The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) announced new leadership during its 2011 Annual Meeting, Nov. 12-15 in Bonita Springs, FL. Ajita Rajendra, president/chief operating officer of A.O. Smith, takes over as AHRI chairman.

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Ajita Rajendra

In his address to AHRI members, Rajendra emphasized the need for AHRI to work with industry partners to pass key legislation on Capitol Hill, including two consensus agreements establishing new federal minimum efficiency standards for small duct, high velocity air conditioners and heat pump pool heaters, and requiring DOE to develop a new test procedure for water heaters. He also called on members to work together to make AHRI’s certification program even more credible in the U.S. and across the globe.

Morrison Carter, President and CEO of Beckett Gas, Inc., will serve as Immediate Past Chairman.
Harry Holmes, President of Morrison Products, was named Vice Chairman.
Chris Drew, Vice President, Burnham Holdings, Inc., was named Treasurer.

The full slate of AHRI leadership for 2012 is as follows:
Chairman: Ajita Rajendra, President & COO, A.O. Smith
Vice Chairman: Harry Holmes, President, Morrison Products Treasurer: Chris Drew, Vice President, Burnham Holdings, Inc. Immediate Past Chairman: Morrison Carter, President and CEO, Beckett Gas
Directors-At-Large serving on the Executive Committee:
Dan Ellis, President, Climate Master
Nicholas Giuffre, President, Bradford White
Tom Healy, Group President, Parker Hannifin
Bill Johnson, President, Hill PHOENIX
David LaGrand, President & CEO, NORDYNE
Robert McDonough, President, Carrier Residential and Light Commercial
John Murphy, Vice President and GM, Systems Johnson Controls
Earle Pfefferkorn, President, Cleaver-Brooks
Ed Purvis, Executive Vice President, Emerson Climate Technologies David Swift, President & CEO, Goodman Manufacturing
Doug Young, President & CEO, Residential, Lennox International

The following individuals were elected to serve as Directors-at-Large with terms expiring in 2013:
James J Connor, President & CEO, Tecumseh
David Diggs, Global Business Dir. Refrigerants, Honeywell
Dan Ellis, President, ClimateMaster
John Galyen, President, North America, Danfoss
Ron Hanlon, COO, McQuay
Shawn Intagliata, President, Unico
Bill Johnson, President, Hill Phoenix
JR Jones, CEO, Rheem Manufacturing
Dennis Laughlin, President & CEO, Arzel Zoning
David LaGrand, President & CEO, Nordyne
Mark MacCracken, CEO, Calmac
Robert McDonough, President, RLCS, Carrier
Earle Pfefferkorn, President, Cleaver-Brooks
Ed Purvis, EVP, Emerson
Roger Richmond-Smith, Chairman, Smardt
Didier Teirlinck, SVP & President, Climate Technologies, Ingersoll Rand
John White, Jr., President, TACO
Doug Young, President & CEO, Residential, Lennox

The following individuals were elected to serve as Directors-at-Large to fill open positions with terms expiring in 2012:
Gary Michel, President Residential Solutions, Ingersoll Rand
Ronald Passafaro, President & CEO, ECR International
Yogi Uemura, Executive Officer, Daikin Industries