Tawan Bernkopf
TSA

Tawan Bernkopf's (she/her) role as a TSO/Behavior Recognition Specialist takes her all around PDX and – as her supervisor shares – when she comes across a traveler in need, she's always willing to help:

"A visitor at PDX, who was using a wheelchair, found himself stranded at the airport. After experiencing various hardships and obstacles on his journey to Portland, he got stuck a few days before his flight without his boarding pass and identification documents.

He was struggling with what to do next when he encountered Tawan. Though the traveler had some difficulty communicating, Tawan listened with patience and respect, then took action.

Once the gentleman was able to obtain another boarding pass, Tawan guided him through the rest of the process to meet his flight. She walked him to the checkpoint and helped him through the screening process. After he was approved through security, she walked him to his gate and bought him a meal.

Thanks to Tawan, the man had a comfortable wait at his gate and was able to make his flight the following day. This is just one of many times she has made an extraordinary effort for a passenger. She deserves to be recognized for her sharp eye for spotting those in need and her compassionate actions."

Jennifer Hanson
Portland Coffee Roasters

During this year's snowstorm, Jennifer Hanson (she/her) made sure her fellow airport workers – along with PDX travelers – were able to get much needed coffee and snacks. This nomination came from a PDX employee at Timberline Lodge:

"Jennifer showed up the day after the initial snowstorm and ran the place single-handed. After a sleepless night in our store’s stock room, hot tea and yogurt were very much appreciated by our employees. Jennifer was upbeat and friendly on a very trying day.

I thanked her in person the following day and she said she primarily came in so her fellow airport employees could get coffee. She even offered to drop off drinks to our store. Jennifer went above and beyond."

Taylor Jensen
SP Plus Corporation

This compliment came from a thankful passenger after Taylor Jensen (he/him) came to the rescue with jumper cables and a smile:

"Taylor was wonderful! He came to our rescue when we discovered we had a dead car battery. We called for assistance were pleasantly surprised when Taylor showed up moments later.

Taylor had a 'can-do' attitude and quickly got our car operational again, much to our relief after a long day of travel. We loved his cheerful attitude which helped to lift our spirits and shifted us from feeling somewhat panicky about the situation.

He was truly a 'parking lot angel.' Thank you so much for this service and please give gold stars to Taylor."

Hillary Pinney
Delta Air Lines

A PDX volunteer shared this story when nominating Hillary Pinney (she/her) for being exceptionally empathetic in a difficult situation:

"A family approached the information booth and explained that they had arrived in Portland, Oregon, rather than their intended destination of Portland, Maine. They were frazzled, confused and disillusioned.

I walked the family upstairs to talk to a Delta agent to see if there was anything that could be done. While standing in line, I engaged more with the family and their story began to take shape. They landed in Portland via Phoenix, where they had arrived from the Congo.

Delta agent Hillary greeted us at the ticket counter, and after some research, she determined that the tickets had been purchased through a travel agency. Unfortunately, she was unable to reach the agency to try and fix the mix-up. Hillary went to work to try to get discounted tickets for the family, who shared that they had very limited funds after their travels. Debbie Cituk, the Delta station manager, gave Hillary the go-ahead to escalate the request for rebooking. After almost two hours of helping the family, Hillary was able to book them to fly out that night to Portland, Maine.

Throughout the entire encounter, Hillary was friendly, compassionate, curious and tenacious! She went the extra mile to help them reach their destination where relatives were waiting for them. Thank you for being an incredible PDX ambassador, Hillary! It was a pleasure to watch you work your magic."

Neil Teller
Dollar Car Rental

For this guest, being heard and treated with respect by Neil Teller (he/him) turned a difficult travel day around:

“Neil at Dollar Car Rental did an exceptional job of helping to get me where I needed to go. I was caught up in the holiday nightmare of air travel, and I was extremely frustrated, upset and exhausted. Neil helped calm me down and got my arrangements in order so I could get to where I needed to be with minimal hassle.

By this point, my travel plans were ruined, and I was at the end of my patience after calling airlines, rentals and other reservations. Neil was literally the only person I spoke to that day who made me feel like a valued customer who was being heard.

I wish there were more customer service representatives out there like Neil. He probably doesn't even remember helping me, but his compassion and professionalism made my holiday brighter, and I wish I could thank him for that. Thank you."

Dustin Thompson
TSA

After witnessing Dustin Thompson's (he/him) lifesaving actions, a fellow PDX employee sent in this nomination:

"A passenger fell right at the entrance to the D/E security checkpoint. Dustin was in the middle of the line when he heard someone scream. He ran to the scene to find a passenger having a seizure.

Dustin immediately called for emergency assistance and was able to get the passenger on his side and in a safe position until medical personnel arrived. Dustin's quick actions helped the passenger receive timely medical attention and prevented further injury.

I would like to recognize Dustin Thompson for his heroic actions!"

Lauren Wilson
Tender Loving Empire

Lauren Wilson's (she/her) supervisor was impressed with her commitment to helping passengers and employees during the snowstorm:

"Lauren was the opener for Tender Loving Empire during the record-setting snow day. She was cautious coming to work but made sure to arrive early so individuals stuck at the airport had access to food and drinks.

Many of the travelers had been stranded or waiting since the day before. By arriving early, she set the store up for success and made sure arriving customers had access to treats and drinks."

Lusiana Withington
Bags Inc.

By being supportive, friendly and respectful, Lusiana Withington (she/her) made one traveler's long journey a bit brighter:

"I just wanted to tell you how grateful I am for your wheelchair attendant, Lusiana. My flight was diverted to Portland because of weather, it was very late, and I was beyond exhausted. Without Lusiana helping me, I don't know what I would have done.

She not only stayed with me during my entire journey from gate to luggage claim to taxi pick-up, but she was also incredibly encouraging and emotionally supportive.

We ended up waiting for the reserved car service for nearly 45 minutes. Lusiana never left my side, even though it was freezing cold. She engaged me in conversation to keep me from thinking about how miserable I was feeling and was so cheerful and gracious. I couldn't believe her kindness and patience.

Thank you so much for hiring such an incredible person. If only the whole world were full of people like Lusiana!"

Hudson News 
Team Award

During the recent record-setting snowstorm, our airport was brought to its knees. Businesses across the region were forced to stay closed and roadways were completely clogged, turning a 15-minute commute into five hours. Even at PDX, the majority businesses were closed or had very limited hours. There were hundreds of stranded passengers with nowhere to go who were hungry, cold and tired.

Through all this, there was a beacon of blue light in the shape of an "H." Hudson Group managed to keep at least two of their stores open day and night, with food, blankets and hoodies for those in need. This was accomplished with the help of brave Uber drivers and a dedicated General Manager who spent two days giving people rides in his truck.

Hudson employees never say no to a traveler in need – their passion and commitment is unparalleled, and they truly are the traveler's best friend!