CLEVELAND, Ohio, Feb. 4, 2013—Chart Industries, Inc., announces that Norman R. McCombs, senior vice president at AirSep Corporation—a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chart—has been awarded The National Medal of Technology and Innovation. The medal is the nation’s highest honor for technological achievement, bestowed by the President of the United States on America’s leading innovators.
The medal is awarded annually to individuals, teams, companies or divisions of companies for their outstanding contributions to U.S. economic, environmental and social well-being. The purpose is to recognize those who have made lasting contributions to America’s competitiveness, standard of living, and quality of life through technological innovation and to recognize those who have made substantial contributions to strengthening the nation’s technological workforce.
McCombs is a pioneer in the field of oxygen separation technology, responsible for 40 patents during his career. He created one of the primary technologies used in today’s oxygen concentrators, which have enabled countless people around the world to enjoy a better quality of life through oxygen therapy. Products stemming from his inventions can be found all over the world in various applications, including portable oxygen delivery systems for field hospitals in Iraq and Afghanistan, personal portable units greatly improving the quality of life of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD) patients, and the medical clinic at the base camp on Mount Everest, among many others.
“Chart and AirSep are proud to have Norm McCombs as a key member of our team and congratulate him on this well-deserved honor,” said Sam Thomas, chairman, CEO and president of Chart. “We are fortunate to have Norm’s technological capability, but more importantly his high integrity and commitment to continuous improvement serve as a role model for everyone at Chart.”
Chart is a leading independent global manufacturer of highly engineered equipment used in the production, storage and end use of hydrocarbon and industrial gases. The majority of Chart’s products are used throughout the liquid gas supply chain for purification, liquefaction, distribution, storage and end-use applications, the largest portion of which are energy-related. Chart has domestic operations located across the United States and an international presence in Asia, Australia and Europe. For more information, and to see a photo of the ceremony, visit www.chartindustries.com.
