The Automotive Lift Institute (ALI) reelected two board members on Oct. 30 in Las Vegas and inducted eight inaugural honorees to its Hall of Honor on Oct. 24, 2023, at the ALI's Cortland, New York, location.
Doug Brown of Vehicle Service Group is returning as chairman of the Board of Directors, making this his second one-year term in the position. Additionally, ALI brought back Brian Spikes of Challenger Lifts for another three-year term. The Institute's Board reelections came almost a week after the ceremony honored the manufacturers and members who first formed the institute in 1945.
“The men and women we’re honoring here today played crucial roles in the evolution of ALI, their companies, lift technology, and the industry,” said ALI President R.W. “Bob” O’Gorman at the ceremony. “On behalf of all lift operators, we thank them for their service and dedication.”
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The inaugural Hall of Honor entrants were:
- E.K. “Chic” and Anne Fox of The Parker Organization: Chic and Anne served ALI for 43 years, with Chic working as the organization’s original president from 1974-2005. Although he passed away in 2020, Chic is remembered for helping the ALI move to a performance-based safety standard, developing requirements for third-party lift testing and certification, introducing the ALI Gold Certification Label, and creating the first lift safety materials.
- F.G. “Rick” Heath of Heath and Associates: Heath served the ALI as a member, committee chair, board chair, and technical consultant, with his work particularly impacting the ALI Engineering Committee (or Safety and Standards Technical Committee). Heath prepared the initial drafts of several ALI-sponsored lift safety standards, including ANSI/ALI ALCTV, ANSI/ALI ALOIM and ANSI/ALI ALIS, and helped develop the ALI Automotive Lift Certification Program and ALI Lift Inspector Certification program.
- Curtis Joseph “Joe” Matthews Sr. of Rotary Lift: Matthews served as Rotary Lift’s representative to ALI for over three decades and managed ALI’s technical matters and standards work. He helped introduce the first lift safety performance standard in 1974 and passed away in 2022.
- Jim “J.R.” Williams of ETL Testing Labs: Williams played a critical role in developing the ALI Automotive Lift Certification program. He also introduced product safety requirements throughout the process, such as electrical product listing, labeling, and testing with OSHA-approved, nationally recognized testing laboratories, and died in 2007.
- Gary Kennon of Vehicle Service Group: Kennon served on the ALI Board of Directors and several committees throughout his tie with the ALI, during which he helped launch the ALI Lift Inspector Certification Program and helped develop the ALI Associate Class in 2013.
- Jerome “Jerry” Lentz of Challenger Lifts: Lentz worked for ALI for 26 years, during which he served as the chairman of the board for three terms. With his guidance, he helped develop and finish the ALI Lift Inspector Certification Program.
- Joseph L. “Joe” Gray of Gray Manufacturing Company: Gray founded Gray Manufacturing in 1952 and was an inventor and mentor in the industry who passed away in 2023.
