ARLINGTON, Va. — The Clifford H. “Ted” Rees Jr. Scholarship Foundation, a nonprofit, charitable foundation of the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI), recently awarded $60,500 in scholarship funds to 35 students, including five veterans, studying to become technicians in the HVACR and water heating industries.

“We’re proud to help these qualified and dedicated students and promote careers in the HVACR and water heating industries to help close the employment and skills gaps we currently face,” said Stephen Yurek, president and CEO, AHRI. “We wish them success in their programs and look forward to welcoming them into the industry.”

The HVACR and Water Heating Technician Program recipients are: Eddie Alejo, San Joaquin Valley College, Ontario, California; Robert Brown, MIAT School of Technology, Township, Missouri; Anthony Crosby, Eastern Oklahoma County Tech Center, Choctaw, Oklahoma; Rachel Duncan, Greenville Technical College, Greenville, South Carolina; Brady Dutton, Bevill State Community College, Sumiton, Alabama; Carlos Farias, College of Lake County, Graylake, Illinois; Antonio Fluker, Midwest Technical Institute, Brownsburg, Indiana; Karima Gibson, Community College of Baltimore County, Catonsville, Maryland; Edward Gilmore, Fortis Institute, Lawrenceville, New Jersey; Evan Gleaves, Perry Technical Institute, Yakima, Washington; Nicholas Guetterman, John A. Logan College, Carterville, Illinois; Marley Hebard, Tulsa Technology Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma; Jacob Jett, Bevill State Community College, Sumiton, Alabama; Cody Jodon, Lake Tech, Eustis, Florida; Sharon Karganilla, Intercoast College, Roseville, California; Hector Lopez, South Texas College, McAllen, Texas; Nathan McKim, Front Range Community College, Fort Collins, Colorado; Patric Miller, Shelton State, Tuscaloosa, Alabama; David Alexander Millwood, Sheridan Technical College, Hollywood, Florida; Dennis Moore, Brownson Technical School, Anaheim, California; Phillip Moore, Midwest Technical Institute, Brownsburg, Indiana; Fausto Najera, San Joaquin Valley College, Ontario, California; David Plunkett, Gadsden State Community College, Anniston, Alabama; Jeremy Radeff, Polaris Career Center, Middleburg Heights, Ohio; Darren Paul Roberts, Bevill State Community College, Sumiton, Alabama; Sean Scoular, Front Range Community College, Fort Collins, Colorado; Blake Selvestra, Minneapolis Community and Technical College, Minneapolis; Jimmie Sides, Gadsden State Community College, Anniston, Alabama; Taylor Taft Trotter, Bevill State Community College, Sumiton, Alabama; and Anna Woodell, Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology, Okmulgee, Oklahoma.

The Veterans Program recipients are: Nathanael King, Bellingham Technical College, Bellingham, Washington; Robert Marchant, Vista College, Amarillo, Texas; Jean-Baptiste Mekpato, Southeast Community College, Milford, Nebraska; Mercury Van Milton, Centura Institute, Orlando, Florida; and John Shawano, Black Hawk Technical College, Janesville, Wisconsin.

Since the Rees Scholarship Foundation was founded in 2003, it has awarded approximately $440,000 in scholarships to more than 250 deserving students and instructors. For a list of past scholarship recipients, visit http://bit.ly/1RSVhgN.