ASRE Stamps Commissioned for Refrigeration Appreciation Week

As part of the centennial celebration of The American Society of Refrigerating Engineers (ASRE) and ASHRAE's 2005 Winter Meeting in Orlando, Florida, Mayor Buddy Dyer has signed a proclamation designating the week of meeting, February 5-9, 2005, as Refrigeration Appreciation Week, to "honor the work of engineers who have harnessed this technology to provide innumerable benefits in improving the quality of life for people throughout the world. For this occasion, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), has commissioned postage stamps with the faces of Clarence Birdseye, Willis Carrier, Mary Pennington and Gardner Voorhees. ASHRAE is encouraging use of the stamps during Refrigeration Appreciation Week. "People around the world enjoy the benefits that stem from the accomplishments of these pioneers - foods that are safe, foods that last longer, vaccines provided worldwide, life giving blood, tissue and organ transplants, and comfortable homes and workplaces" ASHRAE President Ron Vallort said. "Featuring them on a stamp gives proper recognition to those who make our life easier today." The pioneers include: - Carrier, former president of ASRE, who is associated with many "firsts" during the infant stages of air conditioning. - Pennington, first female member of ASRE, who was regarded as the foremost American authority on home refrigeration. An ASRE Fellow, she developed milk and dairy standards that were adopted throughout the United States and recommended standards for construction and insulation of refrigerator cars. - Voorhees, whose design for air conditioning at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904 marked the first time the public-at-large was exposed to the comforts of mechanical cooling. - Birdseye who invented, developed, and commercialized a method for quick-freezing food products in convenient packages and without altering the original taste.