Albuquerque’s official expert Tom Rutherford on ballooning in Albuquerque:
In 1972 Tom Rutherford became the youngest person ever elected to the New Mexico State Senate. That same year he and Sid Cutter of Cutter Aviation co-founded the world famous Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Both men, along with Rutherford’s mother Linda, are members of the Balloon Fiesta Hall of Fame. Rutherford, internationally recognized as the “Voice of Fiesta”, continues to serve as public address announcer for the event.