PALM DESERT, Calif. - Richard Northrup, executive vice president of the Michigan Chapter–Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA) in Haslett, Mich., received the Petersen-Dunn Award for Chapter Executive of the Year at SMACNA’s 66th annual convention. The award is presented annually to the SMACNA chapter executive who has made a substantive contribution to their local association and SMACNA. Northrup received the award for his heroic efforts in showing his members how to access federal stimulus money opportunities.

“He orchestrated one of the first American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) seminars in the association community to promote the opportunities forthcoming in Michigan and the region for residential, public, and commercial construction,” said John Ilten, SMACNA president. “The seminar brought together labor and management leaders from the Sheet Metal Workers’ International Association and SMACNA, as well as contractor members. The Michigan SMACNA ARRA Conference featured a slate of speakers from the national, state and federal levels to provide economic analyses of current and future ARRA stimulus related developments in Michigan as well as the nation.”

Northrup, who has been the executive vice president with the Michigan Chapter of SMACNA for 25 years, has been extremely involved in the national association’s legislative initiatives. He is currently serving his second four-year term on the Legislative and SMAC PAC Committees. A 25-year silver jubilee member of the Congressional Insiders Club, Northrup has encouraged his members to attend the national legislative conference as well as the SMAC PAC auction held annually at the national convention.

For more information, visit www.smacna.org.

Publication date: 11/16/2009