The Coronado Thunderbirds were formed in 1984 as a sub-group from members of the Coronado Club maintained by Sandia National Laboratories at Kirtland Air Force Base. The Club acknowledges gratitude for its presidents:
| Year | President | Year | President | Year | President |
| 1984 | Nick Delollis | 1997 | Bill Clement |
2010 | Emmeliene Schreiner |
| 1985 | Nick Delollis | 1998 | Dick Jorgensen |
2011 | Jesse Allen |
| 1986 | Nick Delollis | 1999 | Joe Deveney |
2012 | Emmeliene Schreiner |
| 1987 | Bob Butler | 2000 | Ramona Rael |
2013 | Jesse Allen |
| 1988 | Bob Butler | 2001 | Marv Plugge |
2014 | Ken Deller |
| 1989 | Bob Butler | 2002 | Dale Buchanan |
2015 | Charles Vittitoe |
| 1990 | Art Hasenkamp | 2003 | Ken Deller |
2016 | John P. Anthes |
| 1991 | Art Hasenkamp | 2004 | Joe Sorroche |
2017 | John P. Anthes |
| 1992 | Harold Barnett | 2005 | Rod Boenig |
2018 | Paul Hlava |
| 1993 | Dale Buchanan | 2006 | Gilbert Cano |
2019 | Paul Hlava |
| 1994 | Dale Buchanan |
2007 | Charles Vittitoe |
2020 | John P. Anthes |
| 1995 | Bernard Brown |
2008 | Dick Graham |
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| 1996 | Bob Martin |
2009 | Sam Erisman |
An infrequently-awarded recognition is the Long Term Leadership Award. Another such award is the Special Recognition Award:
| Long Term Leadership Awards |
Special Recognition Awards |
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| Year | Winner | Year | Winner |
| 2003 | Bob Butler* |
1999 | Mike Michnovicz |
| 2017 | Ken Deller |
2001 | Adron Pritchard |
| 2017 | Charles Vittitoe | ||
*Bob Butler received the award in 2003. He first became a Club member in 1986, served as its president for 3 terms and as its travel leader and newsletter editor for many years.
Many others have been huge contributors to the club. By naming some, unfortunately it is likely that some will be omitted; senior moments, lack of information, time, … are all to blame. Those who have been granted Founders Awards and Distinguished Service Awards are:
| Founders Awards | Distinguished Service Awards | ||
| Year | Winner | Year | Winner |
| 1994 | Nick Delollis | 1997 | Jim Caller, first Treasurer |
| 1995 | Harold Barnett | 2001 | Leonard Flesner |
| 1996 | Art Hasenkamp | 2001 | Angie Vergo |
| 1997 | Bob Butler | 2002 | Dick Jorgenson |
| 1998 | Dale Buchanan | 2003 | Lucille Kinzer |
| 1999 | Bob Martin | 2004 | Ken Deller |
| 2001 | Ramona Rael | 2005 | Joe Sorroche, 1st president at MVC |
| 2002 | Marv Plugge | 2006 | Helen Flesner |
| 2003 | Len Flesner | 2006 | Al Hachigian |
| 2005 | Ken Deller | 2007 | Dale Breding |
| 2007 | Joe Sorroche | 2008 | Rod Boenig |
| 2009 | Charles Vittitoe | 2008 | Charles Vittitoe |
| 2011 | Genelia Boenig | 2009 | Gilbert Cano |
| 2011 | Gilbert Cano | 2009 | Ed Reyes |
| 2013 | Adron Pritchard | 2010 | Genelia Boenig |
| 2013 | Vickie Clark | 2010 | Adron Pritchard |
| 2014 | Ed Reyes | 2012 | Vickie Clark |
| 2015 | Ellen Biernacki | 2013 | Jesse Allen |
| 2017 | Jesse Allen |
2014 | Richard Gido |
| 2019 | John P. Anthes | 2016 | Barbara Desilets |
| 2019 | Pete Havey, Sr. | 2017 | John P. Anthes |
| 2017 | Connie DeFoe |
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| 2017 | Pete Havey, Sr. |
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| 2018 | Ellen Biernacki | ||
| 2018 | Lionel Holguin | ||
| 2018 | Johanna James | ||
| 2018 | Guylaine Pollock |
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Several are mentioned that have contributed to the website: Len Flesner for our map; Dick Jorgensen for the Thunderbird symbol, and the 2010 Board of Directors for their critiques.