IN BRIEF

April 1, 2011
Buildy Deadline April 15 Individuals have until April 15 to nominate themselves, their company, or their peers for a 2011 Buildy Award. Recognizing leaders,

Buildy Deadline April 15

Individuals have until April 15 to nominate themselves, their company, or their peers for a 2011 Buildy Award.

Recognizing leaders, visionaries, and implementers of smart devices and smart systems, the eighth annual awards will be given in the following categories: Connectivity Visionary, Smart Building, Smart Homes, Smart Industrial, Smart Infrastructure, and Smart Grid.

The winners will be announced during ConnectivityWeek 2011, which will be held May 23-26 in Santa Clara, Calif.

For details and to submit a nomination, visit http://bit.ly/Buildy.

ITT Launches Ideation Challenge

ITT Residential & Commercial Water, along with foundation partner ITT Watermark, is seeking solutions to the problem of educating illiterate populations about the importance of purifying drinking water, offering a $5,000 prize for the best idea.

Issued through InnoCentive, an independent organization dedicated to connecting answer “Seekers” with problem “Solvers,” the “Ideation Challenge” is open to participants from any discipline or background. It will run until April 27. The winning solution will be announced in May.

For more information on the challenge, go to http://bit.ly/g3aDvS.

Greenheck Names CEO

Greenheck, the Schofield, Wis.-based manufacturer of air-movement and control products, recently named James J. McIntyre chief executive officer of the Greenheck Group and a member of the company's board of directors effective April 11.

McIntyre previously spent 30 years in the commercial insurance industry, the last six as president and chief operating officer of Capitol Transamerica Corp. He succeeds Dwight Davis, who is stepping back from active management, but will continue to provide strategic oversight and serve as chairman of the board of directors.

Yaskawa Announces Appointments

Yaskawa America Inc., the Waukegan, Ill.-based manufacturer of industrial automation equipment, recently named Masahiro Ogawa chief executive officer, Mike Knapek president and chief operating officer, and Mark Bernicky vice president of drives.

Ogawa has worked for Yaskawa for 24 years, previously serving as vice president of research and development for the Yaskawa Robotics Division in Japan. He succeeds Gen Kudo, who retired.

Knapek began his career with Magnetek in 1986. After Yaskawa acquired Magnetek's drives division, he assumed leadership roles in several product areas. He later became responsible for the drives business in North America and South America. He succeeds Jody Kurtzhalts.

Bernicky has worked for Yaskawa for 18 years, previously serving as director of domestic drives sales.

Energy Efficiency Forum Accepting Award Nominations

The Energy Efficiency Forum is accepting nominations for its 2011 Energy Leadership Awards.

Recognizing individuals who have provided exemplary leadership in instituting and advancing energy efficiency in the United States and abroad, the awards will be presented in six categories.

The deadline for nominations is May 13. Nomination forms are available at http://bit.ly/i5XeT8.

The awards will be presented during the 22nd Annual Energy Efficiency Forum, which will be held June 15 and 16 in Washington, D.C. The event is co-sponsored by Johnson Controls and the U.S. Energy Association.

Carrier Hosts White House CEQ

Carrier Corp., the Farmington, Conn.-based provider of high-technology HVACR solutions, welcomed Nancy Sutley, chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), to its Charlotte, N.C., chiller factory for a tour and overview of the company's approach to environmental sustainability.