The Clifford H. "Ted" Rees Jr. Scholarship Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) and the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), has announced scholarship awards totaling $83,000 to 44 students, including five military veterans, studying to become technicians in the HVACR and water heating industry. 

"Each year, the foundation provides aid to these aspiring technicians, helping to promote careers in the industry and fill good-paying jobs that cannot be outsourced," said Stephen Yurek, president and CEO, AHRI. "We are pleased to award scholarships to these qualified and dedicated students, and we look forward to welcoming them into the industry."

“Workforce development is a major priority for ACCA, and we’re pleased to work with the Rees Scholarship Foundation and AHRI to help recruit financial support for deserving individuals,” added Barton James, president and CEO, ACCA. “It is our responsibility as an industry to continue to support and encourage careers in the skilled trades, and it starts with training and education.”

HVACR and Water Heating Technician Program Recipients:

Alejandro Alvarez, Tyler Junior College, Tyler, Texas

Samuel Alvarez, Tulsa Technology Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Ryan Bentley, Northeast Technical Institute, Scarborough, Maine

Steven Bryant, Tulsa Technology Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Simplice Raoul Buguieu Kom, HVAC Technical Institute, Chicago

Kalum Cook, Bevill State Community College, Jasper, Alabama

Nicholas Cox, Easter Maine Community College, Bangor, Maine

Stacy Curry, Columbus State Community College, Columbus, Ohio

Angel Delatorre, Institute of Technology, Modesto, California

Gabriel Denison, Lincoln Technical Institute New Britain, New Britain, Connecticut

Eric Harris, Tulsa Technology Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Jonah Hartman, Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Wesley Henry, Front Range Community College, Westminster, Colorado

Mark Holley, Bevill State Community College, Sumiton, Alabama

Jeffrey Holtzclaw, Tyler Junior College, Tyler, Texas

Russell Hunt, Palm Beach State College, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Robert Hunt, Tyler Junior College, Tyler, Texas

Denard Jones, Community College of Baltimore County, Baltimore

Tiffany Jusino, Elgin Community College, Elgin, Ohio

Juan Lara, HVAC Technical Institute, Chicago

Aneil Panjwani, Bevill State Community College, Sumiton, Alabama

Angel Resto, Monroe Community College, Rochester, New York

Logan Sands, Pennsylvania College of Technology, Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Charles Santos, Renton Technical College, Renton, Washington

Payton Silas, Bevill State Community College, Sumiton, Alabama

Bryan Soto, HVAC Technical Institute, Chicago

Alexander Spicer, Tulsa Technology Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Larry Starks, HVAC Technical Institute, Chicago

Warren Stubbs, HVAC Technical Institute, Chicago

Lee Taylor, Bevill State Community College, Sumiton, Alabama

Nicholas Telemchuk, Tulsa Technology Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Greg Tubbs, Bevill State Community College, Sumiton, Alabama

Ricardo Vega, HVAC Technical Institute, Chicago

Paul Walton, HVAC Technical Institute, Chicago

Cardea Wells, Northeast Technical Institute, Scarborough, Maine

Ahmadjamal Williams, HVAC Technical Institute, Chicago

SkillsUSA Program Recipients:
Tyler Agee, Virginia Western Community College, Roanoke, Virginia

Jadin Dasher, Vernon Malone College and Career Academy, Raleigh, North Carolina

Josh Donaghy, Central Connecticut State University, New Britain, Connecticut

Seth Hellings, Charles Bohlen Technical Center, Watertown, New York

Thomas, Jones, Frederick Community College, Frederick, Maryland

Elijah Smart, Texas State Technical College, Waco, Texas

Austin Watkins, Tennessee College of Applied Technology McKenzie, McKenzie, Tennessee

One anonymous student

Since the Rees Scholarship Foundation was founded in 2003, it has awarded more than $1 million in scholarships to 643 deserving students and instructors. For a list of past scholarship recipients, click here.