The Philadelphia Award

In the formative years of organized locksmithing, it became apparent to the leaders of GPLA that there were some truly dedicated individuals throughout the trade who had devoted much time and effort to the advancement of the craft, not only in Philadelphia but around the world. Many of these leaders were identified. To recognize and inspire these individuals and those who would follow them, the “Philadelphia Award” was created.

Instinctively, those who established the award knew that through conferring the “Philadelphia Award” upon an individual, that person would be immortalized throughout the annals of the security industry.

This was not an award to be “earned,” nor would someone’s title, position, affluence or position in the industry be the criteria by which the recipient would be selected. Rather, a careful search was undertaken by a select committee to identify those whose efforts and dedication truly represented the building blocks of progress for the entire industry.

In the early years, starting in 1953, there were quite a number of individuals whose labor and devotion had gone unrecognized. Thus, it was not unusual to have two or more recipients. Over the years, the select committee has reviewed literally hundreds of outstanding potential nominees. In the end, the committee is faced with the awesome task of selecting the ONE UNIQUE PERSON who best exemplifies the characteristics and dedication that the “Philadelphia Award” embodies. When all is said and done, there can be little doubt that legions of leaders, movers, and shakers who have been a part of this industry have passed from memory, but the recipients of the “Philadelphia Award”, the industry’s most prestigious award, will remain immortalized for all time.

