The Craig McCarty Memorial Award is awarded to members of HRAI’s Contractors Division who have shown outstanding leadership and dedication to the HVACR contracting industry in Canada by volunteering to serve in leadership roles in the division. The award is named in memory of Craig McCarty, a founding member of the Essex/Kent/Lambton Chapter, who, before his illness, was slated to be the first chair of HRAI’s Contractors Division. His vision for and dedication to the formation of a Contractors Division as a distinct entity within HRAI helped to make the contractor group what it is today. He lost his life to multiple myeloma, a rare form of cancer, in 1999.

The Gearld Inch Award for Chapter Leadership recognizes the special efforts of those volunteers who have been instrumental in keeping chapters and local/regional groups viable and meaningful to members. Gearld Inch is a founding member of the London Region HRAI Association and has been a member for over 25 years. His longstanding contribution to the chapter and the membership at large included his commitment to and support for education programs at the chapter level. He has been honored with the HRAI Merit Award and a Lifetime Membership for his contributions to the development of HRAI and the Canadian HVACR Industry.