The purpose of the Bobbye Hall Distinguished Service Award is to recognize an individual or organization for their service in the Model Railroad Industry.
The award is given annually in memory of Ms. Bobbye Hall who served the Model Railroad Industry in many capacities during her long career. Her most distinguishing characteristic is that she was always willing to help, but never asked for anything in return. It is that same spirit that we wish to capture with this award.
The nominees must meet the following criteria.
- Anyone that serves in the Model Railroad Industry is eligible for this award. The nominee can be a retailer, manufacturer, hobbyist, distributor, model railroad club, model railroad builder, or publication producer.
- The recipient will demonstrate the same characteristics as Ms. Hall through their unselfish dedication and compassion for the model railroad industry. This may be shown by their contributions to the industry, expenditure of personal time, or inspirational support.
Model Railroad Division – Bobbye Hall Award Winners
BOBBYE HALL – 2023
The 2023 Bobbye Hall Distinguished Service Award recipient is John Sacerdote, from the Amherst Railway Society, for his tireless work promoting the model train industry. John is a lifelong model railroader and show director for the non-profit Amherst Railway Society’s Railroad Hobby Show, and one of the most noteworthy and unselfish ambassadors of the hobby. He has 20 years of show management experience and his enthusiasm and eagerness to promote model railroading and rail history overflows through the number of videos, public interviews, and industry podcasts he has hosted or been a guest on.
Over the years, John has guided a team that has lifted the show to new heights, not only as one of the largest hobby attractions each year in the U.S., but also as a significant benefactor within the community and hobby. The Railroad Hobby Show has provided over $850,000 dollars in grants and donations given to local charities and railway societies on behalf of the Amherst Railway Society. In addition, John is leading Amherst Railway Society’s latest mentoring effort, Kids on Track, a program which encourages kids to take the throttle and run trains at an annual model train show in Springfield, MA. John is expanding the concept to shows where the society’s modular railroad, the Belt Lines, is set up three or four times a year. He is also leading an effort to work with STEAM programs and is a friend to many companies in the model railroad industry. John is one the greatest assets the model railroad hobby can have with his relentless work to promote and raise the bar for model railroading through collaboration and organization. Congratulations, John, on receiving the Bobbye Hall Distinguished Service Award!
BOBBYE HALL – 2022
The 2022 Bobbye Hall Distinguished Service Award recipient is Stacey Walthers Naffah for her continuous dedication and her selfless service of promoting the model railroad industry. Stacey has worked tirelessly with Discovery World Principals for over 10 years and 2 administrations to create a first ever “Summer Camp” to introduce model railroading to kids. This effort involved eliciting the support of the World’s Greatest Hobby (WGH) organization to help finance and assist in the development of the curriculum. The first summer camp was held in 2019 prior to the beginning of the Covid-19 Pandemic. The objective of this program is to establish a prototype program that can be rolled out in a large scale to educational organizations. Additionally, Stacey partnered with Discovery World for the “All Aboard” layout donated by Richard Grigg and his family. Walthers will provide the maintenance needed to keep the model railway running smoothly. By partnering with Discovery World, Stacey’s goal is to bring years of fun and hands-on learning opportunities to children and their families. She hopes to expand similar teaching opportunities to children at various science and technology centers across the United States. Sparking their interest at a young age is key to creating a new generation of model railroad enthusiasts.
Stacey also serves as President of the World’s Greatest Hobby organization and has energized the Board by spearheading an effort to create a long-term strategic plan. She is also a frequent speaker on model railroading and how it supports STEM and STEAM teachings. She has appeared numerous times on Milwaukee local TV shows, including: Fox and Friends, The Morning Show, and etc. Stacey has supported youth in model railroading by collaborating with Colorado Model Railroad Museum to host the Tracks to Success Youth Summit.
Lastly, Stacey has started a new modeler initiative. She has advocated and pressed for the development of products that will appeal to and engage people in the hobby. With the Walthers “Build A World” product offering, Stacey has developed a program to encourage people to enter the hobby of model railroading. Stacey is also an active Board member of the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Foundation. Congratulations to Stacey Walthers Naffah on receiving the 2022 Bobbye Hall Distinguished Service Award!
BOBBYE HALL – 2021
Andy Sperandeo had a lifelong passion with trains and eloquently combined the business of writing about and enjoying them. He becomes the 14th recipient of the award, which recognizes an individual or organization for service in the model railroad industry. The award, established in 2008, is given annually in memory of Ms. Bobbye Hall, who, as the owner of Hall’s Hobby House in Dallas, served the industry in many capacities during a long career. For more than 30 years, Sperandeo was an integral part of Model Railroader, authoring hundreds of articles, columns and reviews. He was the founding editor of Great Model Railroads and other publications while at the magazine.
