ARLINGTON, VA. - Randy Tice, chairman of APR Supply Co., Lebanon, Pa., received the 2008 Ted Rees Leadership Award from the North American Technician Excellence (NATE) board of trustees as special recognition for his leadership in technician excellence. Rex Boynton, president of NATE, presented the award to Tice during the 2008 fall board meeting.

“The Ted Rees Leadership Award, named for the former president of the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute, honors individuals who have demonstrated exemplary leadership in the pursuit of technician excellence,” said Boynton. “No one is more deserving than Randy Tice. Not only has he taken on leadership positions within NATE, but he is continuously encouraging technicians to get certified. Randy truly understands the value of certification and why it’s so important for the industry.”

A former chair of the NATE board, Tice has been working with the organization for around eight years. A native of Pennsylvania, he graduated from Penn State University with an engineering degree. After spending several years as a professional engineer in the HVAC industry, Tice decided to work for a plumbing and heating supply house his father owned. In 1981, he bought the company and in 1991 he became president of American Supply Association (the plumbing side of the company). In 2005, he became president of Heating, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI).

“It is extremely important to expand technician abilities for homeowners,” said Tice. “NATE certification gives us a check to know whether the technicians are capable of installing and maintaining the equipment we sell. It saves us time and money by cutting back on the number of problems that may arise.”

For more information about NATE, visit www.natex.org.

Publication date: 11/24/2008