The Ted Vasilopoulos Award

Who was Ted Vasilopoulos and why is there an award named after him? Ted was a very popular DXer of the highest ethical standing in the late 1950's and early 1960's. He DXed on a home built receiver and went so far as winding his own coils. He was one of the guiding forces in forming the IRCA and helped draft what eventually became the club's Constitution. Ted had worked with an electronics company. Ted died on February 2, 1965 in Los Angeles, California, from a sudden heart attack.

After his death, the club decided to find some fitting way to remember him, it was decided to present an annual award to the person who did the most for the club during the preceding year, as determined by a vote of the membership. The original proposal 2.1-57 was presented to the Board Of Directors for a vote in 1966 and was passed 5-1. The award has been presented to editors, publishers, presidents, and others for outstanding achievements every year except 1990 when the then president forgot to ask for nominations.

 

TVA Winners:

 

1966 Bill Nittler
1967 Larry Godwin
1968 Don Erickson
1969 Don Erickson
1970 (2 way tie) Don Erickson, Larry Godwin
1971 Father Jack Pejza
1972 Mike Northam
1973 Percy Kestevan
1974 Bruce Portzer
1975 Grant Manning
1976 Phil Bytheway
1977 John Zondlo
1978 Bill Hardy
1979 (3 way tie) Rick Segalas, Don Kaskey, Mark Connelly
1980 Bob Curtis
1981 Nick Hall-Patch
1982 Nancy Hardy
1983 Bruce Portzer
1984 Ric Heald
1985 Patrick Martin
1986 Robert Wien
1987 Greg Monti
1988 (2 way tie) Karl Zuk, Richard Evans
1989 Ernest R. Cooper
1990 NO AWARD
1991 Bill Hardy
1992 Ralph Sanserino
1993 J. D. Stephens
1994 Nancy Hardy
1995 Lynn Hollerman
1996 Phil Bytheway
1997 Patrick Martin
1998 John C. Johnson
1999 Mike Sanburn
2000 Lee Freshwater
2001 Ralph Sanserino
2002 Nancy Johnson
2003 Rich Toebe
2004 Phil Bytheway
2005 Doug Pifer
2006 Lee Freshwater
2007 Nick Hall-Patch
2008 Patrick Martin
2009 Nancy Johnson
2010 Bill Block
2011 Phil Bytheway
2012 Richard C. Evans
2013 Lee Freshwater
2014 Nich Hall-Patch
2015 Eric Bueneman
2016 Gary DeBock
2017 John C Johnson
2018 Phil Byetheway
2019 (2 way tie) Mark Durenberger, Nancy Johnson

2020 Bruce Portzer

2021 Les Rayburn

2022 Neil Kazaross

2023 Lynn Hollerman

 

The Ric Heald Award

 

Starting in 1995, the Ric Heald award (RHA) was given at the same time as the TVA.
This award was given to recognize the IRCA member who most benefited the club in a
particularly noteworthy way during the previous year. The winner of the award will
receive a printed certificate. Should the same member win both the TVA and the
Ric Heald Award, he/she will be presented with the TVA, and the runner-up for the
Ric Heald Award will receive the RHA.

 

RHA Winners:

 

1995 JD Stephens
1996 Lee Freshwater
1997 Ralph Sanserino
1998 Nick Hall-Patch
1999 Phil Bytheway
2000 Nancy Johnson
2001 Lynn Hollerman
2002 Rich Toebe
2003 Phil Bytheway
2004 Patrick Martin
2005 Art Blair
2006 Les Rayburn
2007 Lynn Hollerman
2008 Dan Riordian
2009 Gary DeBock
2010 John Bryant (posthumously)
2011 Eric Bueneman
2012 Mike Sanburn
2013 Kraig Krist
2014 Mark Connelly
2015 Phil Bytheway
2016 Ernest J. Wesolowski
2017 Mark Durenberger
2018 Brandon Jordan
2019 (2 way tie) Ken Hawkins, John C Johnson

2020 Tim Hall

2021 Nick Hall-Patch

2022 (2 way tie) Peter Laws, Loyd Van Horn

2023 Les Rayburn