Aluminum Extruders Council recognizes two volunteers for outstanding contributions

The Aluminum Extruders Council (AEC) presented awards to two outstanding individuals during the Volunteer Recognition Banquet on March 7, 2015 at the AEC Annual Meeting & Leadership Conference held in Palm Desert, Calif.

AEC presented Tom Schabel, CEO of Alexandria Industries in Alexandria, Minn., with the Council’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award. The award goes exclusively to an AEC member who has shown exceptional dedication and service. Schabel was a member of the AEC Board of Directors since 2005 and Chairman of the Council from 2009-2010.

“Alexandria Industries has been a member of the Council for decades and has evolved to become an enterprise that many in this industry would agree provides an excellent example of how to develop a culture of excellence, teamwork, and giving back. In fact, his company has provided many outstanding volunteers; you’ll find a lot of [AEC] award winners among them. But the guy at the top has never won an award, and [finally we can] change that,” said AEC Chairman Rick Merluzzi, CEO of Pennex Aluminum Company in Wellsville, Penn.

Also during the awards ceremony, Jerome Fourmann, technical manager for Rio Tinto Alcan North American Primary Products in Mayfield Heights, Ohio, received the Volunteer of the Year Award for outstanding service and achievements as an AEC volunteer. Fourmann is an incredibly active member of the Council and is a member of the AEC Business Excellence Steering Committee, the Webinars Team, the Academic Outreach Team, and a member of the organizing team for the very successful Process Optimization Workshop held last November. He is also involved in the ET Seminar Committee, acting as Track Chair for the Extrusion/Die Practical Track for the ET ’16.