Wauconda, Illinois -- The Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) presented awards to two individuals recognizing their outstanding contributions to the Council during the 2018 AEC Annual Meeting & Leadership Conference in Coronado, CA in March. Each year, AEC recognizes one or more individuals for their exemplary service and achievements as an AEC volunteer.
The Distinguished Service Award, the Council’s highest honor presented only to an AEC leader who has shown exceptional dedication and service, was awarded to Lynn Brown (pictured with AEC Chairman Matt NcMahon), Managing Principal for the mid-Atlantic office of Consulting Collaborative, a consultancy specializing in market planning and strategy implementation. Prior to his consultancy work, he was responsible for Strategy, Marketing and Sales at Hydro’s extrusion operations in the U.S. and Mexico, as well as plants in Brazil and Argentina. Following his retirement from Hydro in 2011, Brown has been working with AEC on industry promotion and external communication issues. His involvement and work on AEC’s Industry Promotion Steering Committee, Building & Construction and Automotive Industry Promotion Teams has been invaluable to the Council.
“While Lynn is working as a consultant to AEC, that’s not the half of it. Few people know the scope of Lynn’s impact on the Council,” said McMahon. “Lynn has been a key member of the strategic planning team over the past 9 years, and drove the process with the AEC Board in both 2014 and 2016.”
His experience and expertise in marketing, business strategy and management has been especially valuable to the AEC industry promotion efforts, helping to develop the fledgling program in 2011 from just a couple thousand contacts to more than 14,000 and growing. Other areas where he has driven or played pivotal roles in the Council include spearheading the development and launch of the AEC Environmental Product Declaration (EPD), updating the content, structure and effectiveness of the AEC website, measuring the impact and success of the industry promotion initiatives, and helping to develop deeper relationships with schools to attract talent to the aluminum extrusion industry, among other contributions.
AEC President Jeff Henderson notes that Brown’s dedication to the Council is seen every day as he advances the Council’s interests, assists staff, and continually leads the Industry Promotion efforts, which is why he was honored. “It is no surprise to those of us who have worked with Lynn as a volunteer who helped spearhead the AEC trade case against China in 2009, or learned from him as an employee as I was honored to do for years at Hydro. Lynn has truly been one of my best mentors, and he continues to be that, even to this very day.”
AEC’s 2016 Distinguished Service Award recipient Duncan Crowdis, retired from Bonnell Aluminum in Newnan, GA and past AEC Chairman said, “Lynn’s unusually broad and deep knowledge of the drivers of our industry always lend a tremendous amount of credibility to his [work]. If there is a common thread of characteristics among the past recipients of The Distinguished Service Award, it is their passion for our business and a selfless desire to give back to our industry and simply see it succeed. Lynn Brown’s legacy with our industry embraces these characteristics.”
The AEC Volunteer of the Year award was presented to Neil Chrisman III, President and owner of Spectrum Metal Finishing Inc. in Youngstown, OH . Chrisman started the company in 1993 and Spectrum has been a member of the AEC since 1999. He began serving on the AEC Finishing Committee since his company became a member. Chrisman became Vice Chairman of the committee in 2006 and became Team Leader in 2013 after the Council reorganized the committee structure.
Chrisman brings his passion, knowledge and expertise to the AEC Finishing Team and helps to educate the industry. “As leader of the Finishing Team, he has overseen the development and delivery of two successful Finishing Workshops and is on his way to a third in 2019,” said AEC Chairman Matt McMahon, President of Pries Enterprises in Independence, IA. In addition, Chrisman served as a Supplier Director on the AEC Board of Directors from 2013 to 2015.
“Thank you. It’s a tremendous honor and greatly appreciated [to be recognized with this award],” said Mr. Chrisman. “This industry has been very good to me, both personally and professionally. I think if you’re successful in any business, you need to give back. Volunteering is the ‘lifeblood’ of any organization and you need to participate. I’m very proud to be working side-by-side with my son as the next generation in the support of the Council.”
