PHOENIX - The Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA) gave out multiple awards at its 2006 convention. The following are the honorees:

Chapter Executive of the Year Award: Phil Gillespie, executive director of the Sheet Metal Contractors Association Central Indiana Inc., and the Fort Wayne Area Sheet Metal Contractors Association Inc. of Indiana. Gillespie was handed the Petersen-Dunn Award, presented annually to the SMACNA chapter executive making a substantive contribution to their local association and SMACNA.

Special Legislative Service Award: Georgette Ezyske, Central Sheet Metal Fabricators Inc. (Middlesex, N.J.).

Chapter Executive Legislative Advocate of the Year Award: David McCoy, executive director of the New Mexico Sheet Metal Contractors Association. In giving the award to McCoy, Wilson noted, "He urged 100 percent of the members to contribute to SMAC PAC [Political Action Committee] and with only 14 chapter members has edged them into ‘gold status' for the Capitol Caucus and into SMAC PAC's Top Ten."

Legislative Contractor of the Year Award: Edmund Bransfield, CEO of William J. Donovan Co. (Philadelphia).

Distinguished Legislative Service Award: George L. "Butch" Welsch, former SMACNA president and president of Welsch Heating & Cooling Co. (St. Louis). "The Distinguished Legislative Service Award is one of the highest legislative honors a contractor may earn within the organization and recognizes Butch's career of longstanding, dedicated legislative and political activism, and for that we honor him today," said Wilson.

Contractor of the Year Award: SMACNA broke with tradition and awarded the College of Fellows this honor. The college is, as it described itself, "a group of contractors who, together, pool their knowledge, experience, and talents to serve SMACNA and the industry." Ron Rodgers, chairman of the College of Fellows, accepted the award on its behalf.

Publication date: 11/27/2006