ASA Announces Fred V. Keenan Award Winners

Both were unanimous recommendations by the Keenan Award Selection Committee.

New, chairman of Elkhart, Indiana-based Mid-City Supply and Jones, Eastern Division pricing and vendor relations manager for Hajoca Corp., will be honored Nov. 10 during the InSinkErator ASA Annual Meeting & Member Luncheon as part of NETWORK2022 at the Fairmont Chicago Millennium Park. Both were unanimous recommendations by the Keenan Award Selection Committee.

The Keenan Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to individuals with a long history of service and dedication to the plumbing, heating, cooling and piping industry and the pipe valve and fitting industry. To be considered, individuals must have exhibited strong influence on the status of the industry, project a positive industry image, be responsible for positively affecting the industry in general, and have provided a history of dedicated service to ASA.

Jeff New became involved in ASA in the late 1970s. He served as ASA president in 2008 and continues to serve in a key volunteer leadership position as chairman of ASA’s Advocacy Strategic Council. New was chairman of the ASA Government Affairs Committee for 11 years from 2010 to 2021, and also has been heavily involved over the years with ASA’s Political Action Committee.

 “I am humbled,” New said. “I am fortunate to have been born into an industry that I could spend my whole life in and enjoy every day of it. To be given this award for doing what I have loved for 46 years is an honor beyond belief.”

Gary Jones has been in the PHCP-PVF industry for 46 years. He spent the first 40 years of his career with Eastern Penn Supply. After Hajoca acquired Eastern Penn, Jones became manager of the company’s Wilkes Barre, Pa. profit center and has spent the last three years in his current role as Eastern Division pricing and vendor relations manager.

Also no stranger to volunteer ASA leadership, Jones has been a part of ASA’s Plumbing Advisory Group since its inception and served a stint as that group’s chairman. Jones remains involved in ASA Northeast, the regional association formerly known as Wholesalers Association of the North East (WANE). Jones is a former WANE president.

“I am not naïve to believe there are many people more deserving of this honor than I am,” Jones said. “To be recognized along with Jeff New and what he continues to contribute to ASA is truly humbling. The list of recipients is the Mount Rushmore of our industry. I have worked with and known many of this distinguished group. To think someone who is just an everyday person in the business, to even be considered would have been enough. That being said, anyone, if allowed to, and has the drive to, can influence and make a difference in a positive manner to a wonderful industry and to ASA.”

New and Jones join an elite industry fraternity to win the Keenan award. That group also includes Fred Keenan (for who the award is named), Karl Neupert, Ed Felten, John McDonald, John Martin, Frank Finkel, Nick Giuffre, Morris Beschloss, Joel Becker, Dottie Ramsey, Joe Poehling and Joe Maiale.

 “Jeff New and Gary Jones epitomize the true definition of servant leadership,” ASA CEO Michael Adelizzi said. “Their contributions to ASA over the years have been many and have had a major impact in the positive momentum the association continues to gain. Both are highly deserving of the Keenan Lifetime Achievement Award and now can rightfully take their place alongside the greats of our industry.”

NETWORK2022 runs Nov. 9-11 at the Fairmont in Chicago. For full program and registration details, visit THIS LINK.