Against the backdrop of a late spring evening, the Electrical Section gathered for a reception at the NFPA Conference & Expo in Boston on Tuesday to recognize its members, and their dedication and shared commitment to the creation of standards that help guide and protect our workforce and the people who depend on them for their safety. One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of the Richard G. Biermann Award to Michael J. Johnston, Executive Director of Codes, Standards, and Safety at the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA).
Mike Johnston (center) with John Kovacik (left) and Mark Earley (right).
The highly regarded award, created in honor of Richard G. Biermann former chair of the National Electrical Code® (NEC®) Correlating Committee, recognizes an outstanding volunteer who has demonstrated a commitment to actively contributing to the advancement of the NEC by furthering its development and/or promoting its implementation.
Johnston is responsible for managing the codes, standards, and safety functions for NECA and is secretary of the NECA Codes and Standards Committee. He is immediate past chair and currently principal member of the NEC Correlating Committee while continuing to serve as an active member of the NFPA Standards Council. He is also a member of and immediate past chair of the NFPA Electrical Section. Johnson received recognition for his work at the NFPA “Stars at Night” Awards Gala on Sunday, which celebrated the brightest starts in fire and life safety.
“Mike has shown incredible dedication and leadership around the NEC project for many years and is a valuable member of the NEC Correlating Committee and NFPA Standards Council in addition to being a former Code-Making Panel member and chair,” said Jeff Sargent, Principal Specialist and Executive Secretary for the NFPA Electrical Section. It is an honor for the NFPA Electrical Section to present him with this esteemed award in support of his continued work to advance safety.”
Another highlight of the evening was the recognition of 17 members of the NEC Quarter Century Club. Each was honored for their 25 years of service on an NEC Code-Making Panel (CMP). The awardees are:
Steve Campolo, CMP 2
Donald R. Cook, CMP 17
Paul Dobrowsky, CMP 5
Gerald Lee Dorna, CMP 16
Mark Goodman, CMP 14
Mitch Hefter, CMP 15
David H. Kendall, CMP 8
Gerald W. Kent, CMP 6
Edwin S. Kramer, CMP 15
William G. Lawrence, Jr., CMP 14
David A. Pace, CMP 3
William J. McCoy, CMP 16
James J. Rogers, CMP 4
Gregory J. Steinman, CMP 5
Robert C. Turner, CMP 12
Walter N. Vernon, IV, CMP 15
David B. Wechsler, CMP 14
Robert H. Wills, CMP 4
Standards Council Committee Service Awardees, also in attendance, were acknowledged for their hard work, passion, and dedication to activities related to the standards development process. These awards were handed out at the Technical Meeting earlier this morning. They are:
Donald W. Ankele – CMP 14
Ernest J. Gallo – CMP 16
Palmer L. Hickman – CMP 1
David L. Hittinger – CMP 1
Richard A. Holub – CMP 14
Randall J. Ivans – CMP 16
David H. Kendall – CMP 8
Robert D. Osborne – CMP 9
Nathan Philips – CMP 5
The Electrical Section also made note of the contributions and commitment of three outgoing CMP chairs. They are:
Kenneth Boyce – CMP 1
Keith Lofland – CMP 7
Linda Little – CMP 13
“After the last two years of not being able to see each other in person, we’re extremely pleased that this year members of the Electrical Section could come together to celebrate and recognize our achievements, including completing the First and Second Draft phases of the revisions process using virtual meeting technology,” said Sargent. “We know there is still more to do because the electrical industry is constantly changing, but it’s the collaboration and our shared commitment to safety that makes us feel proud of all that we can accomplish together, and we look forward to meeting future challenges with the energy and passion that our volunteer committee members have always brought to this process.”
For more information about the NEC and committee membership, visit the NEC webpage on our site.
Top photo: The new members of the NEC Quarter Century Club. From left to right – Steve Campolo, Donald Cook, Paul Dobrowsky, Gerald Kent, Edwin Kramer, James Rogers, and Gregory Steinman.