1st Industry Awards Go to Brunner, Alexander & Wilkinson

John Wolz

The Industrial Fasteners Institute honored Robert Brunner, Errol Alexander and Harry Wilkinson with the first Soaring Eagle Awards for service to the fastener industry.
Brunner, of Illinois Tool Works, received the William E. Ward Leadership Award for his �leadership excellence in marshalling fastener industry resources to focus on legislative actions, which amended the U.S. Fastener Quality Act.�
Brunner, received the award named after the 19th century businessman and inventor, whose patents include open and closed die headers.
Alexander won the Roy P. Trowbridge Technology Award for advancing fastener application engineering by developing �an analytical model that predicts nut or bolt strippage or bolt fracture during tightening.�
Trowbridge was director of engineering standards for General Motors and the �first industrialist representing a major user to recognize the importance of mechanical fasteners to the assembly function.�
Wilkinson, retired from SPS Technologies, was honored with the George S. Case Sr. Meritorious Service Award for �unifying the aerospace fastener industry under the IFI umbrella and spearheading the formation of the aerospace Division II.
Case was president of Lamson & Sessions Co. and was instrumental in the formation of the forerunner of the IFI, the American Institute of Bolt, Nut & Rivet Manufacturers.
Nominations for the three awards were opened to the industry, and the winners were selected by the IFI awards committee: Chair Jennifer Johns Friel, Jeff Ferry, Ed Johnson, Frank Ruprich and William Gregory.\
�2001 FastenerNews.com