ARLINGTON, Va. — The Clifford H. "Ted" Rees, Jr. Scholarship Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) and ACCA, announced scholarship awards totaling $85,500 to 49 students, including seven military veterans, studying to become technicians in the HVACR and water heating industries. 

"We are pleased to award scholarships to these qualified and dedicated students and veterans, and we look forward to welcoming them into the industry," said Stephen Yurek, president and CEO, AHRI. "Each year, the foundation provides aid to these aspiring technicians, helping to promote careers in the industry and fill good-paying jobs that cannot be outsourced." 

Supporting workforce development and employee retention programs are ACCA's highest priorities, said Barton James, president and CEO, ACCA.

“We're pleased to work with the Rees Scholarship Foundation and AHRI to help contractors recruit and retain skilled workers," he said. "These scholarship awards also support ACCA's work with President Trump and his pledge to America's workers, which is focused on providing educational opportunities to develop a strong workforce. Congratulations to these very deserving young men and women, we look forward to you advancing in our industry and becoming tomorrow's leaders."

HVACR and Water Heating Technician Program Recipients:

Justin Adams, Illinois Central College, East Peoria, Illinois;

Simon Adkins, Gadsden State Community College, Anniston, Alabama;

Kristopher Aguero, Brownson Technical School, Anaheim, California;

Ethan Arnold, InterCoast College, Fairfield, California;

Alonso Avila, Brownson Technical School, Anaheim, California;

Gaspar Baltazar, Wallace Community College, Dothan, Alabama;

Christopher Bearden, Bevill State Community College, Sumiton, Alabama;

Chance Beasley, Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology, Okmulgee, Oklahoma;

Travis Bolton, Institute of Technology, Redding, California;

Gabriel Cristee, Vista College, Fort Smith, Arkansas;

Casey Dallas, Front Range Community College, Fort Collins, Colorado;

Michelle Deckard, Front Range Community College, Loveland, Colorado;

Lukas Ferguson, Gadsden State Community College, Anniston, Alabama;

Matthew Ferren, Front Range Community College, Loveland, Colorado;

Jared Frost, Bevill State Community College, Sumiton, Alabama;

Israel Galicia, Lone Star College, Houston, Texas;

Davion Gilbert, Georgia Piedmont Technical College, Clarkston, Georgia;

Benjamin Grubb, Southern Maine Community College, South Portland, Maine;

Nar Guragai, Georgia Piedmont Technical College, Clarkston, Georgia;

Kailey Hardy, Gadsden State Community College, Gadsden, Alabama;

Matthew Jacobs, Johnston Community College, Smithfield, North Carolina;

Darryl Johnson, Wallace Community College, Dothan, Alabama;

Henry Kuhfeldt, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids, Michigan;

Jacob Lett, Bevill State Community College, Sumiton, Alabama;

Jose Luna, Perry Technical Institute, Yakima, Washington;

Moisses Macaraeg, Brownson Technical School, Anaheim, California;

Cory McLiechey, College of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada;

Christian Morano, Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport, Pennsylvania;

George News, Georgia Northwestern Technical College, Rome, Georgia;

Arnaud Niyonkuru, Southern Maine Community college, South Portland, Maine;

Jessica Otto, Lone Star College, Houston, Texas;

Jesse Owens, Minneapolis Community & Technical College, Minneapolis, Minnesota;

Sorin Popa, Oakton Community College, Des Plaines, Illinois;

James Reid, Gadsden State Community College, Gadsden, Alabama;

Phillip Relos, San Joaquin Valley College, Temecula, California;

Bruno Santos, Vista College, Fort Smith, Arkansas;

Anthony Thompson, Moore Norman Technology Center, Norman, Oklahoma;

Michael Tibbitts, Great Oaks Career Campuses- Diamond Oaks, Cincinnati, Ohio;

Johnathan Zajac, Moore Norman Technology Center, Norman, Oklahoma;

Isaiah Zendejas, Brownson Technical School, Anaheim, California;

Zhijun Zhang, Brownson Technical School, Anaheim, California; and

Isidro Zuniga, Jr, Brownson Technical School, Anaheim, California.

Veterans Program Recipients:

Donavon Clark, Bevill State Community College, Sumiton, Alabama;

Paulo Hinton, College of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas, Nevada;

Ryan Hoffman, Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport, Pennsylvania;

Derek McElhiney, Texarkana College, Texarkana, Texas;

Corey Peltier, Brownson Technical School, Anaheim, California;

Daniel Pinto, Brownson Technical School, Anaheim, California; and

Charles Redmond, San Joaquin Valley College, Temecula, California.