We all have at least one teacher who influenced us. What about you? With your support, this instructor — who helped transform you into the HVACR workhorse you are today — can gain the recognition he or she deserves. The NEWS’ Best Instructor and Trainer contests, sponsored by hilmor, are now accepting nominations.

People tend to gravitate toward Michael Leonard. It’s this approachability, combined with unmatched industry knowledge, endless hours of dedicated service, and a burning desire to bolster the industry’s next generation that has earned Leonard the distinction of The NEWS’ Best Instructor.

Don Crawshaw, HVAC department chair, Pikes Peak Community College, Colorado Springs, Colo., is the runner-up in The NEWS’ 2012 Best Instructor contest.

The NEWS is now accepting nominations for its 13th annual Best Instructor contest and has also created a new contest category for Best Trainer.

For 2011, the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) and The NEWS are honoring Scott Naill as the HVACR Best Instructor. He has been teaching for 17 years at the Upper Valley Career Center, and his commitment to go the extra mile for his students and his program set him apart from the crowd.

According to former student Joe Bates, “Mr. [Boyd] King lives and breathes HVACR. He really knows how to connect with students, and he will do anything he can to help a student.” And that helps to explain why The NEWS is honoring King as runner-up in the 2011 Best Instructor Contest.

While it’s true that Tom Kalber officially retired from Sacramento City College (SCC) this past May, he’s the kind of instructor who can’t just walk away. After teaching full time for 32 years, he has now transitioned to a role as an adjunct professor, and he continues to aid the students in his program.