Thunderbird Inn manager wins Hero Award

  • Published
  • By Argen Duncan
  • Nucleus writer
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Recognizing a Kirtland-connected restaurateur's commitment to his community despite many difficulties, distributor US Foods has presented Robert Vick with the Food Fanatics Hero Award.

Vick, manager of Thunderbird Inn dining facility was one of six winners out of more than 1,000 nominees nationwide in the inaugural Food Fanatics contest. Food Fanatics Manager Jennifer Paulson said his story resonated with the selection panel.

"It really showed his perseverance and his commitment to the community," Paulson said.

Although Vick is legally blind, she added, "it's not really a factor in the way he lives his life."

Vick said it's an honor to receive the award, but he's not a hero.

"I serve heroes all day long," he said.

The Airmen he serves at Thunderbird Inn at Kirtland and emergency responders he serves at Vick's Vittles restaurant on Central Avenue are the real heroes, Vick said.

The restaurateur has operated Thunderbird Inn for 17 years and Vick's Vittles for 18 months.

Paulson said the criteria for the Hero Award is flexible. Vick won for his perseverance and work with the military and community.

"He's stuck with the community, and the beautiful thing is, the community's really stuck with him," Paulson said.

US Food paid for Vick and other winners to fly to Napa, California, earlier this month for the awards banquet, Rethink Food Conference and a visit to the Culinary Institute of America.

Paulson said Vick and his fiancé had planned to take a long weekend, but on Friday they received a call that their home had caught on fire. They had to return Saturday.

"Not once did he get down," Paulson said.

She said Vick was just grateful his son and dogs weren't home at the time of the fire, and his family had a place to stay until repairs were completed.

US Food officials decided to fly the couple back to Napa to continue their vacation soon.

Vick said the trip was a wonderful experience, and he picked up a lot of useful information at the institute.

With 70 percent of his staff at Thunderbird Inn having a disability, Vick has won the John L. Hennessy Award for best food service in the U.S. Air Force three times.

When federal budget cuts led to the closure of base dining facilities open to civilians, Vick opened Vick's Vittles in a troubled neighborhood nearby.

"I live here, I'm invested in it, and I want to make a difference," he said.

Vick runs the restaurant despite repeated break-ins and an assault that left him with a head wound and short-term memory problems.

He serves on the City of Albuquerque Route 66 Working Group and bought the problem-spot hotel next door to Vick's Vittles. After giving away the furniture and letting Albuquerque Police train in the building for a month, he tore the hotel down for a restaurant expansion.

Vick also paid for a therapeutic device Albuquerque Police mounted officers use when their horses have sore legs.

"If we keep pushing forward, the bad element will get out of the area," he said.

He's already seen improvement. Vick continues to hire people with disabilities at his restaurant. He doesn't offer lower wages, instead changing the job description to fit their abilities.

He has exceptional teams at Kirtland and Vick's Vittles, he said. Vick's Vittles customers Vallory Etmer and Lynn Williams agreed that the food is good and the employees are friendly.

"This is the best place," Etmer said. "It's awesome."

She's a particular fan of Vick's cinnamon rolls and green chile gravy, while Williams likes the banana pudding.

"The prices are decent, too," Williams said.