Awards
BSA builds relationships for Bearing Distributors and Manufacturers. BSA offers various awards within the industry including the Excellence Awards, Honorary Member, Lifetime Achievement Award and Special Manufacturer Award.
Honorary Member Award
To be eligible for BSA Honorary Membership, a person must:
- Be living, and
- No longer be actively or directly involved in bearing distribution, and
- Be a former officer or director of BSA, ABS, or AFBDA, or
- Have been actively connected with the business of a BSA, ABS or AFBDA member, and who, in the majority opinion of the Board of Directors, has made an outstanding contribution to the industry
The BSA Honorary Members are listed below:
- Tim Breen, Motion Industries, Inc.
- William H. Allen, Jr., Allied Bearings Supply, Tulsa, OK
- Dennis Bobker, Bobker Bearings, Livingston, NJ
- Thomas Brown, Applied Industrial Technologies, Bend, OR
- Robert “Jack” Doub, The B.R. Smith Co., Baltimore , MD
- James Fitzpatrick, Sr., Bearings Specialty Co., Canton, MA
- Dave Hooser, BDI, Cleveland, OH
- Lynne (Kelly) Sears, Miller Bearings, Orlando, FL
- John Kisel, BDI, Englewood , FL
- Cam Lawrence, BDI Canada, Mississauga, ON, Canada
- Robby MacPherson, BC Bearing Engineers, Burnaby, BC, Canada
- Chris McCririe, Reliable Bearing Co. Ltd., La Conner, WA
- Thomas Miller, Motion Industries, Birmingham, AL
- Michael Moore, INVETECH, Bloomfield Hills , MI
- Charles "Nick" Nicholson, Bearings & Drives, Sandersville, GA
- Caryl “Harry” Oranges, King Bearing Inc., Rancho Mirago , CA
- Walter B. Osborne, Grenelefe , FL
- Jeff Ramras, Applied Industrial Technologies, Cleveland, OH
- Donald “Doc” Schaff, Syracure Bearing Co., Chesapeake , VA
- Lathrop Smith, Industrial Supplies, Inc., Birmingham, AL
- Eugene Tappero, Michigan Bearing, Atlantis, FL
- John Timble, Bearing Headquarters Company, Indianapolis, IN
- Mel M. Tompkins, Sr., Allied Bearing, Little Rock AR
- Gordon Tupling, Tigard , OR
Lifetime Achievement Award
Eligibility Requirements for a BSA Lifetime Achievement Award:
- must be or have been a member or participating manufacturer of BSA for at least 25 years
- must attend or have attended BSA events
- must be or have been actively involved in BSA
- must demonstrate or have demonstrated a leadership role within the industry
- may be presented posthumously
- presentation at the annual BSA convention
The BSA Lifetime Achievement Award Winners are listed below:
- Jack Simpson, Applied Industrial Technologies (2025)
- Peter Fitzpatrick, BSC Industries (2024)
- Stephen Durston, Jamaica Bearings Company, Inc. (2023)
- Doug Savage (2021)
- Eduardo Bichara (2019)
- Linda Miller, B&D Industrial (2019)
- Ellen Holladay, Motion Industries, Inc. (2018)
- Jim Fitzpatrick, BSC Industries, Inc. (2017)
- Scott A. MacPherson, Motion Industries, Inc. (2016)
- Richard W. Church, CM Services, Inc. The Association Partnership Company (2015)
- Jerilyn J. Church, CM Services, Inc. The Association Partnership Company (2015)
- William J. Stevens, Motion Industries, Inc. (2014)
- Andrew Nations, Bearings & Drives, Inc. (2013)
- Peter Negri, Jamaica Bearings Company, Inc. (2012)
- William C. Ives, Legal Counsel (2010)
- Hal Allen, Allied Bearings Supply Co., Inc. (2009)
- Denny Clark, SKF Service Division (2007)
- Richard Gipson, Gipson Bearing & Supply Co., Inc. (2007)
- Jamie Martin, The Timken Corporation (2006)
- John Nations, Bearings & Drives, Inc. (2005)
- James Fitzpatrick Sr., Bearings Specialty Company (2005)
- Wendy McDonald, BC Bearing Engineers Ltd. (2001)
Special Manufacturer Award
- Gus Kontonickas, NSK Limited (2012) - Special Manufacturer Award
- Bob Daniel, Timken Company (2013) - Special Manufacturer Award
Excellence Award Winners
The BSA Excellence Awards recognize companies for outstanding service by bearing Distributors and bearing Manufacturers to the end use customer.
Manufacturer Excellence Award
The Bearing Manufacturer Excellence of Innovation in Product Design Award recognizes companies for innovation and excellence in product design or technology. BSA distributor members reviewed and ranked seven manufacturer innovation submissions.
The Manufacturer Excellence Award Winners are listed below:
2025:
2024:
2023:
- The Timken Company for the Timken® IP69K Hygienic Mounted Ball Bearings
- Schaeffler Group for the OPTME C1 Smart Lubricator
2022:
2021:
2020:
- Dodge Mechanical Power Transmission Company, Inc for the Dodge Food Safe Bearing
- SKF USA for the SKF Cooper Split Sealed Spherical
2019:
- ABB Motors and Mechanical, Inc. for the ABB Ability™ Smart Sensor for mounted bearings
- SKF USA for the SKF Pulse
2018:
- NTN Bearing Corporation of America for the Sentinel Series
- Regal Power Transmission Solutions for the Sealmaster Time Saving Axial Groove Mounted Ball Bearing
- The Timken Company for the Timken Type E Tapered Roller Bearing Housed Unit Secondary Sealing System
2017:
- NTN Bearing Corporation of America for the NTN SPAW Mounted Roller Bearing
- SKF USA, Inc. for the SKF Multilog On-line System IMx-8
- The Timken Company for the Timken Tapered Double Inner (TDI) Roller Bearing for Wind Turbine Main Shafts
2016:
- Baldor Dodge for the ULTRA KLEEN Ball Bearing
- Schaeffler Group for the FAG SmartCheck
- The Timken Company for the Timken Sheave Pac Bearing Assembly
Certified Bearing Specialist Excellence Award
The BSA CBS Excellence Awards recognizes BSA Distributor Companies for the highest percentage of their inside and outside sales force having attained CBS status, as well as the greatest percentage increase of its inside and outside sales force having attained Certified Bearing Specialist status.
The CBS Excellence Award Winners are listed below:
2025:
2024:
2023:
2022:
2020:
2019:
2018:
2017:
- BDI Canada Inc.
- B&D Industrial
- BDI USA (Honorable Mention)
- Bearing Headquarters Company (Honorable Mention)
2016:
Interested in joining a BSA Committee or Task Force?
All committees must have a majority participation of Distributors vs. Manufacturers.
