This year, in addition to naming a Per Haugen Lifetime Achievement Award winner, NSCA recognized winners for the NSCA Education Foundation Founders Award and Volunteer of the Year Award. Recipients will be honored during the 20th annual Business & Leadership Conference, held Feb. 28-March 2, 2018, in Irving, Texas.

Tom Frericks, Jr., who served on the NSCA board of directors for 11 years, is the recipient of the 2018 Per Haugen Lifetime Achievement Award. Frericks joined Copp Integrated Systems in Dayton, Ohio, in 1976, purchasing Copp in 1983 as its second owner.

“Tom contributed so much of his time to serving on the NSCA board,” said NSCA executive director Chuck Wilson. “He attended dozens of board meetings and industry events on our behalf, and even helped organize events and assisted with office technology and planning in the early days.”

The late John Stiernberg is the recipient of the 2018 NSCA Education Foundation Founders Award. As cofounder of Stiernberg Consulting — a long-time NSCA partner — in 1993, he and his wife, Jeanne, quickly established themselves as leading consultants and researchers for the integration industry. 

“John was a major industry contributor to the NSCA community and industry for many years,” Wilson said. “He will be remembered for his role as an educator and consultant, and for his keen insight into the systems integration industry.”

The Volunteer of the Year Award for 2018 is being given, individually and collectively, to the musicians and technical crew that make up industry-famous The Drunk Unkles. Steve Emspak, Marc Hochlerin, Mike Sinclair, Lisa Wenger, John Cardone, Mike Phillips and Felix Robinson have rocked for more than a decade to raise money for the NSCA Education Foundation. 

“This talented group has helped the NSCA Education Foundation raise more than $1 million to put toward scholarships and tuition/training assistance,” Wilson said. “The contributions of The Drunk Unkles have helped launch the careers of more than 2,000 systems installers and technicians.”