PM columnist Julius Ballanco, P.E., CPD, F-ASPE and president of J.B. Engineering and Code Consulting, P.C. in Munster, Indiana, recently received the Patrick J. Higgins Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME).

ASME established the award in 2007 to recognize an individual who has contributed to the enhancement of standardization through contributions to the development and promotion of ASME Codes and Standards or Conformity Assessment Programs in the following areas: plumbing materials and equipment; screw threads; tools (machine, cutting and hand); fasteners (bolts, nuts, rivets, screws, washers); chain, attachments and sprockets for power transmission and conveying; metal  and metal alloy wrought mill product nominal sizes; pressure and temperature instruments and accessories; classification and designation of surface qualities, gage blanks, chemical standard pumps, dimensional metrology, industrial system energy assessment; overhead hoists; measurement of fluid flow in closed conduits; reliability, availability and maintainability of power plants; steel stacks; verification and validation in computational modeling and simulation; engineering drawing; and related documentation practices.

The Medal was established by the Board on Standardization and Testing to honor Patrick J. Higgins, who was the long-standing Chairman of the A112 Committee on Plumbing Materials and Equipment and a member of the Board on Standardization.

Ballanco received the award for his "outstanding leadership, extraordinary perseverance and enthusiastic participation on numerous water committees, which led to the enhancement of industry standardization, research and the advancement of safe and efficient practices in the field of plumbing engineering."

Ballanco has been active in standards writing for the ASME A112 Standards for many years — 39, to be exact — and is actively involved in developing all plumbing codes in this country. He has also served as president of ASPE and has been involved in numerous plumbing research projects. 

Pete DeMarco and Sally Remedios presented Ballanco with the award at the ASME A112 Committee Meeting in San Diego.