The Clifford H. "Ted" Rees, Jr. Scholarship Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute, and the Air Conditioning Contractors of America, announced scholarship awards totaling $65,000 to 39 students, including five military veteran program recipients, studying to become technicians in the HVACR and water heating industry.

"We are pleased to award scholarships to these qualified and dedicated students and veterans, and we look forward to welcoming them into the industry," said AHRI President and CEO Stephen Yurek. "Each year, the Foundation provides aid to an increasing number of recipients, helping to promote careers in the industry and fill good-paying jobs that cannot be outsourced."

"Developing quality workers is a critical initiative that everyone in our industry is working together to accomplish," said ACCA Interim President and CEO Barton James. "We are proud to partner with the Rees Scholarship Foundation and AHRI to give these hard-working students and veterans scholarships to help them continue their education, which will develop into a strong workforce for our industry's future."

HVACR and Water Heating Technician Program Recipients

• Justin Williams, Moore Norman Technology Center - Franklin Road Campus, Norman, OK
• Brandon Girard, Northeast Technical Institute, Scarborough, ME
• William Macdonald, Northern Michigan Univeristy, Marquette, MI
• Zachary Stewart, Bevill State Community College, Sumiton, AL
• Rocky Boshell, Bevill State Community College, Sumiton, AL
• Ricardo Orozco, Brownson Technical School, Anaheim, CA
• Chandler Ellis, Bevill State Community College, Sumiton, AL
• Jessica Davis, Bevill State Community College, Sumiton, AL
• Logan Guthrie, Bevill State Community College, Sumiton, AL
• Taylor Tadlock, Minneapolis Community & Technical College, Minneapolis, MN
• Eduardo Lopez, Brownson Technical School, Anaheim, CA
• Jeremy Templeton, Brownson Technical School, Anaheim, CA
• Mark Ruiz, Brownson Technical School, Anaheim, CA
• Colby Buntin, Minneapolis Community & Technical College, Minneapolis, MN
• Raul Bertoli Vega, CBT College - Hialeah Campus, Hialeah, FL
• Osmany Garciga, CBT College - Flagler Campus, Miami, FL
• Garrett Miller, Intercoast Colleges, Sacramento, CA
• Mason Ellis, Bevill State Community College, Sumiton, AL
• Chandler Sawyer, Bevill State Community College, Hamilton, AL
• Alan Carroll, Gadsden State Community College, Gadsden, AL
• Alex Woody, Tulsa Tech - Lemley Memorial Campus, Tulsa, OK
• Gregory Bush, Ferris State University, Big Rapids, MI
• Justin Adams, Illinois Central College, East Peoria, IL
• Ismel Rodriguez, CBT College - Hialeah Campus, Hialeah, FL
• Elias Flores, Atlantic Technical College, Coconut Creek, FL
• Paul Paiz, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Rapids, MI
• Ronny Rodriguez, The Electrical Training Center Inc., Copiague, NY
• Christian Morano, Pennsylvania College Of Technology, Wiliamsport, PA
• Christian Castillo, Tyler Junior College West Campus, Tyler, TX
• Lorenzo Luna, Tyler Junior College, Tyler, TX
• Cheyenne Benge, Perry Technical Institute, Yakima, WA
• Jose Luna, Perry Technical Institute, Yakima, WA
• Joshua Taylor, Tulsa Technology Center, Tulsa, OK
• Andrew Bresnahan, Intercoast College, Rancho Cordova, CA

Veterans Program Recipients

• Cedric Washington, Bevill State Community College, Sumiton, AL
• Garrett Hamilton, San Joaquin Valley College - Temecula, Temecula, CA
• Luis Zarabia, Intercoast College, Sacramento, CA
• Jeremy Galindo, Brownson Technical School, Anaheim, CA
• Juan Villarreal, Brownson Technical School, Anaheim, CA

Since the Rees Scholarship Foundation was founded in 2003, it has awarded more than $800,000 in scholarships to more than 400 deserving students and instructors. For a list of past scholarship recipients, click here.