NEW YORK — The Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association (GAMA) paid tribute to Gary Tapella, president and CEO of the Rheem Manufacturing Company, with its Distinguished Service Award. This is the first time the organization has given out this award.

Tapella was recognized for his contributions to the industries that GAMA serves and to the public interest. In presenting the award, GAMA cited Tapella’s leadership in creating the GAMA Water Heater Division’s Consumer Safety Awareness Campaign, designed to alert homeowners to the potential dangers of flammable vapor fires and excessively hot tap water in the home. More recently, Tappela played a key role in an effort by all domestic water heater manufacturers to develop new technologies for gas-fired water heaters that would resist igniting flammable vapors that result from the mishandling of gasoline and other flammable products.

Publication date: 09/08/2003