NBFAA recognizes leaders at ESX show

June 24, 2008
Volunteers, chapters, presidents recognized

At the NBFAA 2008 Leadership Awards Breakfast, held this morning in a ballroom adjacent to the Nashville Convention Center and the Renaissance Hotel in downtown Nashville, Tenn., volunteers and leaders were recognized for their dedication to the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association. The awards breakfast was part of the Electronic Security Expo (ESX), which is being held this week for the fire, alarm and security industry.

"Volunteers like you are what make this association run," NBFAA President George Gunning told the audience. "Your sacrifice of personal time, your hard work and your financial support are critical to the success of the NBFAA. Without you, this organization wouldn't be possible, so it's difficult to really show the extent of appreciation."

Gunning recognized all persons in attendance who had served on a committee in the last two years and then called for recognition of those persons who had served as committee chairs and co-chairs. Those assembled volunteers were warmly recognized with applause from the audience.

Committee chairs and co-chairs recognized by the NBFAA included Ron Petrarca (apprenticeship), David Koenig (budget/audit and investment), Mike Miller (budget/audit and investment), George Bish (bylaws), Paul Baran (education), LJ Lynes (education), Tim Creenan (elections), George De Marco (elections), Greg Kessinger (fire/life safety), Mike Meridith (government relations), Bill Cooper (industry affairs), Paul Carroll (investment), Karen Maples (membership), Frank Burke (public relations), John Murphy (standards), Rick Simpson (standards), Ralph Sevinor (historical preservation and training center) and Charlie Darsch (historical preservation and training center).

Gunning then recognized the executive committee. Gunning called the group the "super volunteers" and noted that the executive committee volunteers put in a tremendous amount of time in addition to running their own businesses in the fire-security industry.

The awards breakfast then moved onto the annual NBFAA awards.

John Knox recognized Penny Brooks as NBFAA NTS Training Coordinator of the Year for her work as both executive director and training coordinator for the Tennessee Burglar & Fire Alarm Association.

David Koenig, NBFAA treasurer followed suit by recognizing Woody Woodham as NTS Instructor of the Year. Woodham is senior technical manager for Honeywell and has worked with the Mississippi Alarm Association, the Alabama association and a number of non-chartered states.

Counte Cooley (Electronic Sales Co. of Gainesville, Ga.) then came on stage to present the Newsletter of the Year award to the Pennsylvania Burglar & Fire Alarm Association, which he noted had done an excellent job with its tribute publication to their 25th anniversary, and for consistently publishing The Bellringer chapter newsletter every month since 1982.

NBFAA Vice President Marshall Marinace (New York) took the stage to recognize the Executive Director of the Year, which was presented to Pat Remes of the Connecticut Alarm & Systems Integrators Association (CASIA). Marinace said Remes is "an ardent supporter of NTS, the Youth Scholarship Program and the association's government relations efforts."

After Remes was recognized, NBFAA Vice President Dom D'Ascoli (from Smoky Mountain Systems in Franklin, N.C.) accepted the stage to present the Chapter President of the Year Award. Tim Creenan, president of the New York Burglar & Fire Alarm Association, was the award recipient, and Creenan was recognized for being closely involved in the introduction and subsequent passage of changes to the New York licensing law.

The most anticipated award followed, with NBFAA Vice President/President-Elect Mike Miller (Washington) presenting from the podium the 2008 Chapter of the Year. After an introduction that kept the audience guessing as to what chapter would be picked. Connecticut's association (CASIA) was called to the stage to accept the award, and Miller, who takes the NBFAA reins next month, noted the dedication that CASIA gives to the organization and industry as a whole.

"CASIA has been running NTS classes for 20 years and those classes are now recognized by the state of Connecticut as 'related study' when applying for the state's low voltage license," said Miller.

Miller also noted that the state recognizes the association's training in its requirements for continuing education credits needed by low voltage license holders.

"The members and staff have established an excellent relationship with public safety officials in the state, and they have an active government relations program at the state level, in addition to support national government relations efforts."

[SecurityInfoWatch.com will be reporting Live from ESX 2008 all this week. Stay tuned for more coverage.]