviation Awards at the Williamsburg Lodge.
The annual ceremony, hosted by the Virginia Department of Aviation, brought together airport officials, educators and others involved in aviation. The event also featured a performance by an interpreter with Colonial Williamsburg.
Richmond International Airport Chief Operating Officer John Rutledge received the Airport Executive of the Year award. He has spent more than two decades overseeing operations, engineering, planning and public safety at the airport.
The Person of the Year award went to Del. Karrie Delaney, who represents Fairfax County’s 9th District in the House of Delegates. She chairs the House Transportation Committee and serves on the Governor’s Aerospace Advisory Council.
For her work in aviation education, Cindy Watson, a middle school teacher at Forest Middle School in Bedford County, received the inaugural Educator of the Year award. She has worked with NASA-aligned programs and hands-on STEM education and founded the Forest Drone Zone, which introduces students to aviation and emerging technologies.
The department presented two Lifetime Achievement Awards this year, recognizing Mike Mickel of Chesterfield County and Michael Cooper of Loudoun County.
Mike Mickel, who founded Dominion Aviation in 1983, grew the company from a single aircraft into one of the Mid-Atlantic’s largest corporate aviation fleets. He also contributed to the development of Richmond Executive-Chesterfield County Airport.
Also honored was Michael Cooper, who has led state and local government affairs for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority since 2007. The department credited him with advocating for greater transparency around aircraft noise and residential development while strengthening relationships between airports, communities and elected officials.
Virginia Department of Aviation Director Greg Campbell said the people behind the state’s aviation industry are an important part of its history.
“Unlike the roads we travel, the sky holds no historical markers,” Campbell said. “There are no signs to tell us who has passed this way before.”
