REMEMBERING Art Swenka, Allen Tetreault & Marlon Long
REMEMBERING ART SWENKA Four decades ago, Albuquerque businessman and philanthropist Art Swenka embraced ballooning, becoming a pilot and a respected member of the ballooning community. Characteristically, he soon applied his enormous energy and drive to supporting the sport he loved. Art served two separate stints on the Balloon Fiesta Board of Directors, becoming Vice-President in 1982 and President in 2002-2003.
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As President of the Albuquerque Aerostat Ascension Association through much of the 1980’s, he spearheaded a reorganization that still guides the organization today. Art was a self-made man who pulled himself up out of childhood poverty to become a successful corporate executive, President of Nobel-Sysco, the Albuquerque branch of the food distribution giant and a legendary donor to a wide variety of causes. At Sysco, he later became executive in charge of 14 companies in the Western U.S. and Canada. A person who combined selfdeprecating humility with a powerful sense of fun, Art never stopped giving back. He retired from ballooning in the early 2000’s and moved to the Estancia Valley, where he devoted the last years of his life to preserving the valley’s water rights and promoting a sense of community. He played a key role in founding a public radio station to serve Torrance County. Sadly Art’s passion for life did not survive the pandemic. He succumbed to COVID-19 earlier this year, leaving behind his wife, Dixie (who he met at Balloon Fiesta), a son and a stepson, a large extended
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® 2021 Official Program
family, and legions of friends who will never forget his warmth and kindness. REMEMBERING ALLEN TETREAULT Earlier this year, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta lost a key member of its team with the passing of Allen Tetreault, the event’s Director of Public Safety. In his role, Allen – better known to many as “Tet” – presided over a network of local,