Wearing his trademark Hawaiian shirt and straw hat, Sperandeo frequented conventions, meets and operating sessions across the country on both company and personal time. He was always eager to share his knowledge and did so at the many operating sessions he participated in on his personal time. Sperandeo was a fixture at NMRA conventions and a member of the Santa Fe Historical & Modeling Society. When Sperandeo passed away in 2015 at 70, his colleagues at Model Railroader and friends offered kind words. Wrote the late editor, Neal Besougloff, “Andy was an excellent model builder, a diligent researcher, meticulous editor and a good friend.”
Congratulations, Andy, on receiving the 2021 Bobbye Hall Award for exemplary leadership and service to the model railroad industry!
BOBBYE HALL – 2019
Frank Angstead from InterMountain Railway was awarded the 2019 Bobbye Hall Award. Frank has over 27 years in the industry and is one of the most outspoken proponents of model railroading. His dedication to the enhancement and marketing of not just InterMountain’s products but the model railroad hobby itself has been inspiring. Frank routinely hosts open forums and clinics on the business side of manufacturers, highlighting new developments within the industry. He promotes awareness of model railroading to the public and is a positive force with his upbeat attitude towards model railroading.
Frank has mentored many, directed them towards quality manufacturing outlets and has the respect of many people in and around the hobby. He has even helped other small companies by marketing and distributing their products along with the InterMountain brand.
Congratulations, Frank, on receiving the 2019 Bobbye Hall Award for exemplary leadership and service to the model railroad industry!
BOBBYE HALL – 2018
Richard Janyszek from Bachmann Industries was awarded the 2018 Bobbye Hall Award. Rich has always placed himself in a position to help the model railroad industry to expand. Whenever a need arises, he always volunteers himself and his company to do what has to be done. He has never been selfish with his time nor his knowledge. He has a “can-do” mindset and a way of convincing others to place their passion into good use by finding ways to build up the model railroad industry.
During the last 14 years, he has served on the MRID council as a member, the Treasurer, Vice President and as the president. He also served as the HMA President from 2014-2016. During his tenure, he oversaw the replacement of the HMA’s management company and launch a revamped, more user friendly HMA website.
As if that was not enough, he was also instrumental in doing some belt tightening and fundraising to improve the HMA’s financial position. For example, he spearheaded a product bundling program where retailers could buy a selection of products donated from 17 contributing manufacturers. This was no easy task in terms of donation-wrangling and shipping logistics, but it resulted in raising nearly $25,000 in much-needed funds for the HMA.
Congratulations, Rich, on receiving the 2018 Bobbye Hall Award for exemplary leadership and service to the model railroad industry!
BOBBYE HALL – 2017
Randy Bachmann from Train Show Inc. was awarded the 2017 Bobbye Hall Award. Randy has passionately promoted model railroading since he was 15 years old. While still in his early teens he constructed a large Hon3 portable layout to be taken to the shows to address a need he saw with a lack of narrow gauge displays. Later in his teens he joined the Great American Train Show as full time staff. For the past 30 years Randy has managed or attended over 500 shows.
Over the years he has progressed from staff member, to manager, to officer and for the last 10 years owner of train shows. His company Train Show Inc. owns Greenberg Shows, Great Train Shows, Great Midwest Train Show and the World’s Greatest Hobby on tour which is co-sponsored by the World’s Greatest Hobby organization. Randy’s efforts have exposed well over 1 million people to model railroading for the first time. Over a quarter of a million hobbyists attend his shows every year. He is the largest TV advertiser to feature model trains. His company is the largest train show company in the world.
Randy is generous with his time, helping many small companies succeed in the hobby. Randy’s shows have provided over 100 hundred model railroad clubs with a share of over $100,000 of funding. He has been instrumental in setting a model railroad record in the Guinness book of records. He has spent his time and money to single handedly put on free public exhibitions at places like Greenhouses and garden centers to showcase Model Railroading
Over the last 30 years, in addition to promoting the hobby to millions and spending millions of dollars on advertising featuring model trains, Randy has also worked in a hobby shop part time and started his own small model railroad manufacturing business, Modeler’s Choice.
Randy’s passion, dedication, work ethic and helping spirit in model railroading should be a role model for others. Just ask any of the train show exhibitors, his employees, train show attendees, customers of Modeler’s Choice, or anyone else that knows him, he is the real deal when it come to a caring generous person promoting a hobby he truly loves. Congratulations Randy!
BOBBYE HALL – 2016
Samuel Clarke – Kadee Quality Products
Samuel Clarke has worked for Kadee Quality Products for over 21 years and has accomplished so many different things that he has become an expert in the field and is called “Sam the Answer Man.” Sam attends local, regional, and national shows and conventions as an advocate for Model Railroading and helping anyone who has problems or questions regarding the operation of their trains. His compassion is seen time and time again, not only giving advice, but rather demonstrating how to fix, change or adapt anything from wheels, trucks, couplers, or track to make the hobby enjoyable and fun. Sam holds clinics regarding couplers and answers any questions and often does repairs, converts or fixes loco’s and cars in order to be operational doing so on his own time and not charging for doing so. On any given day at Kadee, Sam will help those who call in, email or drop by, no matter what the issue may be. He will explain, show, modify or fix the problem that the individual or club may have and offer the best option(s) to rectify the problem they have incurred. His personal time spent helping someone can be anywhere from a couple of minutes to a few hours and he never complains even when he has fielded 30 plus contacts a day. Congratulations to Sam on this deserving award.
