AWRF’s Operational Committees
Chair: Barry Epperson, Legal Counsel
Purpose: All AWRF members are required to provide the Association with some form of evidence showing they maintain Products Liability Insurance Coverage. The work of the Insurance Committee is governed by conditions of insurance availability in the industry. Trends and ideas about insurance are studied to help members to keep abreast of needs. The Legal Resources function was established to gather information about litigation problems experienced by members and to advise members about current techniques to minimize litigation costs.
Chair: Paul Foret, Arabi Sling, Meraux, LA
Alternate: Jeff Ashley, Ashley Sling, Austell, GA
Purpose: To be responsible to AWRF Board of Directors and Association Executive for preparation and presentation of General Meeting Programs.
Chair: Curt Jabben, Associated Wire Rope & Rigging, Playa del Rey, CA
Alternate: Mike Peters, Horizon Cable Service, Houston, TX
Purpose: To obtain as many qualified members as possible while also focusing on membership retention.
Chair: Scott Postelwait, Industrial Splicing & Sling LLC, Tulsa, OK
Alternate: Mike Peters, Horizon Cable Service, Houston, TX
Purpose: To promote, administer and enhance the AWRF sponsored scholarship award program.
Chair: Brian Dewey, Bishop Lifting, Albany, NY
Alternate: Jeff Ferchen, The Caldwell Group, Beloit, WI
Purpose: To promote, administer and enhance the AWRF sponsored scholarship award program.
Chair: Tim Shears, I&I Sling, Aston, PA
Alternate: Andrew LeBlanc, Global Rigging & Synthetics, Houma, LA
Chair: Jeff Ferchen, The Caldwell Group, Inc., Beloit, WI
Alternate: Andrew LeBlanc, Global Rigging & Synthetics, Houma, LA
Purpose: To actively promote the AWRF brand to its members & end users in the material handling industry and to promote the different committee activities through various media outlets. Committee news & updates will be communicated via the AWRF website, email, blogs, and various social media outlets such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, etc. A secondary benefit would be to differentiate between doing business with what an AWRF member can offer in terms of value, versus competitors, through various social media and web-based platforms.
Chair: Kelly Jones, Holland Nameplate, North Kansas City, MO
Alternate: Celena Moses, Royal Van Beest, Houston, TX
Purpose: The purpose of this committee is to capture the changes in the lifting, rigging and load securement industry, by preserving literature, parts and an open journal for documentation of experiences by members as technology advances.
Chair: Nick Gladue & Doug Stitt
Alternate: Justin Brown, Unirope Limited, Mississauga, ON
Purpose: The purpose of the Past Presidents Advisory Council is to advise the President and the Board of Directors.
Chair: Tim Klein, WireCo, Leawood, KS
Vice Chair: Bob Cushman, Cascade Rigging, Clackamas, OR
To acquire, preserve and disseminate technical information and new product information within the industry, to send a representative to any standards writing or technical organization deemed necessary, and to establish technical information by conducting test when appropriate.
Chair: AWRF Executive Board
Alternate: Jeff Gilbert
Chair: Curt Jabben, Associated Wire Rope & Rigging, Playa del Rey, CA
Purpose: The Convention Committee chooses the sites for future general meetings and provides guidance on hotel selection.
Chair: J. Barry Epperson
Attorney at Law
Tulsa, OK
Alternate: Jeff Gilbert
Chief Executive, AWRF
Novi, MI
Purpose: To develop and administer an effective government affairs program with involvement of all members of the association.
In addition to the work and achievements of AWRF’s operational committees, volunteers also serve the association on seven functional committees for the conduct of association business, These are:
Chair: Keith Shepherd
Alternate: Frank Arellano
Purpose: To be responsible to AWRF Board of Directors and Association Executive for preparation and presentation of Product Information Exhibition Programs.
Chair: Luis Jiminez, ARG Industrial, Anchorage, AK
Alternate: Brian Dewey, Bishop Lifting, Albany NY
Purpose: To make annual appraisals of the way the association is operated.
Chair: Paul DeMattie, Kito Crosby, Wallingford, CT
Alternate: PP Advisory Council
Chair: Mike Poroo, SWOS, Houston, TX
Alternate: PP Advisory Council
Purpose: To seek out and present for election qualified members who have a genuine interest in the association along with the ability to commit the necessary time and resources to help guide the association for a three-year term.
Chair: Terry Driscoll, Mazzella Companies, Nashville, TN
Purpose: To provide the Board of Directors with the accurate and timely financial reports.
Chair: Jeff Ferchen, The Caldwell Group, Inc., Beloit, WI
Co-Chair: Andrew LeBlanc, Global Rigging & Synthetics, Houma, LA
Purpose: The primary purpose of the Communications Committee is to enhance the Associations means of distributing information amongst its Board, Committees, Members and the Public. A secondary purpose is to advertise the benefits of doing business with an AWRF member through print or electronic media.
Chair: Frank Arellano, Washington Wire Rope, Houston, TX
Purpose: To coordinate a variety of sporting activities which will foster good will and fellowship among AWRF members.