Adam Kessler poses with his award and colleagues from AWFS and SWM. In the front, SkillsUSA CA 2022 State Introductory Woodworking Silver Medalist Lisa Liu.
AWFS® Education Manager Adam Kessler was honored last week with the Industry Person of the Year award for his work in bringing industry and education together and providing services and support for school programs in Southern California. The award was presented by the Los Angeles County Industrial and Technology Education Association (LACITEA), a group comprised of career tech ed/”vocational” educators and administrators throughout Southern California. The group is led by veteran leaders of education, including retired educator and administrator Dr. Roberta Floyd, and Mr. Richard Nicholson, who has a long legacy as a woodworking teacher in the Los Angeles area and later supporting other teachers at the LA County Office of Education. Mr. Nicholson is also an active member of AWFS’ local industry-education networking chapter, the Society of Wood Manufacturing (SWM).
Adam Kessler receives the Industry Person of the Year award from Mr. Richard Nicholson of LACITEA.
Adam Kessler is the lead AWFS® staff for the SWM chapter, which is co-led by volunteer Board President Saúl Martín of Architectural Woodworking Company (AWC). The SWM group develops and deploys the SkillsUSA California Cabinetmaking and Introductory Woodworking contests at the regional and state level. Adam also serves on advisory committees for local high schools and post secondary programs, and he exhibits and participates in education and industry events to promote SWM. He has served as an industry guest speaker in virtual classroom sessions and leads and supports MFG Day events. In 2020, he led a donation program which provided over $60,000 in material and supplies to local schools to help with remote learning for students. On his nights and weekends, Adam serves as a team mentor and judge for FIRST Robotics.
Adam also oversees the Fresh Wood student woodworking competition at the AWFS®Fair, which has benefitted hundreds of students and school programs throughout its’ 23 year history. Adam is a former Fresh Wood winner himself (People’s Choice, 2011) and has a personal passion for woodworking and design.
Adam’s award featured a hand-turned pen made of oak from a local tree.
As a recipient of the Industry Person of the Year award, Adam received a handsome box with a pen, hand-turned by Mr. Nicholson. The oak wood used for the pen comes from a local tree which was recently honored at a celebration co-sponsored by SWM. Adam also received a notebook with letters of support from teachers and his colleagues.
Awards were also given out for High School, Middle School, and Post Secondary Teacher of the Year, and Administrator of the Year. LACITEA also awarded three, $1,000 scholarships to career technical education students nominated by their teachers. The students and their families were in attendance. The scholarship funds are raised through live and silent auctions that take place during the awards banquet. Local contestants and medalists from the recent SkillsUSA California state championships were in attendance and recognized for their achievements: Lisa Liu (Silver medalist) and Carson Nguyen were both Introductory Woodworking contestants from San Gabriel High School.
“Adam’s ability to work effectively with educators and the numerous wood programs throughout Southern California and across the nation has enabled AWFS®, Society of Wood Manufacturing (SWM), and SkillsUSA California, to successfully support, organize, and conduct a multitude of educational events and contests for tens of thousands of students and prospective members of our industry’s future workforce,” says AWFS’ Executive Vice President Angelo Gangone. “In fact, the work Adam has spearheaded in conjunction with Saúl Martín and the various volunteers that comprise SWM is at the very heart of our Association’s mission. That is why this award is an accurate representation of the spirit in which Adam has served, and will continue to serve, AWFS® and our industry.”
AWFS® has a history of camaraderie with LACITEA and this is the fourth time an AWFS® team member has received the Industry Person of the Year Award: Education Director Nancy Fister (now retired) in 2012, Volunteer leader Saúl Martín in 2014, and current Association Director Adria Salvatore in 2018.
To learn more about SWM or AWFS education efforts, or to reach Adam Kessler: adam@awfs.org