12/26/2023
At its 2023 Leadership Forum in Miami, Fla., the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) recognized several HVACR industry leaders for their contributions to the HVACR and water heating industry. Awards were given in three categories: the Richard C. Schulze Award, which recognizes the industry-wide achievements of individuals also pursuing AHRI goals; the AHRI Public Service Award, for deserving individuals or organizations making a significant contribution to the HVACR industry and in furthering AHRI goals; and the AHRI Distinguished Service Award, the association’s highest honor, recognizing industry leaders who have made considerable contributions throughout their careers.
Richard C. Schulze Award winners include:
- Bob Brown, WaterFurnace International
- David Calabrese, Daikin U.S. Corporation
- Shawn Hern, Climate Master
- Todd Michael, Trane Technologies
Bob Brown, Vice President for Engineering and Research at WaterFurnace, is the current chair of the Water Source and Geothermal Heat Pumps Standards Technical Committee. He’s been an active participant in AHRI for many years, including in his recent work as a key developer of the new AHRI 600 test standard. Brown’s efforts were instrumental in advancing the standard to better align with the requirements of the Department of Energy.
David Calabrese, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs and Deputy General Manager at Daikin U.S. Corporation, has been active with AHRI since 2008. He’s served as a leader in the industry at critical times, becoming the Chair of the Safe Refrigerant Transition Task Force and the Vice Chairman of the Board of the Alliance for Responsible Atmospheric Policy. His international, legal, regulatory, and legislative expertise will continue to benefit U.S. manufacturing for years to come.
Shawn Hern, Engineering Director for New Product Development at Climate Master, is an active member of the Water Source and Geothermal Heat Pump Standard Technical Committees as well as some Standard Working Groups. His work has been key to developing tools and testing standard language for the brand-new IEER test standard for geothermal and water source heat pumps. In addition, his efforts during and outside of working group meetings were instrumental in finalizing the AHRI 600 standard.
Todd Michael, Heat Transfer Engineer at Trane Technologies, brings more than three decades of experience to AHRI as an expert in heat exchange coiler design and standards development. He has been the driving force for updates to Standard 410, which will soon be submitted to the AHRI Standards committee. His work ensures that the standard will detail the design and rating of air coils that are not included in other standards, further promoting energy efficiency, sustainability, and the overall value of AHRI standards.
The Public Service Award was presented to Ralph Suppa, formerly President and General Manager of AHRI partner organization the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating (CIPH). During his time at CIPH, Ralph cultivated key relationships with both AHRI and U.S. HVACR and water heating manufacturers. His expertise was a key factor in the Canadian Government’s decision to accept AHRI equipment as meeting Canadian regulations. The move enabled AHRI member companies to ship products across the Northern border without performing additional efficiency testing. His relationships within federal and provincial Canadian governments have proven invaluable to AHRI’s policy team and members to achieve policy goals and share industry knowledge.
Distinguished Service Awards were presented to two past AHRI chairmen for their contributions to the industry:
- Keith Coursin, Desert Aire
- Doug Young, Lennox International
Keith Coursin has served as President of Desert Aire for 33 years, and recently announced his retirement effective at the end of 2023. Coursin has been extremely involved in AHRI, having served as Dehumidifiers Product Section Chair, AHRI Treasurer, and as Chairman of the AHRI Board of Directors. He has also served on – and chaired – multiple committees, including Budget & Investment, Compensation, Nominating, and Strategic Planning. He also was the longest serving member of the AHRI Expo Policy Committee. During his time, he helped oversee the exponential growth of the event as it became one of the largest and best-attended HVACR and water heating shows in the world. He was honored by his colleagues and AHRI staff with a lengthy standing ovation during the award presentation at the 2023 Leadership Forum.
Doug Young joined Lennox International in 1999 as Vice President and General Manager of Lennox North American Residential Sales, Marketing and Distribution, as well as serving as the President and CEO of Lennox’s residential heating and cooling segment. Prior to his work with Lennox, he held several leadership roles in the appliance division of General Electric. Before his retirement, Young was very active in AHRI. He served as the 2016 Chairman of the AHRI Board of Directors, a member of the Rees Scholarship Foundation Board of Directors, a member of the Audit Committee, and Chairman of the Budget & Investment, Strategic Planning, Compensation, and Nominating Committees. His knowledge and experience spanned all four of AHRI’s industry sectors, providing valuable insight to his colleagues and AHRI staff.
“It is especially important to recognize the leaders who drive growth and success in the HVACR and water heating industry, as they serve as positive examples for others,” said Stephen Yurke, AHRI President and CEO. “AHRI congratulates this year’s award recipients, and we are very appreciative for their dedication and hard work, which has helped make life better for Americans and people all across the globe.”
The AHRI Nominating Committee also named the association’s Board of Directors and officers for 2024:
Officers:
- Gary Bedard, Lennox International, Chairman
- Brent Schroeder, Copeland, Vice Chair
- Megan Fellinger, Morrison Products, Vice Chair
- Kevin Beckett, R.W. Beckett, Treasurer
- Kevin Wheeler, A.O. Smith, Immediate Past Chairman
The AHRI Board of Directors selected Gary Bedard, Executive Vice President, President, and COO at Lennox, to serve as the 2024 Chairman. Bedard has been involved in AHRI’s mission for years, bringing decades of experience in refrigeration and residential systems. He currently chairs the Budget and Investment Committee and is a member of the Compensation, Nominating, and Strategic Planning committees.
Gary Bedard, 2024 AHRI Chairman.
Board of Directors:
- Mike Branson, Rheem Manufacturing
- David Budzinski, Johnson Controls
- Bruce Carnevale, Bradford White
- Tim Figge, Hussman
- John Kramer, Cambridge Air Solutions
- Donny Simmons, Trane Technologies
- John Thomas, WaterFurnace International
- Yogi Uemura, Daikin U.S. Corporation
- Philip Windham, Nortek Global HVAC
About AHRI
The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) is the trade association representing manufacturers of air conditioning, heating, and commercial refrigeration, and water heating equipment. An internationally recognized advocate for the industry, AHRI develops standards for and certifies the performance of many of these products. AHRI's 300+ member companies manufacture quality, efficient, and innovative residential and commercial air conditioning, space heating, water heating, and commercial refrigeration equipment and components for sale in North America and around the world. For more information, visit www.ahri.org.
