Arkansas ASHRAE Firsts

Arkansas ASHRAE Firsts

BY: Russell Black

First President

Ernest Pettit was the First Arkansas ASHRAE President.  When the Arkansas ASHVE (later ASHRAE) Chapter was established on January 27, 1952, Ernest Pettit, who had guided the chartering process, served as the First President.

Arkansas ASHRAE’s First Slate of Officers:  January 1952

First 2-Time President

Ed Tinsley was the First 2-time President.  Ed Tinsley served as Arkansas ASHRAE President for two terms, 1989 & 1990.  Mr. Tinsley also wrote the booklet “A Year in the Life of an ASHRAE Chapter” (May 4, 1991) which serves as part of the training guides for future Chapter Presidents.

Alan Hope is the only other Arkansas ASHRAE President who has served two terms, 1992 and 1993.

First Female President  

Sherry Baldwin was the First female Arkansas ASHRAE President.  Serving as the First female President of Arkansas ASHRAE in 1995, Sherry Baldwin was a Golden Gavel President.  Sherry was instrumental, along with Randy Moore, in invigorating the then recently created (December 1991) Northwest Section of Arkansas ASHRAE.

Sherry Baldwin with “Mr. ASHRAE” Bill Collins

 The second female President of Arkansas ASHRAE was Tracey Hayes in 2001.

First Society President  

Bill Goodman was Arkansas ASHRAE’s First member to become overall ASHRAE President.  Bill Goodman was Arkansas ASHRAE President in 1969, and then became Society ASHRAE President in 1999-2000.  Bill Goodman’s ASHRAE Presidential theme was “ASHRAE in the New Millennium’s Global Community.”  In Bill’s Presidential message he concentrated on the “hope and new beginnings” of the new century and new millennium.  Noting that the demographics of ASHRAE membership were 80% United States, 10% Canada, and 10% Rest of the World, Bill Goodman challenged Society ASHRAE to activate itself to be a truly global organization and to commit to aggressively creating an expanding world-wide ASHRAE community of HVAC&R professionals. 

Bill Goodman, ASHRAE Society President 1999-2000

 Bill Harrison was the Second Arkansas ASHRAE member to serve as Society President in 2008-2009.

First Golden Gavel & Jack Thompson Award Winner. 

Kim Koch was Arkansas ASHRAE’s First Golden Gavel AND Jack Thompson Award President.  Serving as Arkansas ASHRAE President in 2008, Kim’s leadership achieved the (2) highest Region VIII honors.  Equivalent to a movie winning an Oscar both for best picture and best director, under Kim’s guidance Arkansas Chapter won the awards for best chapter (Golden Gavel) and best leadership (Jack Thompson). 

Bill Simpson was the second Arkansas ASHRAE President to “sweep” the Golden Gavel and Jack Thompson Awards in 2011.