ASHRAE Chapter History
Leadership Recall Interview
Jacksonville, Florida Chapter (034)

Date: June 30, 2009
Time: N/A
Subject: Ron Kessner, 2003 - 2004 President - Jacksonville Chapter

Interviewed by: Frank Mangin, Historian - Jacksonville Chapter (’08-’09)

 

Where were you born?

Chicago, Illinois

Do you have a college degree?

Yes, a BS from the University of Illinois

What was your field of study?

General Engineering

Do you have professional registration? If yes what states?

Yes.  Florida and Minnesota

What attracted you to the HVAC&R industry?

Took an elective in HVAC&R design taught by Professor Stecker who was also an ASHRAE Fellow.  Participated in getting exhibitors for an open house in the General Engineering department and contacted manufacturers in the HVAC industry.

What did you do early in your career?

Took a job with Carrier in Minnesota (was told by prospective employer, “There is no place for you except at Carrier”).  First assignment was as the area service manager that included responsibility for installation and performance test of a 2500-ton chiller for Mayo Clinic.  Promoted to Sales Engineer and quickly began to call on engineers.  Involved in several major absorption chiller projects which were common in Minnesota at the time.  Eventually was relocated by Carrier to Jacksonville and called on engineers such as Jim Hammond, Jim Grinnan, Jim Baker, Gary Wingfield, Roy Turnkett, John Spence and Sam Cadwallader

How and when did you become interested in ASHRAE?

Dan Langford with W.W. Gay invited Ron to an ASHRAE chapter meeting when he relocated to Jacksonville.  Frank Houser with W.W. Gay who was Chair for Region IV CRC asked him to chair the Social Activities sub-committee for the CRC which included the Oyster Roast. Two months later, he moved to Atlanta and due to the contacts made at the CRC, was asked to be the Chapter’s Membership Promotion Chair.  In June 1978, ASHRAE divided Region IV into Regions IV and XII. At the Region IV CRC, Ron was asked to represent the region as Regional Vice Chair - Membership.  For the next 30 years, he was active at Society and Regional and Chapter levels.

What was most memorable about your year as Chapter President?

Received Region XII - J. Wes Floreth  Best Chapter 2003-2004 Award.  The award was initiated when I was DRC to honor of our First Region XII Director and Regional Chair (DRC).

ASHRAE History

Society offices held:
1993-09 1995-06 Vice President
1989-07 1992-06 Board of Directors

1986-07 1986-12 Board of Directors 

 

Regional offices held:
1989-07 1992-06 Region XII - Chair
1986-07 1986-12 Region IV - Chair

1985-07 1986-06 Region IV – Vice Chair: Research Promotion

Chapter offices held:
2004-07 2005-06 Jacksonville Past President / Governor  / Historian
2003-07 2004-06 Jacksonville President
2002-07 2003-06 Jacksonville President Elect
2001-07 2002-06 Jacksonville Vice President
2000-07 2001-06 Jacksonville Secretary
1999-07 2000-06 Jacksonville Treasurer
1985-07 1986-06 Atlanta Vice President
1984-07 1985-06 Atlanta Secretary
1983-07 1984-06 Atlanta Treasurer
1982-07 1981-06 Atlanta Board of Governors

Chapter offices held:
2004-07 2005-06 Jacksonville Past President / Governor  / Historian
2003-07 2004-06 Jacksonville President
2002-07 2003-06 Jacksonville President Elect

Note: Ron has chaired and/or been a member of many committees at the Chapter, Regional and Society levels.  Here are just some of them:

 

Society committees:
2006-07 2007-06 Environmental Health Committee – Vice Chair

2005-07 2006-06 Honors and Awards Committee – Member

1994-07 1995-06 Special Publications Committee – Co-Chair

 

Chapter committees:
1998-07 1999-06 Student Activities Chair

In addition to and in many cases while chairing these committees, Ron has received over 20 citations and awards from Society and the Region.

Professional Experience:

 

From	To	Employer	Title	Duties
2003-01	Present	RJK Consulting	Vice President	Sales and Consulting
2001-07	2003-06	Phoenix Intrgrated Technologies	Professor/ Instructor	Teaching
1965-05	1998-05	Carrier	MSD  Service Manager MSD  Sales Engineer MSD  Branch Manager MSD  State Sales Manager MSD   District Manager MSD   S.E. Zone Manager BSS     General Manager                        BSS     Marketing Manager Carrier General Manager	Comm. Svc. Comm. Sales N.FL Comm. Sales GA Comm. Sales GA, FL,& AL Comm. Sales Sales, Svc. & Ctrls Disney Acct. N. FL All Sales