Roger Jones, corporate president of Solar Atmospheres, Inc., Souderton, PA, was recently named the recipient of the 2015 George H. Bodeen Heat Treating Achievement Award.  

Established in 1996, the award recognizes distinguished and significant contributions to the field of heat treating through leadership, management, or engineering development of substantial commercial impact. Jones was recognized “for advancing the thermal processing industry through technological developments in fixturing materials, methods, and the application of partial pressure atmospheres in vacuum furnaces for ferrous, stainless steels, and brass alloys.”

After graduating from Hocking Technical College, Jones joined ABAR Corp. in 1975.  In 1978, he joined Vacuum Furnace Systems Corp., founded by his father William R. Jones, FASM.  In 1983, he helped found Solar Atmospheres, Inc., serving as vice president. He became president in 1993 and became corporate president in 2001. He has been a member of the Metal Treating Institute since 1983, serving on the Board of Trustees (1998-2004, and 2009-present), and as president (2004-2005).

Roger has been a member of the ASM Philadelphia Liberty Bell Chapter since 1983, and served as chapter chair from 1993-1994.  He was chair of the ASM Heat Treating Society (HTS) Immediate Needs Committee and the HTS Education Committee, served on the Nominating Committee for two terms, and is a member of the HTS Technology & Programming Committee.  He was elected to the HTS Board in 2005, served as vice president (2011-2013) and is the current president of HTS.  He received the chapter’s William Hunt Eisenman Award in 2001 and Distinguished Service Award in 2004.  Under his leadership, Solar Atmospheres received the chapter’s “Outstanding Company Support Award” in 1996 and 2006.

The Bodeen award will be presented at the HTS General Membership Meeting on Oct. 21, at the ASM Heat Treating Society Conference and Exposition in Detroit.