Gary Tapella, president and CEO of the Rheem Manufacturing Company, has received a distinguished service award from the Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association (GAMA).
This is first time GAMA has honored anyone with a distinguished service award, which is given in recognition of significant contributions to the industries that GAMA serves, and to the public interest.
In presenting the award, GAMA cited Tapella’s leadership in creating the GAMA Water Heater Division’s Consumer Safety Awareness Campaign, which is designed to alert homeowners to the potential dangers of flammable vapor fires and excessively hot tap water in the home.
Tapella also played a key role in a concerted effort by all domestic water heater manufacturers to develop new technologies for gas-fired water heaters that would resist igniting flammable vapors in the home.
Tapella joined Rheem in 1969. he has held numerous leadership posts within GAMA, including the chairmanship in 1996 and 1997. he has also served as chairman of the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI).