Bill Lehman Memorial Award
History: Established October, 12, 1989. Bill Lehman - truly a "friend to animal control." Recipient requirements- to acknowledge "friends of animal control" - a person that contributed in furthering the positive image of animal control.
Bill worked for the SWAB Wagon Company of Elizabethville, Pennsylvania, from the time he was in high school until he retired. His father and grandfather also worked there. The company began by making wooden wheel barrows and farm trucks - and the SWAB Wagon Company grew into what we see today.
Bill helped design a chick transport system and developed a blower system to make transportation more humane.
He became interested in animal control and designed equipment and vehicles that not only provided humane transportation for domestic pets, but increased safety for animal control officers as well.
The ortho pet stretcher that you see at several of the booths was designed by Bill.
Coworkers called him the "mad scientist" because his mind was always working on such creative inventions.
Bill attended every NACA conference since exhibitors became a part of the annual meeting. Supported NACA financially, emotionally and spiritually.
He participated and initiated many of the frisbee-throwing events at the NACA conference. Bill had a Swab Frisbee made for these functions. Mackinaw Island/Grand Hotel - offering the largest porch in the country, was a great location for these events - until we were politely asked to take it elsewhere. Oh darn!
Retired in 1986 after 48 years of service. How many of us can relate to that? Few!
NACA lost the physical presence of Bill Lehman when he died in April of 1988. His spirit and memory remains with us and will continue to be a part of NACA as each year we honor his memory with this award.