Buddy “Bud” Mawyer and Ron Rodgers were presented with legislative awards during SMACNA’s 69th annual convention, Oct. 14-17 in Las Vegas.

Mawyer, the vice president of the Georgia Sheet Metal and Air-Conditioning Contractors National Association chapter, was honored with the Distinguished Legislative Service Award.

“The Distinguished Legislative Service Award is one of the highest legislative honors a chapter executive or contractor may earn within the organization and recognizes Bud’s decades-long career of dedicated legislative and political activism,” said 2011-2012 SMACNA President Richard Rivera.

Rivera also said that Mawyer has been a legislative force for some time, starting as a SMACNA representative on Capitol Hill.

“He has been an active legislative and political advocate on business tax policy, pensions, and independent contractor reform and joined with others in seeking improved national industry construction quality standards,” said Rivera. “Bud has been a high-profile leader for decades as a chapter executive for Georgia SMACNA and throughout the Georgia region in industry coalitions. Bud’s creative leadership in many legislative campaigns has well served the national sheet metal industry.”

Mawyer previously received the Chapter Executive Legislative Advocate honor and he has been a member of SMAC PAC’s Congressional Insiders Club for more than 22 years. He has led many chapter groups to Capitol Hill over the years and has been instrumental in bringing key members of Congress to the shops of Georgia SMACNA members. He continues to be a leader in his chapter’s political and legislative efforts on a variety of coalitions as well as providing industry leadership to educate Atlanta area, Georgia, and federal government officials on key industry issues.

Ron Rodgers, president of R3 Investments Inc. in Peoria, Ariz., was recognized with the Special Career Legislative Service Award.

“The Special Career Legislative Service Award is reserved for a select few of SMACNA members who, throughout their careers, have dedicated their time and efforts to SMACNA’s legislative and political programs. Their unwavering support and active involvement has proven invaluable to the industry,” Rivera said. “This award recognizes Ron as a longstanding, dedicated legislative and political leader since entering our industry as a sheet metal contractor decades ago. Ron rose to the top of SMACNA, serving as president, on the national board of directors, and on many key committees, which explains only part of his impact.”

Rodgers’ service to the industry includes SMACNA’s legislative and political programs. He joined the association’s Congressional Insider’s Club in 1994 and has offered his support for SMACNA’s political action committee. He was also one of the founding members of the Political Pacesetters Council, SMAC PAC’s top-donor club.

“Ron’s leadership in SMAC PAC has always made the job of the PAC committee chair a little easier,” said SMAC PAC Chairman Ron Palmerick. “Ron has served our legislative and political programs with distinction and with lasting impact on SMACNA’s lobbying program.”