Gary / Chicago International Airport says it has been awarded the prestigious Balchen / Post Award for excellence in the performance of airport snow and ice control for the 2025 – 26 winter season. The annual award is bestowed by the Northeast Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives, and the airport received this award at the 2026 International Aviation Snow Symposium held in Buffalo, New York. GCIA has now won this award twice in the past seven years, having previously won it in 2019.
“We are extremely pleased to be recognized for our commitment to operations excellence, particularly given the extreme weather our airport and our hard-working snow crews experienced this past winter,” said Dan Vicari, Executive Director of the Gary / Chicago International Airport. “Our snow crews train continuously train to ensure they are prepared for any adverse weather condition, and this dedication to excellence is a key metric for the commercial, business, general aviation and cargo sectors to continue to see our first-class, modern snow and ice removal program.”
The purpose of the Balchen / Post Award is to promote excellence in snow and ice control and to recognize those individuals responsible for outstanding performance and is presented annually at the International Aviation Snow Symposium. The award was first presented in 1977, having initially been named solely for Col. Bernt Balchen and a pioneer in aviation who was the first person to pilot an aircraft over both poles and among other recognitions earned a Distinguished Flying Cross. The award was renamed to its current title in 1997 to additionally honor Wiley Post, Jr., the35-year manager of the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton (ABE) Airport and a founding member of the International Aviation Snow Symposium, having served as Chairman of the first Snow Symposium in 1967.
The airport says the award is even more notable given the substantial growth and development it has experienced since 2015, starting with the expansion of the airport’s main runway to nearly 9,000 feet, making it the second longest runway in the area after Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.
