2019 Pillar of the Industry Award Winners Recognized at ALA Conference

The 2019 Pillar of the Industry award winners were honored during the ALA Annual Conference in Phoenix, Ariz., the afternoon of Monday, Sept. 16. Each year, these awards recognize ALA members who have shown extraordinary dedication to both the lighting industry and the association. This year’s honorees were Nathan Frampton, LS, president and CEO of Fanimation; Susan Irie, LS, president, CEO and owner of Kilohana Lighting; and Hal Schwartz, owner of Enlightening Sales.

Nathan Frampton , LS | President and CEO, Fanimation
For many years, Frampton has been a positive influence and an integral part of the ALA family. He has been an active participant in ALA’s government engagement activities going back
to 2007.

Recently, he was the leading voice to first alert ALA about the proposed Border Adjustment Tax, which is one of the most important issues currently facing the industry. He first brought the tax awareness to the attention of his fellow members, educating them about the potential harm it could inflict. Frampton continues to lead on this issue by making return trips to Washington, D.C., as a spokesperson for ALA and the lighting industry. He has been traveling to the Capitol to be this voice for the last 13 years, and is active in several other government engagement efforts on ALA’s behalf at both the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program.

Nathan’s commitment to the lighting industry is seen on his work in ALA’s Membership Campaign, Long Range Conference Planning Committee, Ceiling Fan Task Force, Political Action Committee, and as secretary of the Board of Governors.

Susan Irie , LS | President, CEO and Owner, Kilohana Lighting
Irie has been actively engaged in ALA activities for many years, assisting with a variety of projects, and promoting the values of membership amongst industry peers.

Most recently, Irie led a group of fellow ALA members through the process of developing a new ALA training document focused on ceiling fans. Irie’s expertise, coupled with a wealth of industry experience, made her the ideal candidate to lead the ALA Ceiling Fan Task Force to create the newest ceiling fan curriculum. She has shared her vast knowledge and understanding of what is needed on the ceiling fan side of the industry through this document, which will serve to help educate and train all levels of professionals, from seasoned veterans to newcomers in the industry, about ceiling fan technology, troubleshooting and standards.

Additionally, Irie was involved in development of the IES RE-11 Residential Lighting Standard. She has spent the past seven years as an important team member of the ALA Education Committee, and for more than 11 years has been involved with ALA’s networking groups sharing best practices with fellow ALA members.

Hal Schwartz | Owner, Enlightening Sales
A proactive supporter of ALA, Schwartz has spent the past decade heavily involved in a number of the association’s most impactful committees. He has participated on the Manufacturer Representative Steering Committee since 2009, and is currently serving as chair of that committee.

In 2016 and 2017, he served on the Officers Nominating Committee. He has also been an active participant on the Marketing and Public Relations Committee for the past eight years, as well as contributed as a seminar coordinator at the ALA Conference and a member of the Membership Campaign Committee. In addition to his current positions on the Manufacturer Representative and Marketing and Public Relations committees, Schwartz is currently collaborating with the ALA Health Insurance Review Panel to research and analyze available plans to benefit of ALA members. This program is designed to provide a much-needed service to ALA members, which will allow them to access significant savings on healthcare costs.