JOYCE HAGER
By Rich Hanson, AMA President | richh@modelaircraft.org
ON JUNE 19, 2023, Joyce Hager was inducted into the AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame, having been selected by the AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame Committee and approved by the AMA Executive Council (EC). Joyce joined AMA in February 1970 and dedicated more than 53 years of her life to model aviation. In August 2023, she retired from AMA.
In addition to the AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame, Joyce was awarded the AMA Lifetime Achievement Award, the Carl and Beth Goldberg Vital People Award, and the AMA Fellow Award, recognizing her as an AMA Fellow.
Joyce’s contributions and dedication to AMA cannot be overstated. When former District VIII Vice President (VP) and Safety Committee Chairman Jim Rice was asked his thoughts about Joyce, he responded with the following:
“I’ve known Joyce for nearly 20 years. I’ve never seen her with a transmitter in her hand, a Free Flight model ready to launch, or a control line handle attached to an airplane, but I have seen her daily, reaching out and touching modelers, clubs, and AMA officials with advice, assistance, or strong support of model aviation.
“She is a defender of what is right for AMA, no matter who she butts heads with or what the personal consequences might be. She has been my advisor and friend and attends events across the country, demonstrating her support and love of this great hobby!”
District II VP Eric Williams kindly put forward the compendium for Joyce’s AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame nomination and gathered similar thoughts from prominent members of the aeromodeling community. Following are some excerpts from Eric’s submission:
A Lifetime Career With AMA
There are few individuals, if any, who have given a lifetime of work to AMA. No single person, no AMA staff member, nor any AMA EC member has dedicated their entire career—an entire life’s work of 53 years—in service to AMA as Joyce has. Her years of contributions to AMA are beyond exceptional and will most likely never be matched.
“Joyce has always been involved in the inner workings of AMA and has always done what was right for AMA members. We are fortunate to have had her experience and influence for so many years,” wrote Tom Scott, AMA Life Member and RC Pylon Racing Contest Board member.
A Unique Legacy of Exceptional Service
Joyce joined AMA shortly after high school on February 2, 1970. Starting in secretarial and office assistant roles, Joyce quickly rose through the ranks of AMA and eventually found herself as AMA’s Executive Director (ED) from 1996-2004. Along the way, Joyce served AMA and its members in numerous capacities. When AMA needed an experienced leader, Joyce served as the Interim ED, from November 2005 through December 2006, and yet again from August 2010 through April 2011. Joyce was always up to the task and always answered the call when AMA needed her.
Joyce has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to AMA. Her value to AMA has been proven time and again, particularly during challenging periods!
Throughout her 53 years with AMA, Joyce has interacted with thousands of members, and she has been the “face of AMA” at countless trade shows and national events. She is among the last “keepers of the flame” of AMA’s institutional knowledge throughout the past half century.
Committed to the AMA Journey
When Joyce began working at AMA in 1970, AMA’s headquarters was a one-bedroom apartment at 1239 Vermont Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. At the end of 1970, AMA moved from Vermont Avenue to 806 15th Street NW in Washington, D.C., and later to 815 15th Street NW, where more traditional office space was rented.
In 1983, AMA moved into a dedicated headquarters after purchasing property, raising funds through national donations, and constructing its own building in Reston, Virginia. AMA moved its national headquarters to Muncie, Indiana, in 1993, in roughly two increments. First, it moved to the Frank V. Ehling Complex, now known as the National Model Aviation Museum building, and then to the present AMA Headquarters building in 2001.
Joyce has been with AMA during five AMA headquarters relocations, spanning six different buildings, since 1970. No other AMA staff member was a part of all of those journeys, which were often challenging, but were, in fact, tempered by Joyce’s involvement.
Joyce proved more than just integral to all of AMA’s headquarters relocations from 1970 through 2001. With each move, she was not only a key asset, but also accumulated institutional knowledge of AMA that is relied upon by the EC, staff, and numerous AMA members at large to this day!