BOBBYE HALL – 2015
Frank Ritota – Model Rectifier Corporation
Frank has worked in the industry for a leading Model Railroad manufacturer for 35+ years and has held every conceivable office or volunteer position on every Hobby Industry board over the years, including HMA. He is a tireless promoter of the entire hobby industry. Congratulations to Frank on this deserving award.
BOBBYE HALL – 2014
There was no recipient of the Bobbye Hall Award in 2014.
BOBBYE HALL – 2013
Alice Morris – H&R Trains
Alice Morris has had a profound impact on so many people in our industry and startup model railroad business it would be hard to describe them all. Alice established H&R Trains which has grown to become the second largest train store in the US with over 60,000 active customers from all over the world. The store is recognized worldwide as a “model railroader’s paradise” with over 32,000 different items in stock at any time. Alice wanted to do more for the youngest customers and formed the Little Engineers Club which meets once a month to educate young children about real trains. H&R also participates in the Great America Teach-In each year with the local school system, as well as holding birthday parties and class tours for school children. Alice has been responsible for introducing new model railroading products many times over the past years. According to the founder of LGB, Alice was the very first retailer in the USA to introduce LGB trains to her customers. H&R (and Alice herself) has won numerous awards over the years and has been included in many industry publications. Many long-time customers now bring their own children into the store, proving that Alice Morris and her store have created a legacy that deserves this type of recognition.
BOBBYE HALL – 2012
Bud Reece – Bachmann Trains
Bud has always been the “go to” guy for it seems everything. When some need help, he never says no. He finds the solution. Bud has always made himself and his company available to the “good of the order” for a number of trade associations, for hobby store owners, manufacturers and individuals. He is there for everyone, just like Bobbye Hall.
BOBBYE HALL – 2011
Allen Pollock – Fun and Games II
Allen Pollock has served as a member of the model railroad industry division council since 2004, including three terms as vice president, and has also been central to the establishment of a working group with a mission of enhancing communications between the HMA and the National Model Railroad Association. He has also served as an officer of the NMRA, including three terms as vice president and two as president, and he has served as that association’s industry liaison since 1990.
2010 Bobbye Hall Award Winners
2010 Recipient – John Tews
The 2010 Bobbye Hall award for distinguished service to the model railroad industry was presented to John Tews who is currently the general manager of the Trainfest consumer show in Milwaukee held every November. Under John’s direction over the past 19 years, Trainfest has grown in attendance with over 22,000 model railroad enthusiasts attending the show each year.
John is also the Emeritus Director of the East Troy Railroad Museum and received the NMRA Certificate of Achievement award as an Association Official and Association Volunteer as well as the Master Model Railroader award May, 2002. John was a member
of the Board of Directors of the WISE Division of NMRA and a WISE Division Superintendent for 5 years in the early 1990’s.
John attended the Milwaukee School of Engineering and Valparaiso University for Civil Engineering. He worked for several years as a civil engineer for the Chicago and Northwestern Railway in Butler, WI as well as a Construction Project Manager for Wisconsin Electric Power Company from where he retired in 2006.
“John has worked extremely hard to make Trainfest a premier show in the model railroad industry and we thank him for his service and cooperation with the HMA MRID,” stated Gary Kamin, co-chair of the Awards Committee.
2009 Bobbye Hall Award Winners
Aubrey Olson of Caboose Industries was recognized for his continued support of all the model railroad industry trade and consumer shows and the positive attitude he has shown to hobby consumers and train enthusiasts.
Dave Swanson, founder of the World’s Greatest Hobby Shows, was recognized for his outstanding efforts in bringing model trains to new consumers. In 2004, Dave founded the World’s Greatest Hobby Shows, a model railroad industry consumer show designed to introduce people to the wonderful hobby of model railroading. To date over 462,000 people have attended the shows in different cities throughout America. Dave was credited for his marketing and promotional efforts to bring these shows to people who have never experienced the hobby before.
2008 Winners
Fred Hill, who knew Bobbye Hall, is a model railroad retailer (The Original Whistle Stop) and manufacturer (The Coach Yard/Thin Film) in California. He has served in leadership positions in MRIA, the National Retail Hobby Stores Association, and HMA, most recently as chair of the Show Committee.
Fred Hamilton, former Executive Director of the Model Railroad Industry Association (now HMA-MRID), began his career in railroading with Kalmbach Publishing/Model Railroader magazine for 20 years. He served in leadership capacities with MRIA’s Board of Trustees before becoming its executive director.