Motorcoach Expo's biggest event, the 2nd annual Vision Awards Gala, honored four leading motorcoach operators.

The banquet, which replaced Expo's annual awards breakfast last year, was again a first-class event, treating attendees to music, dinner, desert and drama as the four special awards were handed out.

Frank Henry, the long-time chairman of the Martz Group in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., received the evening's first award, the United Motorcoach Association Safety Leader of the Year Award, the top safety honor in the over-the-road bus industry.

In presenting the award, Carmen Daecher of The Daecher Consulting Group of Camp Hill, Pa., said Henry had overhauled his companies in recent years, including driving down the accident frequency rates "tremendously" and increasing the company commitment to safety.

Henry heads a company founded by his grandfather in 1908.

Named Operator of the Year by Metro magazine was New World Tours of Bristow, Va., and its president Dave Bolen. In presenting the award, Ty Bobit, president of Bobit Business Media, publisher of Metro, cited New World's training program and renewed commitment to excellence.

All Aboard America! of Mesa, Ariz., and its owner, Jack Wigley, was named winner of the BUSRide magazine Motorcoach Industry Achievement Award. All Aboard America! was cited for its professionalism, innovation, high standards and ethics.

There were co-winners of the UMA Vision Award.

The Martz Group and Frank Henry received the Vision Award, as did Carl R. Bieber Tourways of Kutztown, Pa., and its president Steve Haddad.

The Vision Award goes to an operator that has sound business practices, an excellent safety record, and uses innovative approaches throughout its operation.

In accepting the award, Henry said he was proud to be surrounded at the Martz Group by people "you can be proud of." He said that by picking employees who are smarter than you are, you'll come out on top."

The most touching moment of the evening came when Steve Haddad accepted the award. He noted he had purchased Bieber Tourways nine weeks before 9/11. He thanked his employees for supporting him and making it possible for the company to win the award; Motor Coach Industries and its CEO Tom Sorrels and other executives for being willing to take the risk with him; the board and staff of UMA, and his wife for having faith in him during the dark, dark days of 2001.

Also honored were Kevin Whitworth of Whitworth Bus Sales for chairing Motorcoach Expo's popular Maintenance Interchange, and six former UMA directors: Alex Allen, Warren Miller, Bob Quick, Bill Rohrbaugh, John Silvanie and Alan Spachman.