Muncie Almost Didn’t Happen
The September 1995 issue of Model Aviation magazine celebrated AMA’s 60th anniversary, including a chronology of AMA’s move to Muncie. That chronology validated Joyce’s critical importance to AMA and its operations. The article stated:
“The trauma of AMA’s move (to Muncie) was intense. Of the 50+ employees in Reston, ultimately, only six remained on staff at Muncie.
“The more than 40 new employees had little knowledge of what we did, how we did it, or why! In an effort to bolster the services of various departments by providing association memory, Bob Underwood [then the ED], contacted Joyce and asked if she would consider at least a temporary move to Muncie.
“Fortunately, she agreed to do so and as a result, the departments were ultimately staffed by capable individuals able to keep things moving on an even keel.”
Countless Member Interactions
Few, if any, individuals have worked with as many AMA officers and members as has Joyce. Undoubtedly, she holds several records for interacting with AMA members.
During her 53 years with AMA, she has served the organization during the terms of no less than eight different executive vice presidents (EVPs), EDs, 10 AMA presidents, 106 VPs, hundreds of associate vice presidents, thousands of AMA Leader Members and contest directors (CDs), not to mention countless AMA members at large. In the history of AMA, no one person has touched, served, and supported as many members as has Joyce.
The Face of AMA
Joyce has, by all accounts, traveled to more national events and represented AMA, than any other person. Although the record might begin earlier, using a conservative estimate of five events per year since 1980, she has represented AMA at more than 200 national events. If AMA had a booth at a national event, chances are, you were greeted by Joyce.
Half a Century in Perspective
Joyce was with AMA during the 50th and 75th anniversaries of the AMA Nats and was with AMA for the 100th anniversary in 2023. She was central to planning the celebrations of AMA’s 50th and 75th anniversaries, the 1996 Celebration of Eagles, and later at the second such celebration. No other AMA staff member, EC member, or member at large worked at AMA’s national level for all of those years.
When Joyce began working at AMA in 1970, the AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame was in its infancy, being established just one year earlier in 1969. At that time, there were only seven members in the hall of fame. Since 1970, there have been more than 300 new inductees. Joyce either worked with, supported, or in some way interacted with most of those people. No one else has that experience.
AMA’s “Library”
There are few individuals who possess the institutional knowledge of AMA that Joyce has. It’s no surprise because her broad experience spans most all of AMA’s departments. She is always quick to respond and never “varnishes the truth.” If Joyce doesn’t know the answer, she knows where to find it. AMA’s elected officers, CDs, Leader Members, Contest Board members, and others quickly learned to call Joyce with virtually any question.
“In the aeromodeling community, Joyce, more than anyone, is known as AMA! She has literally dedicated her entire adult life to AMA, and has been the library of institutional knowledge for our organization,” stated Gary Fitch, AMA executive VP and District II VP emeritus.
“Have a question for AMA? Joyce will give you the true story,” shared Jeff Troy, former editor of Park Pilot and AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame class of 2011.
Always Getting the Job Done
“In 1983, I was the CD for RC Aerobatics (Pattern) at the Chicopee [Massachusetts] Nats. I had to have daily flightline orders for six lines posted by the next morning. I called Joyce at the hotel for help with copying and posting. I thought I’d see her in the morning, but as I looked up the hall, there she came in her robe and fluffy pink slippers. It didn’t matter what title you had, Joyce would always help,” wrote Walt Throne, National Retail Hobby Stores Association president emeritus and AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame class of 2011.
Joyce’s contributions to model aviation are comparable to those of her female contemporaries in the AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame, such as Dolly Wischer, Mertle “Mom” Robbers-Coad, and Hazel Sig-Hester. It is fitting that she now joins these remarkable women as a member of the AMA Model Aviation Hall of Fame.
Thank you, Joyce, for everything you’ve given to the hobby, and thank you for being a part of our world!
Keep ’em safe, keep ’em flying, and continue to enjoy this great hobby!
