Gama names president; Gaddis goes to NEMA

Sept. 1, 2005
ARLINGTON, VA. GAMA Chairman Thomas F. Huntington announced in mid-August that Jack W. Klimp, a senior executive of the Phoenix House Foundation, has been appointed the new president of GAMA. The Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association is a national trade group representing manufacturers of appliances, components and related products used in space and water heating, commercial food service and power

ARLINGTON, VA. — GAMA Chairman Thomas F. Huntington announced in mid-August that Jack W. Klimp, a senior executive of the Phoenix House Foundation, has been appointed the new president of GAMA. The Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association is a national trade group representing manufacturers of appliances, components and related products used in space and water heating, commercial food service and power generation.

" Our search committee, comprised of members of GAMA Board of Directors, was fortunate to have a significant number of high-caliber candidates to consider for the position of GAMA chief executive officer," Huntington said, " but Jack Klimp's achievements at Phoenix House Foundation, his leadership and management skills and his laudable military career made him the logical choice. We are pleased that he accepted our offer to lead GAMA in these challenging times."

The Phoenix House Foundation provides substance abuse treatmentprograms. Its mission, according to its Website (www.phoenixhouse.org) "is to serve those whose lives are threatened, disordered or devastated by drug abuse, to heal families and to strengthen communities. Our prevention and education programs reach into homes and schools enabling youngsters to make strong, positive and independent decisions about drug use. Our treatment programs return former substance abusers to society as fully functional, drug-free men, women and adolescents with new values and attitudes and the skills they need to start rich and rewarding new lives."

Klimp succeeds Evan R. Gaddis as GAMA president. Gaddis, a retired Army major general, has been named president of the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, where he will start work in mid-September.

"Evan Gaddis is a perfect fit for NEMA," said Randy Carson, chairman of NEMA's board. "In addition to his obvious management skills and experience abroad, he is politically savvy and a fine team builder, qualities you would expect in a person with his background. He is no stranger to the inner circles of the policy-making apparatus in Washington and will represent NEMA like few others could. The board went through an exhaustive search process and, in the end, Evan was a consensus choice."

A press release on NEMA's Website (www.nema.org) states: "At GAMA, Gaddis provided exemplary leadership to a national trade association representing over 200 manufacturers of residential, commercial and industrial heating appliances, equipment and components, as well as manufacturers of equipment and providers of services used in the production, transmission and distribution of fuel gases. He helped introduce new divisions for power generation (fuel cells and microturbines), gas air conditioning, and gas detectors."

GAMA and NEMA have worked together on a number of regulatory and legislative issues, said Michael Blevins, GAMA's government affairs director, who described Gaddis' move as "a smooth transition." The two organizations share a trade office in Beijing.

Klimp retired from a 33-year career in the U.S. Marine Corps in 2001 as a three-star lieutenant general; his final command was as deputy commandant/Manpower and Reserve Affairs. Since the Marine Corps, he has been senior vice president and director of operations for the New York Region of Phoenix House Foundation in New York City.

Klimp is a 1968 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, where he received a bachelor's degree in engineering. He later received master's degrees in public administration from National University in 1980 and in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College in 1992.

Established in 1935, GAMA represents manufacturers of appliances, components and related products used in space heating, water heating, commercial food service and power generation. In addition to gas-fired appliances, GAMA's scope includes certain electrical appliances. account for more than 90% of U.S. shipments of gas-and oil-fired space heating equipment and gas, oil and electric water heaters. Its Website is www.gamanet.com.

GAMA's Hydronics Institute Division represents manufacturers of gas, oil and electric residential and commercial boilers, in addition to hydronicsrelated components and radiant heating equipment. The Hydronics Institute Division's fall meeting will take place Oct. 11-13 in Absecon, N.J.

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