The Honorary Life Membership Award is open to retiring distributor and manufacturer members and recognizes the accomplishments that these members have made throughout their careers to NAED and the electrical distribution channel. The honoree must be retired from active participation.

This year's Honorary Life Membership Award went to Art Griswold, former Inside/Outside Sales at Granite City Electric Supply Co., Inc., Daniel Jones, former President & CEO, Encore Wire, and David Oldfather, former President & CEO of IDEA.

This award is based on cumulative contributions and will be awarded at the discretion of the NAED Awards Committee. The award will be presented during the Chair Awards Banquet at the NAED National Meeting on May 21, 2025. 

Nominations were accepted November 15, 2024 – January 15, 2025.

View past winners here. 

In recognition of long and meritorious service to the Corporation, the NAED Awards Committee shall have the power and discretion to grant honorary life memberships to duly accredited individual representatives of members upon their retirement from active participation in the electrical distribution industry and for so long as such retirement continues.

Such membership shall not be subject to payment of any fees, dues or assessments and shall entitle the recipient to attend all general meetings. However, such membership shall not qualify the recipient to vote on any corporation matter or to receive any of the fees and allowances or to share in the assets of the Corporation upon dissolution.