 ITA Meritorious Service Award |
The Industrial Truck Association (ITA) has recognised Stan Simpson and Dan Dunlap with meritorious service and special industry awards.
Both Simpson and Dunlap chaired the ITA general engineering committee (GEC) numerous times, and Simpson was ITA's 2008-2009 president.
Simpson received a special industry award "for his assistance in guiding the efforts of the industry in the development of technical positions for the industry to assert with it international counterparts", according to wording on the plaque. In addition to his GEC involvement, Simpson was chairman of the B56 safety committee and "instrumental in helping to forge a close working relationship between the association and its sister groups worldwide".
Dunlap's special industry award citation says he chaired the GEC in 1994-1994 and 2001-2003. "During his tenure, the association established liaison with the Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG), Underwriters Laboratories and the Propane Research and Education Council (PREC), revamped procedures for approval of recommended practices and oversaw the growth in attendees at GEC meetings to more than 100 individuals. His quiet demeanor helped assure discussions of items of particular importance to the GEC, including national and international standards."
The presentations occurred during sessions of the group's annual meeting, held on 15-19 October in San Diego. The event had 165 attendees, up from the 135 at the 2009 annual meeting, reports William Montwieler, ITA executive director.
In prepared remarks for the meritorious service awards, Jeff Rufener talked about Simpson's contributions and Jim Moran recounted Dunlap's meaningful role.
Rufener is president of the ITA and vice president of marketing for Mitsubishi Caterpillar Forklift America Inc in Houston, Texas. Moran, who was ITA's 2002-2003 president, is senior vice president of Crown Equipment Corp in New Bremen, Ohio.
Washington, DC-based ITA represents the makers and distributors of 20 forklift brands and 30 auxiliary supplies doing business in Canada, the US and Mexico.
Stan SimpsonRufener says of Simpson: "Stan has been forceful, but modest, hopeful and realistic, extremely hard working, but confident and relaxed enough to always enjoy himself."
Dunlap brought clear thinking to the challenge of International Organization for Standardization (ISO) safety code 3691. "When we started to hear about ISO 3691 and its eight parts, we were certain that the 55 sticking points evident at the time would be almost impossible to resolve," Rufener recalls. "Well, thanks to Stan, it's clear now that we were too pessimistic. It is true that a few sticking points did become stumbling blocks, but now we can at least count them on one hand. Stan always saw commonality of interests where many saw only differences and, thanks to his efforts, we are moving ever closer to a global standard that will ultimately result in more sales and profits for all of us."
Rufener notes Simpson's innovative side: "Stan designed and patented the first multi-functional control handles for load-sensing hydraulics. He also pioneered the use of telescopic handlers. He single-handedly supplied the military with the most innovative product in the industry of materials handling and led dozens and dozens of efforts to test the safety of products supplied to the United States armed forces and many (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) countries. Our troops are better equipped, thanks to Stan."
Simpson's name is "on every major initiative that the association has undertaken" in the past decade, Rufener says, citing the Industrial Truck Standards Development Foundation (ITSDF) as a leading example. "When the American Society of Mechanical Engineers announced that it would no longer manage the B56 series of standards, Stan stepped up and convinced the ITA board to establish and fund ITSDF. To date, approximately 48,000 copies of the standards have been distributed free of charge to anyone seeking the latest technical specifications."
Rufener observes that Simpson led ITA discussions with the Federation of European Material Handling Association regarding the elimination of tariffs and duties on US products exported to the European Union. "Stan was ITA's leading diplomat in this important endeavor that continues on today," Rufener says.
Simpson is chief executive officer of Stan Simpson LLC in Cibolo, Texas offering program management, government contract oversight and consulting services. Previously, Simpson was president and CEO of Cargotec Corp's Kalmar RT Center LLC in Cibolo
(Forkliftaction.com News #397).
Dan Dunlap Moran says of Dunlap: "Dan made many significant contributions to Crown throughout his 30-year career. . . . The most significant ones centred on product safety. I can remember many occasions when a large customer or other Crown executives, oftentimes senior to Dan, wanted to modify our products to comply with a customer's wishes. Dan would hold his position until he was completely convinced that product safety was not compromised."
Because of his knowledge, Dunlap became Crown's expert witness in product liability defense. "Anyone who has experienced a deposition or a hostile cross-examination at trial understands what a solid guy Dan Dunlap is," Moran notes.
"Dan was the real deal for Crown and the real deal for ITA," Moran says. During his service chairing the GEC, Dunlap instituted communication with the AIAG "to ensure that we had input into the designs of our products," and he made the first contact with PERC "that connected ITA with the California Clean Air group and the (US Environmental Protection Agency). This vision put ITA in a position to learn and participate in all of the emission reduction efforts of these two organizations."
In addition to serving twice each as GEC chairman and vice chairman, Dunlap was involved as vice chairman and member of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/ITSDF B56.1 subcommittee on low-lift and high-lift trucks.
Dunlap served on the ANSI/ITSDF B56.11 subcommittee for standardisation of powered and non-powered industrial trucks, the ANSI/ITSDF B56 special committee for interpretations, the ISO/ TC 110 US technical advisory group and, under ISO 3691, the US delegation for ISO/TC 110 subcommittee 2, working group 2 for industrial trucks. He was the convenor of the ISO/TC 110 subcommittee 2, working group 10 for an international electrical standard for industrial trucks
Dunlap joined Crown in 1978 in the product engineering department as a designer. Six years later, he was promoted to manager of product engineering, and he became manager of product safety in 2004. Dunlap retired in 2008.