Service Technicians' All-American Award Winners
February 1958 Radio & TV News

February 1958 Radio & TV News Cover - RF Cafe Website

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Wax nostalgic about and learn from the history of early electronics. See articles from Radio & Television News, published 1919-1959. All copyrights hereby acknowledged.

If you had a father, brother, uncle, grandfather, husband, or neighbor who was an electronics service technician in the days of yore, he might have been mentioned in this 1958 issue of Radio & TV News magazine highlighting General Electric's Service technicians' All-American Award Winner. Rather than rewarding the independent businessmen for their technical prowess, the company assigned awards based on community services performed, thereby reflecting positively on both GE and the electronics service business as a whole. Each winner received a $500 check, which in 2024 money is the equivalent to about $5,400 (per BLS Inflation Calculator) in today's economy. The closest thing we have to the radio and television serviceman today is maybe the guys who install broadband cable and satellite dishes. Their level of technical knowledge is not required to be anywhere near as deep as their predecessors, though. Something that always strikes me about photos from before about the 1960s is how sparsely decorated and often crudely outfitted the environments are. Rooms are nearly devoid of pictures, furniture, and knick-knacks. Acres of empty lots surround houses and business in neighborhoods. The same goes for old movies. Take note the next time you see them.

Service Technicians' All-American Award Winners

General Electric honors thirteen men whose volunteer services to their communities deserve tangible and public recognition.

At a ceremony held in Washington on December 10th, thirteen service technicians were awarded trophies and checks for $500 for use in a community activity or charity of their preference. These men were selected from hundreds of nominees to receive public recognition of their extra-curricular activities which contributed to the welfare of their home towns.

General Electric established these awards for radio and TV service technicians as another step in its program of giving recognition to independent businessmen for their contributions to the welfare of their communities.

The services performed by the winners ranged from rescue operations in time of disaster to year-in, year-out service to the blind, the crippled, the orphaned, or the destitute. However, the judges readily agreed that theirs was a difficult task since all of the nominees exhibited a selflessness which would be outstanding in any community.

Ed Sullivan, Herman Hickman, Wendell Barnes, Wendell Ford, with Irvine D. Daniels, general manager of the receiving tube division as chairman, named the thirteen men pictured on these two pages. The service for which each was cited is given in the caption appended to the individual picture.

Radio & TV News joins in congratulating these outstanding technicians whose services are a credit to the industry as a whole.

Richard G. Wells, Jr. of Pikeville, Ky., was one of thirteen " All-American Award" winners. He was cited for installing free TV cables in public schools, aiding in last January's flood emergencies, and for encouraging youths to study electronics.

John Stefanski of Pontiac, Mich., encouraged and helped youths to follow an electronic career, promoted better business ethics, and provided free TV service to patients at Oakland County TB Hospital, to be named a winner.

Remo De Nicola of Quincy, Mass., devoted many hours of his spare time to volunteer community service work with youth groups and church organizations and servicing sets for the needy without making a service charge.

Harry E. Ward of Long Beach, Calif. has advanced the cause of electronics by assisting and encouraging education, maintaining placement files, and training groups in public safety, all without compensation.

Frank J. Hatler, W2EUI, won recognition for his outstanding work in handling emergency communications in his home town, Roselle, N. J. His award was bestowed, in part, for his rescue work in three plane crashes.

Philip DiPace of Albany. N. Y., is active in Boy Scout work and church activities and was cited for his work toward higher business ethics and for performing free radio and TV service for older people unable to afford even nominal service fees.

Marcus E. Denham of Pryor, Okla. was honored for his voluntary contributions to the youth training programs in his city and his wide community service through a number of organizations to which he gave his services.

John R. O'Brien of Evanston, Wyo., was honored for instructing first aid classes, setting up p.a. systems at community functions, and for saving several children and adults from death by drowning.

Philip G. Rehkopf. Jr. of Louisville, Ky., was cited for installing a system of loudspeakers to enable blind children to roller skate without accidents, putting textbooks on tape for the blind, and repairing electronic equipment free for wards at Boys' Haven in Louisville, Ky.

Scott A. Witchner, Jr., of Lampasas, Tex., used his amateur radio station, W5YIS, to save lives during the disastrous floods last May 12 and to direct local civil defense communications.

Billy Joe Jenkins, Paducah, Texas was honored for installing free television cable and for servicing TV sets free at Richards Memorial Hospital, assisting with Boy Scouts and Little League, and supplying p.a. systems at community functions.

Mortimer Libowitz, K2BDQ, of Brooklyn, N. Y., assisted youths interested in electronics and used his ham radio station, K2BDQ, in civil defense communications to become eligible for an award.

Bert Rypstra of Charlotte, Mich., won his award for his outstanding service to Scouting, for rendering free radio and TV service to the needy, and for assisting in civil defense communications over his ham rig. W8NWO.

Posted April 26, 2024
(updated from original post on 1/17/2017)

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