Charlotte, NC —The Material Handling Education Foundation, Inc. (MHEFI) recently announced the 2003 winner of the Reed-Apple Award, presented by the Foundation. The announcement was made on October 13 during the Material Handling Industry of America (MHIA)/MHEFI Annual Dinner at the MHIA 2003 Annual Membership and Product Sections & Councils Meeting at the Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort in Bonita Springs, Florida.
The 2003 MHEFI Reed-Apple Award was presented to Dr. Leon McGinnis. Dr. McGinnis has a long and significant record of service with both the material handling industry, as well as material handling and logistics education. Dr. McGinnis has worked in areas related to material handling for over 30 years, most of which has been spent as a professor in the Industrial and Systems Engineering department at Georgia Institute of Technology. During his career, Dr. McGinnis has had a tremendous impact on the field of material handling.
Dr. McGinnis served as a Program Manager in the Material Handling Research Center at Georgia Tech for ten years. He has led numerous research projects during his career that have directly benefited the material handling industry. Two prime examples of this work are the development of an “Engineering Workstation for Automated Guided Vehicle System Design” and the development of the “Internet-Based Data Envelope Analysis System for Warehouse Operations.” Dr. McGinnis’ impact continues through the numerous Ph.D. students who work in areas related to material handling, including many who are professors at other universities.
Dr. McGinnis has also been active in the Material Handling Industry. He is a past member of the College - Industry Council on Material Handling Education and served as President during 1986-87. He was co-organizer of the Material Handling Research Colloquium for over ten years, during which time this event grew to be a successful bi-annual international event.
Dr. McGinnis is an active supporter of the Industry and the material handling and logistics field. The Board of Directors of the Material Handling Education Foundation, Inc. were proud to present the 2003 Reed-Apple Award to such a highly qualified nominee and are honored to have Dr. McGinnis join the ranks of some of the Industry’s brightest thinkers.
The MHEFI Reed Apple Award was established in 1981 as a permanent tribute to the memory of Drs. Ruddell Reed, Jr. and James M. Apple, renowned material handling educators and innovators. It is presented to those nominees who have made an extraordinary, continuing contribution to material handling and material handling education. Among past winners are such illustrious names as Dr. James A. Tompkins of Tompkins Associates; Dr. John A. White, Dean of The University of Arkansas; Norman L. Cahners, Founder and Publisher of Cahners Publishing;
Dr. Paul Eaton, a professor at Georgia Tech; Dr. James Bright, a professor at Harvard University; James Apple, Jr. of SysteCon; Mr. Bernie Knill of Penton Publishing and Dr. Richard Ward of the Material Handling Institute. MHEFI is an independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to encouraging and supporting material handling education. MHEFI offers a variety of scholarships to students pursuing an education in material handling. These scholarships are grouped into three types of funds: Company Funds, Named Scholarship Funds and Material Handling Industry Product Section/Trade Association Funds. Contributors can choose a particular fund or an individual scholarship. The affairs of the Foundation are administered at the offices of Material Handling Industry of America.
Established in 1976, MHEFI has provided funds, through private and corporate donations, to graduate and undergraduate students, as well as to academicians and their institutions.
In addition to providing scholarships, funds also sponsor grants to faculty and students to attend off-campus industry conferences and seminars directly related to the field of material handling research, to colleges or universities for purchase of classroom instructional aids and lab materials and fellowships for special research.
These programs contribute to the development of the next generation of managers and engineers who will recognize the opportunities and potential for improved material handling and management.
Since 1976, MHEFI has awarded over $1,400,000 from contributions to fund hundreds of scholarships, faculty/student travel conference grants, instructional aid grants and fellowships.
The important work of the MHEFI is accomplished through contributions of organizations and individuals committed to the advancement of material handling education.
For more information on the Material Handling Education Foundation, Inc. contact Victoria Wheeler at 704-676-1190, or via e-mail to [email protected]. You may also visit the Foundation online at www.mhefi.org
