Celebrating 25 Years
Welcome to the 25th anniversary page for the Navigator volunteer program!
This page features key volunteer statistics, some of our longtime volunteers and more.
Honoring 25 Years of Service and Friendly Smiles at PHX
This year, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is proudly celebrating a major milestone: 25 years of the Navigator volunteer program. Launched in November 2000, the Navigator program has become a cornerstone of guest service at Phoenix Sky Harbor.
For the past 25 years, more than 1,800 volunteers have contributed over 1.6 million hours of service, assisting passengers, offering directions, and creating a welcoming environment for travelers – always with a friendly smile. Today, more than 400 active Navigators continue that tradition of service. Many have reached significant milestones in their years of volunteering, including 59 volunteers who have served more than 10 years, 41 more than 15 years, and 27 more than 20 years.
Over the years, the airport’s volunteer program has grown to include Navigator Buddies, therapy animals and their handlers; Teen Navigators, high school students who assist passengers; and Navigator Chaplains, who provide spiritual support.
Thank a Navigator💜
Whether offering directions, dining suggestions, travel information, or simply a friendly conversation, we invite you to share your experience and thank a Navigator who made your airport visit easier and more welcoming. While our Navigators always appreciate an in-person thank you, you can also share your message by emailing us at navigator.staff@phoenix.gov or by using #ThxPHXnavigator on social media.
Now Open: Navigator Pop-Up Exhibition
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Navigator volunteer program, the Phoenix Airport Museum has opened a special pop-up exhibition. Located in Terminal 4, Level 1 near the west end by Door 2, the display features photos and stories from the airport’s first volunteer group, The Auxiliary, as well as today’s Navigators. Stop by and explore the history and heart behind 25 years of outstanding service.
Meet Some of Our Longtime Volunteers
We are proud to highlight some of our most dedicated and inspiring volunteers. While they all share a warm and welcoming presence in their signature purple at the airport while helping travelers with directions and information, each has volunteered for more than 20 years.
Arthur Messinger
Years as a Navigator: 23
Number of volunteer hours: 8,500
Prior to his Navigator days, Arthur worked 35 years with General Foods Corporation in White Plains, New York, and in Europe. His duties included supermarket promotions for all kinds of products, and he also served as director of materials management. He enjoyed three years living with his family in Belgium and even represented the company in negotiations in Eastern European countries, including Russia. Arthur enjoys swimming, tennis, reading, train travel, and watching good movies.
Charles Greenwald
Years as a Navigator: 22
Number of volunteer hours: 4,800
Charles is originally from Philadelphia. Before joining the Navigator team, he spent 14 years working for the Arizona state government. He served eight years in the U.S. Army and 22 years in the Air Force. His notable assignments include serving as an air traffic control tower operator on the Iron Curtain border, managing flight operations, and directing personnel and administration for base hospitals. Charles has traveled to several countries both during his military service and later with his wife. Outside of volunteering, he enjoys attending Broadway shows and local movies, traveling, and maintaining daily physical exercise.
Jo Van Loo
Years as a Navigator: 20
Number of volunteer hours: 5,000
Before joining the Navigator program, Jo taught primary school in Phoenix’s Alhambra School District, where many of her students were English language learners. Outside the airport, Jo is a talented watercolor and fabric artist. She holds a unique honor from Uganda’s Busoga Kingdom, where she was named Nakiranda, meaning “sister of Kiranda.” The honor came through her brother’s work and their close ties with a local family.
Toshiko Suzuki
Years as a Navigator: 25
Number of volunteer hours: 3,000
Toshiko works as a dance fitness instructor, loves international travel, enjoys baseball and ice hockey, and says she has a substantial collection of shoes in her closet. Prior to joining the Navigator team, she worked as a project manager for Microsoft Japan.
Volunteer
Complete a Navigator application or email navigator.staff@phoenix.gov for more information. The program application is available year-round.
