The 56th General Meeting, held in 1987 in New Orleans, Louisiana, marked the inaugural year of the Safety Award, which was posthumously awarded to former Executive Director Samuel F. Harrison, Sr. In honor of her late husband, Blanche Harrison attended the General Meeting to accept the award.

The National Board reached out to Harrison’s son, Samuel F. Harrison, Jr., to discuss his late father and the impact that recognition within the industry can have.

“With the help of numerous talented professionals, Sam Harrison led the National Board through a period of growth and expansion enabling the NBBI to reach out and bring the message of ‘One Code, One Inspector, One Stamp’ to a world stage and by doing so, further enhance boiler and pressure vessel safety, saving countless lives in the process,” said Harrison Jr. “Recognition provides the industry, in general, with an opportunity for self-assessment, to look at their contributions and skill sets and how they may be put to better use for the benefit of others and the enhancement of public safety.”