2012 BICSI Winter Conference & Exhibition attendees recently came together to celebrate and honor individuals who have contributed to BICSI and to the information technology systems (ITS) industry.
The Ray Gendron/BICSI Cares Scholarship is awarded every year for BICSI members or their immediate families. This year, BICSI awarded the Ray Gendron BICSI Cares Scholarship to two students: David Picariello and Joseph Lentine. Picariello is the son of BICSI member Mike Picariello, RCDD, and is majoring in Electronics Engineering Technology at Humber College in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Lentine is majoring in Computer Information Systems at the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio. His mother is BICSI member Denice Lentine.
During the conference, 16 ITS Installers and Technicians raced against the clock and each other, competing in several technical tasks during the fifth annual BICSI Cabling Skills Challenge. As a result, an overall winner emerged as the BICSI Installer of the Year. This year’s winner was Thomas “Lee” Renfroe, RCDD, ITS Technician, Certified Trainer.
BICSI established the Larry G. Romig Committee Member of the Year award in recognition of volunteer work performed by members. The Committee Member of the Year honors individuals for exemplary efforts and dedication within a BICSI committee and are typically nominated by the Committee Chair. For the first time in twelve years, two individuals received this award. David Bowling, RCDD, and his wife, Myra Bowling, were recognized for their many years of hard work and dedication to the BICSI Cares Committee.
The David K. Blythe/University of Kentucky Award for Outstanding Member of the Year recognizes the volunteer spirit of BICSI members, and spotlights one individual as the BICSI Member of the Year for outstanding efforts in promoting BICSI’s educational programs and commitment to professional development within the industry. Patricia A. Fisher, RCDD, DCDC, OSP, WD, a BICSI member since 1998 and an individual who is active on many BICSI Committees and has been instrumental in organizing several BICSI Breakfast Club events over the years, was named the winner of this award.
The Presidential Eagle Award, selected by BICSI’s President, is presented to individuals who have exhibited leadership, sacrifice, faith in BICSI and dedication over a period of time. This year, David M. Richards, RCDD, NTS, OSP, ITS Technician, was given the award based on his never-ending commitment to spreading ITS education across the globe, as well as for his work on the BICSI Installation Committee, which includes helping to create and implement the BICSI Cabling Skills Challenge.
Awarded by the University of South Florida, College of Engineering, the Harry J. Pfister Award for Excellence in the Telecommunications Industryrecognizes the lifetime achievement or major accomplishment of an individual in the telecommunications industry. This year’s winner of the Harry J. Pfister Award for Excellence in the Telecommunications Industry is Mark S. Harger. Harger is active on several BICSI committees and is highly knowledgeable in the field of bonding and grounding. His expertise and leadership has been used to help form and publish numerous standards, as well as several BICSI manuals. In addition, he’s written articles for BICSI News Magazine and has presented at several BICSI conferences.
