The General Society of Mechanics & Tradesmen of the City of New York has announced John Hazen White Jr., executive chairman and CEO of Taco Group Holdings Inc., as the recipient of its 2019 Craftsmanship Award. "Johnny" White owns and operates Taco, a multi-million dollar international conglomerate, and he is recognized as a trailblazer in the industry. 

Taco is a world-class manufacturer of heating and cooling equipment with locations in the United States, Canada, China, Italy, Switzerland, Korea, Hong Kong, and Vietnam. It is renowned for excellence, inventiveness, and product diversity. 

Taco Group Holdings Inc. is a family-run company that is poised to celebrate the 100th year of its founding and a century of innovation. White is the third generation to provide exemplary leadership and vision for the company. 

White is devoted to education for Taco employees and the company invests heavily in training. Classes take place in Taco's state-of-the-art, $20 million Innovation and Development Center (IDC), which combines training and hands-on learning. Employees seeking degrees can also take advantage of full tuition reimbursement for Associate, Bachelor, and Master's level degree programs. 

In addition to many other volunteer commitments, White is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., where he has endowed an annual program in "The Re-emergence of Manufacturing in the United States." 

The General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen looks forward to recognizing White for his multi-faceted contributions to the industry. He will be honored at the Annual Craftsmanship Awards Gala, Nov. 14 from  6-9 p.m., at the General Society Library.