Several NBBI members were honored during the Members’ Meeting on May 16 as part of the 91st General Meeting in Las Vegas.
Honorary members, service awards and the NB-380 Workbook Task Group were recognized.
Honorary membership
Steve Nelson and Steve Townsend were recognized as National Board honorary members.
Honorary membership is given to an individual who has made outstanding and noteworthy contributions toward improving the development, implementation, or enforcement of safety principles related to the boiler and pressure vessel industry.
Townsend, retired chief boiler inspector for the province of Prince Edward Island, was an NBBI member for 11 years and spent nearly 30 years in the industry. Before working for Prince Edward Island, he worked for 18 years as a shift engineer responsible for the maintenance and operation of central heating plants and steam and ammonia refrigeration systems.
Nelson, retired chief inspector for the state of Colorado, served on the National Board Committee on Qualifications for Inspection. Before joining the state of Colorado, he was a field services supervisor at Hartford Steam Boiler where he worked for 29 years.
Nelson, who also served in the U.S. Navy, was recognized in 2022 but did not attend the 90th General Meeting in New Orleans.
Steve Townsend (left) and Steve Nelson pose with NBBI Board of Trustees Chair
Rob Troutt after being recognized as National Board honorary members.
Membership Service Awards
Rob Troutt received the 10-year service award, and Bob Becker from Colorado received the five-year service award.
Troutt, who represents the state of Texas, also was reelected as NBBI Board of Trustees chair.
Becker was a boiler inspector for the state of Colorado from 2007-2018 when he became chief. Before that, he was a boiler inspector for the city and county of Denver from 2001-07.
Awardees received a pin and certificate. National Board members are eligible to receive an award upon completion of five years as a member and at the end of every five years thereafter.
Bob Becker (center), who represents the state of Colorado, receives his five-year service award from NBBI Board of Trustees Chair
Rob Troutt and NBBI Executive Director Joel Amato. Troutt, who represents the state of Texas, also received his 10-year service award.
NB-380 Workbook Task Group
This team of Inservice Inspector Supervisors and jurisdictional chiefs was created in November 2021 and developed a task-based training workbook designed to help jurisdictions and Authorized Inspection Agencies develop inspector candidates who do not meet the five-point education and experience requirements found in 2021 Edition of NB-263, RCI-1, Rules for Commissioned Inspectors. Completion of the workbook is intended to meet the alternative requirements found in NB-380, National Board Inservice Inspector Training Program. Full details about the NB-380 program and the new workbook can be found at nbbi.org/NB-380.
Those recognized were:
- Tom Clark, state of Oregon, chair
- Vinny Scarcella, CNA, vice chair
- Don Ehler, province of Nova Scotia, member
- Steve Frazier, city of Seattle, member
- Brian Oliver, state of New Hampshire, member
- Del Schirmer, Boiler and Property Consulting, member
- Mike Burns, NBBI, secretary
- Greg Goossens, NBBI, advisor
The NB-380 Workbook Task Group members were recognized during the Members' Meeting. The group includes (from left)
Brian Oliver, Del Schirmer, Don Ehler, Tom Clark and Greg Goossens. Vinny Scarcella, Steve Frazier and Mike Burns were not present.