Tom Foxwell - Philadelphia Award Recipient
2022 - Thomas Foxwell - Salisbury, MD
2021 - Philip Shearer - Hanover, MA
2021 - Philip Shearer - Hanover, MA
joe-cortie-2019
2019 - Joe Cortie - Lexington, KY
2018- Peter Field - Salem, VA
2018- Peter Field - Salem, VA
2017- Jerome Andrews - Akron, OH
2017- Jerome Andrews - Akron, OH
2016 - Don O'Shall - Beverly Hills, FL
2016 - Don O'Shall - Beverly Hills, FL
2015 -Mark Bates- Nicholasville, KY
2015 -Mark Bates- Nicholasville, KY
2014- David O' Toole - Dublin, Ireland
2014- David O' Toole - Dublin, Ireland
2013 -Skip Eckert - Medina, OH
2013 -Skip Eckert - Medina, OH
2012 - Clyde Roberson - Salem, VA
2012 - Clyde Roberson - Salem, VA
2011 - Jay Long - Berkeley, CA
2011 - Jay Long - Berkeley, CA
2010 - Thomas Demont - McMurray, PA
2010 - Thomas Demont - McMurray, PA
2009 - Dallas Brooks - Auburn, AL
2009 - Dallas Brooks - Auburn, AL
2008 - David Lowell - Dallas, TX
2008 - David Lowell - Dallas, TX
2007 - William B. Neff - Lancaster, PA
2007 - William B. Neff - Lancaster, PA
2006 - Gale Johnson - Chicago, IL
2006 - Gale Johnson - Chicago, IL
2005 - Mark Miller - Nicholasville, KY
2005 - Mark Miller - Nicholasville, KY
2004 - Martin Arnold - Pennsauken, NJ
2004 - Martin Arnold - Pennsauken, NJ
2003 - James M. Watt - Missoula, MT
2003 - James M. Watt - Missoula, MT
2002 - Allan Halverson - Nicholasville, KY
2002 - Allan Halverson - Nicholasville, KY
2001 - John Greenan - Chicago, IL
2001 - John Greenan - Chicago, IL
2000 - Steve Young - Pensacola, FL
2000 - Steve Young - Pensacola, FL
1998 - James Glazier - Mount Airy, MD
1998 - James Glazier - Mount Airy, MD
1997 - Brian Costley - Nicholasville, KY
1997 - Brian Costley - Nicholasville, KY
1996 - Gerry Finch - Torrance, CA
1996 - Gerry Finch - Torrance, CA
1995 - Henry Printz - Morristown, NJ
1995 - Henry Printz - Morristown, NJ
1994 - Dee Bucha - Beeville, TX
1994 - Dee Bucha - Beeville, TX
1993 - Breck Camp - Atlanta, GA
1993 - Breck Camp - Atlanta, GA
1992 - A. J. Hoffman - Plantsville, KY
1992 - A. J. Hoffman - Plantsville, KY
1991 - Jack Barber - Devon, UK
1991 - Jack Barber - Devon, UK
1990 - Clayton Miller - Nicholasville, KY
1990 - Clayton Miller - Nicholasville, KY
1989 - Thomas Hennessy - Bristol, CT
1989 - Thomas Hennessy - Bristol, CT
1988 - Billy Edwards - Salem, VA
1988 - Billy Edwards - Salem, VA
1987 - Hans Mejlshede - Copenhagen, Denmark
1987 - Hans Mejlshede - Copenhagen, Denmark
1986 - Evelyn Wersonick - Albuquerque, NM
1986 - Evelyn Wersonick - Albuquerque, NM
1985 - Joe Jackman - Kansas City, KS
1985 - Joe Jackman - Kansas City, KS
1984 - Gerald Connelly Jr - Philadelphia, PA
1984 - Gerald Connelly Jr - Philadelphia, PA
1983 - Carey Parker - London, UK
1983 - Carey Parker - London, UK
1982 - Ken Ehrenreich - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
1982 - Ken Ehrenreich - Ft. Lauderdale, FL
1981 - Ken Troy - Fanwood, NJ
1981 - Ken Troy - Fanwood, NJ
1980 - Lawrence McCall - Pennsgrove, CA
1980 - Lawrence McCall - Pennsgrove, CA
1979 - Bill Reed - Des Plaines, IL
1979 - Bill Reed - Des Plaines, IL
1978 - Charles Hetherington - Dallas, TX
1978 - Charles Hetherington - Dallas, TX
1977 - Rex Parmalee - Nicholasville, KY
1977 - Rex Parmalee - Nicholasville, KY
1976 - Robert McCown - Chicago, IL
1976 - Robert McCown - Chicago, IL
1975 - Lee Rognon - New York, NY
1975 - Lee Rognon - New York, NY
1974 - Weigand Jensen - Youngstown, OH
1974 - Weigand Jensen - Youngstown, OH
1973 - Sal Schillizzi - New York, NY
1973 - Sal Schillizzi - New York, NY
1972 - Constant Maffey - Elizabeth, NJ
1972 - Constant Maffey - Elizabeth, NJ
1971 - Ted Johnstone - New Baltimore, MI
1971 - Ted Johnstone - New Baltimore, MI
1971 - John C. Miller - Washington DC
1971 - John C. Miller - Washington DC
1970 - William Zipf Sr - Columbus, OH
1970 - William Zipf Sr - Columbus, OH
1969 - Robert J. Psolka - Cherry Hill, NJ
1969 - Robert J. Psolka - Cherry Hill, NJ
1968 - Benjamin Silver - New York, NY
1968 - Benjamin Silver - New York, NY
1967 - William Meacham - Pasadena, CA
1967 - William Meacham - Pasadena, CA
1966 - James L. Taylor - Rochester, NY
1966 - James L. Taylor - Rochester, NY
1965 - Vincent Vigil - Albuquerque, NM
1965 - Vincent Vigil - Albuquerque, NM
1964 - Gerald Connelly Jr - Philadelphia, PA
1964 - Gerald Connelly Jr - Philadelphia, PA
1963 - Robert Bell - Bloomfield, NJ
1963 - Robert Bell - Bloomfield, NJ
1962 - John Weidman - Philadelphia, PA
1962 - John Weidman - Philadelphia, PA
1961 - Harold George - Milwaukee, WI
1961 - Harold George - Milwaukee, WI
1960 - Leon Kotch - White Plains, NY
1960 - Leon Kotch - White Plains, NY
1959 - Robert A. Nelson - Philadelphia, PA
1959 - Robert A. Nelson - Philadelphia, PA
1958 - John Mc Lindon - Washington DC
1958 - John Mc Lindon - Washington DC
1958 - Stephen Fallshaw - London, UK
1958 - Stephen Fallshaw - London, UK
1957 - Edwin Toepfer - Milwaukee, WI
1957 - Edwin Toepfer - Milwaukee, WI
1957 - Harry C Miller - Rochester, NY
1957 - Harry C Miller - Rochester, NY
1956 - Ernest Johannesen - Baltimore, MD
1956 - Ernest Johannesen - Baltimore, MD
1956 - Lee Rognon - New York, NY
1956 - Lee Rognon - New York, NY
1955 - M. Leonard Singer - Woodbridge, NJ
1955 - M. Leonard Singer - Woodbridge, NJ
1955 - Robert Radckliffe - Springfield, MA
1955 - Robert Radckliffe - Springfield, MA
1955 - Robert Argens - Seattle, WA
1955 - Robert Argens - Seattle, WA
1955 - Hermann Hennsler, Jr - Philadelphia, PA
1955 - Hermann Hennsler, Jr - Philadelphia, PA
1954 - Robert Rognon - New York, NY
1954 - Robert Rognon - New York, NY
1954 - Joseph Carson - Philadelphia, PA
1954 - Joseph Carson - Philadelphia, PA
1953 - Barney Zion - New York, NY
1953 - Barney Zion - New York, NY
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