ASHRAE Insights

By Giustino Mastro, Life Member;|
Member, Honors and Awards Committee

Acknowledgement. Approval. Gratitude.

Do these words look familiar to you? They should. They are the basis for recognizing individuals in ASHRAE who give of themselves unselfishly. Our organization of over 55,000 members worldwide is filled with individuals who volunteer countless hours of their time in committee work, attending meetings, presenting papers and in many other ways in the service and technical talent that is ASHRAE. These unsung “heroes” must not go unrecognized. It should be the responsibility of each member to provide the platform and effort in seeking qualified candidates for ASHRAE honors and awards.

This month’s article will focus on “Personal Awards for General Society Activities,” the Distinguished Fifty-Year Member Award, the Exceptional Service Award, and the Distinguished Service Award.

The Distinguished Fifty-Year Member Award recipient is more than being a member for fifty years. The Board of Directors established this award to recognize individuals who have been a member for 50 years, and also is either a past Society President, a Fellow, has received the Distinguished Service Award or has performed outstanding service to the Society. Recognition is in the form of a plaque and lapel pin. To have become Society President or a Fellow, an individual unquestionably has devoted an enormous amount of quality time and effort advancing the Society’s activities and vision. A candidate for this award would have manifested leadership skills and promoted the technical advancement of the Society. There is no limit to the number of Distinguished Fifty-Year Member awards made each year.

The Exceptional Service Award (ESA) was established to recognize members who have served the Society faithfully and with exemplary effort, in excess of that required for the Distinguished Service Award. Eligible candidates must be a full-grade Member for a minimum of 10 years, and must have been a recipient of the Distinguished Service Award. Candidates must score a minimum of 45 service points on the point tally form required with each nomination submittal. The form of the award is a plaque and lapel pin. The Exceptional Service Award is open to a maximum of 20 individuals annually.

The Distinguished Service Award (DSA) was established by the Society’s Board of Directors to recognize a member who has served ASHRAE faithfully as a member of committees or otherwise has given freely of their time and talent on behalf of the Society. Like the Exceptional Service Award, DSA nomination submittal requires a point tally form. Candidates must score a minimum of 15 service points. The award is presented as a plaque and lapel pin. There is no limit to the number of Distinguished Service Awards made annually.

Note that the deadline for submitting nominations for each of these awards to the Honors and Awards Committee is May 1. As with all H&A nominations, it is of paramount importance that the candidate’s ASHRAE biographical record be current.
For forms and information, visit the H&A Web page at www.ashrae.org/honors.