Established in 1945, the BCI Distinguished Service Award is BCI’s highest honor. The award recognizes individuals who have made a sustained, long-term, and meaningful contribution to the advancement of both the association and the battery industry.
Battery Council International (BCI) is pleased to announce that Donna Snyder, a retired senior leader at East Penn Manufacturing Co., is the 2026 recipient of its Distinguished Service Award.
Donna Snyder joined East Penn Manufacturing in 1983 as a designer in its Advertising Department. Over the following four decades, Donna became the Vice President of Marketing/Advertising where she spearheaded the company’s marketing and communications initiatives and maintained a significant leadership presence within the broader battery industry.
In 2009, Donna was one of the founding members of the BCI Marketing Committee and served as its chairman to promote the value of lead, standardize industry practices and provide valuable member marketing resources. In 2016, she also helped found BCI’s Communication Committee, championing efforts to strengthen the industry’s message with regulators and the general public. Additionally, Donna served as chair for BCI’s Data Book Committee and participated in BCI’s Product Information Committee.
The BCI Distinguished Service Award is BCI’s highest honor recognizing individuals who have made a sustained, long-term, and meaningful contribution to the advancement of both the association and the battery industry.
Individuals who have demonstrated outstanding mentorship of trainees, provided noteworthy service to the community and/or contributed to the diversity and inclusion of the field will also be recognized.
BCI’s Quarter Century Club will review all submitted nominations and present any recommended recipients to the BCI Board of Directors for consideration and final selection.
Recipients of this award will be invited to submit an accompanying article to be published on the BatteryCouncil.org website within two months of the award presentation, with an accompanying recognition of the individual’s contributions to the association and industry.
2025: Chris Pruitt and Dave Shaffer
2024: Bob Flicker, Hal Hawk, and Roger Winslow
2021: Howard Meyers
2020: David Weinberg
2002: DeLight Breidegam
1997: Harvey Gershenson
1985: Peter Aspinall
1976: Charles H. Allen
1970: Bernie Steiner
1970: Walton Smith
1970: Norman R. Farsje
1958: Edward T. Foote
1956: Robert L. Sommerville
1956: Vernon L. Smithers
1955: Dan H. Kelly
1955: Benjamin F. Morris
1945: L.B.F. Raycroft
BCI values the contributions of all industry members, present and past, and encourages nominators to consider all potential mentors and colleagues. Self-nominations are welcome. You may be asked if you would be willing to provide a longer and more detailed nomination letter at a later date.
Please contact info@batterycouncil.org with any questions related to the Distinguished Service Award.
Energy storage is going through a period of significant innovation and evolution. The team at BCI is helping the industry manage through those changes by providing industry forums and market data in a way that benefits all member companies.
