Heating, Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) named four champions for their outstanding contributions to one of the HARDI pillars. The following champions in Advocacy, Benchmarking, and Education were recognized at the Annual Conference in Orlando.

At its annual conference in Orlando, Heating, Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) presented several Key Member awards. Most notably, HARDI inducted Royce Henderson, president of Charles D. Jones Co., into the Martin Walshin Permanent Key Group.

At the 2015 Heating, Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) Annual Conference, North American Technician Excellence (NATE) recognized nine HARDI member companies for their outstanding efforts to promote NATE technician certification in the HVACR industry.

Thermostat Recycling Corp. (TRC) announced that Johnstone Supply, US Air Conditioning Distributors, Johnson Supply, and Auer Steel have been named the 2015 Big Man On Planet (BMOP) winners.

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — LG Electronics USA has named industry veteran Kevin McNamara senior vice president, sales and operations, for LG’s U.S. Air Conditioning Systems business. In addition, Darren Gibula has been promoted to senior director of operations.

In our continuing series on Soft Skills, I was intrigued by some comments I read from Michael O’Brien and the issue of self-awareness, which has always interested me. I’m convinced that all the self-help that exists is useless unless the person who is seeking to improve understands the need (or self-awareness) before you begin.

OWOSSO, Mich. — Precision Electric Motor Sales, a master distributor in electric motor sales, and Kennesaw, Ga.-based Packard Inc., a master distributor of full-line HVACR solutions, announced the successful merger of the two companies.

Recently, Emily Saving, vice president for professional and program development at HARDI, spoke with Kari Arfstrom, executive director for the HVACR Workforce Development Foundation, to talk about the new labor analysis reports released by the foundation this fall.

THREE RIVERS, Mich. — Armstrong International has entered into an agreement appointing the F.W. Webb Co. as its master supply distributor of Armstrong steam, condensate, hot water and heat transfer products for the Northeastern United States.

Rosenberg USA has introduced six new double inlet Ecofit forward-curved centrifugal blowers with speed-controllable EC motors. The new blowers, designated GDSuG9 146x188, include constant pressure, constant airflow and standard pressure/airflow models. Constant pressure and constant airflow blowers can provide simple solutions to common air movement problems.