Fire and life safety services provider Telgian Corporation today announced that Executive Chairman and Board Member Russell B. Leavitt was selected to receive the 2013 Henry S. Parmelee Award presented by the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA). Leavitt was chosen as this year’s honoree in recognition of his influential role in establishing code-making standards and contributions to industry training. The Henry S. Parmelee Award recognizes an outstanding individual who has dedicated himself or herself to the professional advancement of the fire sprinkler industry and to improve fire safety through automatic sprinklers. Leavitt was nominated by the AFSA Board of Directors in recognition of his 32years of experience in the design, installation, and testing of fire protection systems and his assistance in elevating the field through developing standards, creating codes and supporting training efforts.
“Russ has demonstrated his leadership and passion for fire protection and life safety from the day he started here at Telgian in 1991,” said Bill Tomes, founder, board member and chairman emeritus at Telgian Corporation. “It’s exciting to see that others such as the AFSA see and recognize that drive and sincerity that only Russ Leavitt can bring to the table.”
Leavitt has been instrumental in Telgian’s growth since joining the company in 1991 when it was called Fire Design Group, Inc. Five years later, the company evolved into TVA Fire & Life Safety, Inc. and in 2001 TVA spun off a portion of the business into Fire Materials Group, LLC to provide materials procurement and construction management services. TVA was later reunited with Fire Materials Group and emerged as a new brand name called Telgian Corporation in 2006.
Leavitt served as chairman of the board and chief executive officer of Telgian from 2006 until 2009. Currently, he serves as executive chairman and board member with responsibility for long-range strategic planning, human resources and legal.
“I am deeply humbled to be a recipient of such a prestigious award and grateful to the AFSA board members for this recognition,” said Leavitt. “I am extremely passionate about the fire and life safety industry and have appreciated the opportunities I’ve had to share my experiences and technical knowledge with my peers to help protect more lives and save property.”
Additionally, Leavitt has authored numerous articles and training guides, including the AFSA study guide for NICET certification in Fire Sprinkler System Testing and Inspections, the AFSA on-line hydraulics course and the Fire Smarts Residential Sprinkler training guide. He is a major contributor for the 2011 and 2014 NFPA 25 Handbooks published by NFPA. Leavitt is also a Level IV NICET-certified fire sprinkler layout technician and a Certified Fire Protection Specialist. He holds fire protection contracting licenses in 37 states.
The award will be presented to Leavitt on September 19, 2013, during the general session of AFSA’s 32nd Annual Convention and Exhibition in Las Vegas.
About Telgian Corporation
Telgian is the single-source partner for comprehensive, fire protection and life safety services. For more than 27 years, Telgian has partnered with clients across industries to offer a full suite of services including: Design, Engineering, Consulting, Firestop, Testing & Inspections and Loss Control. The company empowers clients by providing trusted guidance and innovative tools to simplify and maintain effective fire and life safety programs. To learn more about Telgian, visit https://telgian.com/.
About AFSA
The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) is a non-profit, international association representing fire sprinkler contractors, dedicated to the educational advancement of its members and promotion of the use of fire sprinkler systems. AFSA was organized in 1981 to provide the fire sprinkler contractor with training, consulting, communication, representation and many more services, all of which have expanded over its existence. Visit www.firesprinkler.org.
Read more about the Henry S. Parmelee Award here: SprinklerAgeMagazine Russ Leavitt Sept 2013