Akron, Ohio — The Akron section of the Society of Plastics Engineers handed out awards and college scholarships at its annual awards night May 20 at Firestone Country Club.
Ewald Consen, who is retired from Entec Polymers, became the newest member of the Akron section's Hall of Honor. The hall recognizes "the unsung heroes, the foot soldiers" of the plastics industry.
Photographs of the Hall of Honor members are displayed at the University of Akron Polymer Engineering Academic Center at the Department of Polymer Engineering.
The Akron section's new president, Larry Stanek, said Consen deserves to be in the Hall of Honor for his service, including product research and development, formulation and production compounding. He holds numerous U.S. patents and has contributed to a large number of commercial products, Stanek said.
The William C. Zekan Memorial Service Award went to polymer scientist Dan Jones. The Zekan Award recognizes service to the Akron section. Jones, who serves on the board of directors, was president of the section in 2013-2014. Jones was inducted into the Hall of Honor in 2008.
The Akron section's outgoing president, Nicole Fraifogl, announced that the Akron section won two awards in March at the SPE's Antec 2019 conference in Detroit: the Pinnacle Gold Communications Award and the Pinnacle Education Award.
The keynote speaker was Mary Verstraete, professor emeritus of biomedical engineering at the University of Akron. Her topic was "The Importance of Professional Societies."
The Akron section also named 14 scholarship recipients for the 2019-2020 year: Tanner Brahler, Ean Hudspeth and Carter Kuwatch of the University of Akron; Jasmine Walker of Central State University; Erin Christian, Kaila Oberhaus and Steven Prexta of Ohio State University; Nicolette Athans of Ohio University; Jack Bahmer and Victor Vogt of Texas A&M; the Goodyear Scholarship went to Emma Harmon, who attends the University of Akron; the Newell Rubbermaid Scholarship went to Walid Abuhashim, who attends the University of Akron; the Jim Steiner Memorial Scholarship was won by Gina Tubo, who attends the University of Akron; the Kenneth L. Sharp Memorial Scholarship went to Joseph Rizzo Jr., who attends Ohio State University.