Contractors, take note. The winners have been chosen in The News’ third annual HVACR Instructor of the Year contest. The award-winning instructors profiled in this issue can be your key to finding qualified, educated technicians. They are the industry’s backbone, providing talented technicians to the industry.

This year The News has chosen one overall winner and five runners-up. But all six of the instructors profiled are fit to wear the title of HVACR Instructor of the Year. It was an extremely difficult decision, and The News thanks the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) for sponsoring the contest and helping to choose the winner.

The 2002 HVACR Instructor of the Year is Jerry Parker, John A. Logan College (Carterville, IL). This year’s runners-up are Rob Bates, Delaware Technical & Community College (Georgetown, DE); James L. Bergmann, Cuyahoga Valley Career Center (Brecksville, OH); Jim Kroll, Virginia Highlands Community College (Abingdon, VA); Dick Lane, Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical Schools (Carroll, OH); and Bill Matthews, Linn State Technical College (Linn, MO).