Salt Lake City, UT – Jack Wells, Camillus, N.Y., former chairman of the board of directors of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), today received NFPA’s most prestigious award, the Paul C. Lamb Award. The NFPA presented the Award to Wells during the opening general session of its World Safety Conference and Exposition(r) in Salt Lake City.
The Paul C. Lamb Award honors members whose service to NFPA represents the height of voluntary spirit and deed. The Award was established in 1980 and is named for a man who dedicated 35 years of service to the NFPA.
Wells is vice president of corporate development for Pass & Seymour/Legrand, a leading manufacturer of wiring devices, ground fault circuit interrupters and wall plates, in Syracuse, N.Y. He is accountable for business development through acquisition and merger and manages industry relations activities. In his 42 years with the company, Wells has worked in sales, product management, marketing and general management.
Wells’s leadership with NFPA dates back to 1973 when he was appointed to the National Electrical Code(r) (NEC(r)) Code-Making Panel 18. He chaired the Electrical Equipment Maintenance Technical Committee from 1977 to 1979 and currently chairs the Advisory Committee on Adoption and Use of the National Electrical Code(r) and Related Documents and the International Advisory Committee. Wells has also served on NFPA technical committees on Electrical Safety in the Workplace.
He served on the board from 1982 to 1989 and then became second vice chair in 1990. He was elected first vice chair of the NFPA board of directors in 1992 and chair in 1994. Wells was NFPA board chair during the centennial celebration and has served on the board of trustees of NFPA’s Research Foundation since 1994.
Since inception of the Electrical Code Coalition, a group formed to promote the direct adoption of the NEC, Wells has served as chair. This group also has a major focus on recognizing the importance of electrical inspectors as a critical element in the North American electrical safety system.
Paul C. Lamb award recipients are chosen by members of the NFPA board and a representative of NFPA’s Standards Council based on these criteria: the impact of the person’s service on NFPA; the extent to which the service represents a broad range of responsibilities and achievement; the significance of the service on different levels of NFPA activity; the duration of service; achievements in fire safety; and the personal attributes of the individual.
