The American Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, AHAM, honored several manufacturring leaders for their contributions to the home appliance industry and to the Association during AHAM’s annual member meeting. The Home Appliance Industry Leadership (HAIL) Award was presented to Paul Sikir, vice president of design engineering, Sub-Zero Group. The Association underlined as he dedicated countless hours to volunteer leadership roles and expanded his impact by encouraging colleagues to serve on AHAM task forces and councils. His work has been instrumental to numerous policy and technical issues across the major appliance division. Sikir held several leadership roles including AHAM Treasurer and First Vice Chair before rising to Chair the AHAM Board of Directors from 2012- 2014. He continues to serve on the AHAM Executive and Finance Committees. AHAM also presented the 2017 Gordon Stauffer Liston Durden Distinguished Service Award to David Kinny, product safety and reliability leader, cooking products, GE Appliances, a Haier company; Chad Strickland, director of product safety and regulatory compliance, Electrolux North America; and Jim Pelkey, design lab certification manager, Wolf Appliance. AHAM presented its Emerging Leader Award, which recognizes volunteers’ important contributions to the industry, to Jeff Colyer safety program manager-RF, GE Appliances, a Haier Company, and Sean Simmons, senior Assistant General Counsel, Electrolux Home Products. Colyer received the award for contributions related to the development of North American refrigerator safety standards. Simmons received the award for leadership and advocacy on AHAM public policy issues. The AHAM Chairman’s Partnership Award, which recognizes significant contributions to the Association by non-member organizations, companies and individuals, was presented to Marc Schoem, executive director, International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization. Schoem during 40 years at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, much of that time at the most senior levels in the Office of Compliance, was exemplary in his countless efforts to protect consumers and share his vast compliance experience with stakeholders, including AHAM and its members.
