InSinkErator presented Kathy Lewis with the PHCC Auxiliary’s Member of the Year award in October at the PHCC national convention in Milwaukee. Pictured are (l-r) Rob Grim, InSinkErator Senior Vice President Global Sales; Lynne Finley, PHCC-National Auxiliary President; Kathy Lewis, PHCC Auxiliary’s Member of the Year; and Chad Severson, InSinkErator President.
InSinkErator presented Kathy Lewis with the PHCC Auxiliary’s Member of the Year award in October at the PHCC national convention in Milwaukee. Pictured are (l-r) Rob Grim, InSinkErator Senior Vice President Global Sales; Lynne Finley, PHCC-National Auxiliary President; Kathy Lewis, PHCC Auxiliary’s Member of the Year; and Chad Severson, InSinkErator President.
InSinkErator presented Kathy Lewis with the PHCC Auxiliary’s Member of the Year award in October at the PHCC national convention in Milwaukee. Pictured are (l-r) Rob Grim, InSinkErator Senior Vice President Global Sales; Lynne Finley, PHCC-National Auxiliary President; Kathy Lewis, PHCC Auxiliary’s Member of the Year; and Chad Severson, InSinkErator President.
InSinkErator presented Kathy Lewis with the PHCC Auxiliary’s Member of the Year award in October at the PHCC national convention in Milwaukee. Pictured are (l-r) Rob Grim, InSinkErator Senior Vice President Global Sales; Lynne Finley, PHCC-National Auxiliary President; Kathy Lewis, PHCC Auxiliary’s Member of the Year; and Chad Severson, InSinkErator President.
InSinkErator presented Kathy Lewis with the PHCC Auxiliary’s Member of the Year award in October at the PHCC national convention in Milwaukee. Pictured are (l-r) Rob Grim, InSinkErator Senior Vice President Global Sales; Lynne Finley, PHCC-National Auxiliary President; Kathy Lewis, PHCC Auxiliary’s Member of the Year; and Chad Severson, InSinkErator President.

InSinkErator honors PHCC Auxiliary Members at CONNECT 2017

Dec. 8, 2017
InSinkErator together with the National Auxiliary of the PHCC, has named Kathy Lewis the 2017 PHCC Auxiliary Member of the Year.

RACINE, WI – InSinkErator, a business unit of St. Louis-based Emerson Electric Co. and an industry leader in food waste disposers and instant hot water dispensers, together with the National Auxiliary of the Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors (PHCC), has named Kathy Lewis the 2017 PHCC Auxiliary Member of the Year.

Lewis, of Bryan-College Station, Texas, was presented the 2017 Larry Dore Member of the Year Award during the 135th PHCC National Convention, CONNECT 2017, Oct. 3-6 in Milwaukee. In addition, InSinkErator and the PHCC-National Auxiliary recognized six PHCC Auxiliaries for their achievements during the past year with the Robert M. Cox Humanitarian Awards. Those awards were given to state and local Auxiliaries that had a notable impact on the industry or local communities.

According to Lynne Finley, President, PHCC-National Auxiliary, Lewis was given the PHCC Auxiliary’s top annual award in large part for her work at local high schools to promote the industry and help recruit students to the profession. Lewis is an active member of the National Auxiliary Education Committee and advocate for the plumbing, heating and cooling industry.

“Kathy Lewis is a shining example of how one person can impact so many people, both professionally and personally,” Finley said. “Kathy’s service to the Auxiliary and to the industry measures far beyond this Member of the Year award.”

Because the average age of a plumber in Texas is over 57, Lewis said she understands the importance of injecting new life into the industry.

In addition to her work on the National Auxiliary Education Committee, Lewis has also served on the Texas Scholarship Committee and assisted with the development of a recruitment video for PHCC. “All of Kathy’s great work has been invaluable in helping students discover an unknown career path and pointing them to available financial resources to help them reach their dreams,” Finley said.

Lewis, who is office manager at R.E.C. Industries, a mechanical contracting firm in College Station, Texas founded by her husband Craig in 1980, said she believes it’s important to help change the perceptions students have of the industry. “We want to dispel the myths and misunderstandings to let kids know there's a lot more to plumbing than just the water closet,” she said. “They have no idea how high tech it is or how much on-the-job training and education is needed to become a plumber today.”

Because the average age of a plumber in Texas is over 57, Lewis said she understands the importance of injecting new life into the industry. “At R.E.C, we have hired kids in summer programs and some of them have come to work with us full-time after graduation,” she said.

“We also want them to think about our industry long before they graduate and know it's a great way to earn while you learn.”

During the 2017 PHCC convention, InSinkErator marked its 54th consecutive year of support for PHCC and the National Auxiliary by presenting Robert M. Cox Humanitarian Awards to six outstanding PHCC Auxiliaries, ranging in size from small to large.

Robert M. Cox Humanitarian Awards were presented in the categories of Image and Recruitment.
Three groups of awards were given, based on membership levels:

Robert M. Cox Humanitarian Award – Image

Small:                          

First Place (3-15 members) – New Orleans Auxiliary of PHCC

Second Place (3-15 members) – PHCC of Louisiana Auxiliary

Honorable Mention (3-15 members) – PHCC Auxiliary of Delaware

Large:                          

First Place (16+ members) – PHCC Auxiliary of Nebraska  

Second Place (16+ members) – Illinois PHCC Auxiliary

Robert M. Cox Humanitarian Award – Recruitment 

Small:                          

First Place (3-15 members) – PHCC of Louisiana Auxiliary

Second Place (3-15 members) – PHCC Auxiliary of Delaware

Large:                          

First Place (16+ members) – PHCC Auxiliary of Nebraska  

Second Place (16+ members) – Illinois PHCC Auxiliary

Member at large:

First Place – Tennessee PHCC

First place winners received a $1,000 cash award, second place winners were awarded $500 and those receiving honorable mention received a $400 cash award.

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