Meet our Airport Workers’ Day award winners
Two members of the Pearson community have been recognized in a new set of national awards
Five people across Canada were recognized this week in a new set of awards for airport workers – and two of them are members of the Pearson community. The awards, which are from the Canadian Airports Council, are part of the celebrations for the first-ever Airport Workers’ Day.
We caught up with the winners from Pearson.
Environmental Steward winner: Marcos Zambrano
You will breathe 22,000 times today. Yet, unless there’s a wildfire or stifling heatwave, most people think little about the air in their lungs. Marcos Zambrano is not most people. As Pearson’s Environmental Air Quality Technician, he’s a champion of the airport’s efforts to cut emissions. And what’s in the air – both outdoors and indoors – is his daily preoccupation.
What Marcos does
Among Marcos’ key duties is closely monitoring data from Pearson’s state-of-the-art ambient air quality sensor network. He uses this information to measure compliance with standards including Ontario’s Ambient Air Quality Criteria, calculate an Air Quality Health Index, track changes over time, and inform the public about air quality at the airport.
“This monitoring is very important, but it’s labour-intensive and complex because we have to follow government regulations,” says Marcos. “We post this information online to be very transparent with our community.”
Why he won
The innovative way Marcos manages the airport’s greenhouse gas accounting and emission-reporting programs was a key factor in the judges’ decision to hand him the Environmental Steward prize. “He has progressed the airport to various certification levels which keeps Toronto Pearson at a competitive level of progress in its greenhouse gas emissions program with other airports,” says Aroni McCutcheon, Manager of Environmental Services, who nominated him for the award.
With two decades of experience at the airport, Marcos has deep environmental knowledge and can always be relied on for help and advice, adds Aroni. “Over the years, Marcos has learned many of the systems and mechanics of the stormwater facilities and you will find him repairing and trouble-shooting many features to keep the complex stormwater facilities operating smoothly.”
How he feels about winning
“It was a shock because I wasn’t expecting it,” Marcos says. “I’ve been doing this work a long time and it is truly humbling to be recognized in this manner. Heartfelt thanks to my colleges, and I would like to share this award with all the Toronto Pearson community.”
What’s next
Marcos says he is still learning and innovating: “Everyday at the airport is a new challenge.” He’s currently interested in exploring how artificial intelligence could be used to forecast emissions reductions from potential sustainability initiatives.
Industry Champion winner: Alistair Stewart
Aviation is in Alistair’s blood. His father would take him to Brampton Flight School as a teenager, and he became a licensed private pilot before he could even drive a car. But he chose to make his career on the ground. He joined Air Canada back in 1987 as a part-time Station Attendant and knew instantly that this industry was where he belonged. Over the past 35 years he has progressed through several safety-related roles that have taken him to airports all around the world. Now, he’s Air Canada’s Manager of Corporate Safety Compliance, based at Pearson.
What Alistair does
When it comes to procedures that keep Air Canada’s ground staff safe, Alistair knows them chapter and verse – because he had a hand in writing many of them. “I’ve been intimately involved with a lot of the standard operating procedures that have come into play over the past 30 years,” he says. “So, I not only share that information with newer team members, but I can also explain why we put it in place.”
You’ll often see Alistair out on the apron working with ground staff to ensure they are operating safely and handing out tokens of recognition for exceptional performance. “Unless you embed yourself with the team, you can’t truly understand them,” he says. One of his key achievements is the creation of a safety ambassador program that provides 24/7 coverage for Air Canada’s operations at Pearson.
Why he won
The Canadian Airports Council judges recognized Alistair as a natural leader with unwavering dedication that inspires the entire team. They noted that his “contagious attitude and positive impact resonate across YYZ.”
How he feels about winning
“I didn’t realize how big a deal this was until I received a message from Michael Rousseau, our President and CEO, about it. So, it’s only just starting to sink in,” Alistair says. “I’m so honoured and grateful. I don’t expect recognition for my work because, honestly, it’s what I love to do.”
How he thinks about safety
Though Alistair is employed by Air Canada, he sees safety as a shared responsibility among everyone at the airport. “I’ve seen a lot of changes at Pearson in the past few years where we’re trying to build relationships across the airport,” he says. “Because we’re all in it together.”
Why he loves aviation
“I’ve always loved airplanes. I grew up in Etobicoke and as a kid I used to climb up on Centennial hill with my binoculars and watch them. Now, I’ve worked every airplane you can imagine, even Concorde. The Boeing 747 was my favourite, though. You don’t see many of them these days, but it was a classic airplane.”
