New York State Association of Fire Chiefs (NYSAFC) posthumously honored Tom Troutner of Niedner with its 2004 Manford Jerome Award for exemplary corporate leadership and unwavering support of NYSAFC programs to benefit New York's emergency services personnel.
The award was presented to Troutner's son, Troy, who was accompanied by Niedner representatives Doug Orms and Clif McDaniel at the NYSAFC 98th Annual Conference banquet on June 12, 2004, in Liverpool, N.Y.
The Manford Jerome Award was established by NYSAFC in 2003 to recognize an individual and corporation for their continuous dedicated support of this association's many endeavors to serve the fire, EMS, and rescue personnel of the Empire State. It was named in honor of longtime NYSAFC advocate Manford "Manny" Jerome of Jerome Fire Equipment in central New York. Jerome was on hand for the banquet to present the award to the son and colleagues of Troutner, who passed away earlier this year.
Troutner, Director of Sales and Marketing for Niedner, was a member of NYSAFC's Fire Industry, Rescue, & EMS Expo Task Force for a number of years.
In this capacity, he served as a liaison between the association and exhibitors that participate in the NYSAFC annual conference and exposition and worked throughout the year with the association staff and committees to enhance the expo for both corporate participants and attendees. Troutner was also a staunch supporter of NYSAFC's hands-on training programs, working with Niedner to ensure that the association was able to secure the tools and equipment needed to deliver high caliber fireground operations training to New York's emergency responders.
"Tom Troutner was truly a champion of the New York State Chiefs, always there to lend support to our programs and encouraging others to assist us in our efforts, because he was a true friend to the members of the fire service," said NYSAFC Executive Director Thomas L. LaBelle. ³We are honored to present this award to his son, Troy, and his colleagues at Niedner, and would like them to know that Tom's friends in New York will always remember his personal and professional contributions to this association and his commitment to supporting the emergency services.