Chapter History

A History of ASHRAE - The Nashville Chapter

This history was revised by John Olert in 2023 from previous histories written by Ed Kennedy in 1983 and Chris Williams in 2008.

In 1959, ASHRAE was formed when the American Society of Heating and Ventilating Engineers (ASHVE), known after 1954 as American Society of Heating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHAE) and the American Society of Refrigerating Engineers (ASRE) merged. Shortly thereafter in August of the same year, impetus toward formation of the Nashville chapter came from Frank Vaughn, a representative of Sporlan Valve. He and James May of American Air Filter, then chairman of Region VII, initiated discussions with Ed Kennedy of Ed's Supply and these led to meetings with among others, I. C. Thomasson and Don Nichols of I. C. Thomasson & Associates, Dick Wood of American Air Filter and Faulkner Hickerson of Burkhalter-Hickerson Architects. From these early contacts, the circle grew and further discussions culminated in the formation of the Nashville Chapter of ASHRAE. The Nashville chapter of ASHRAE was chartered in Nashville in August of 1959.

I.C. Thomasson was one of Nashville’s pioneers in the air conditioning field. He and M.T. Gossett, a Carrier distributor and mechanical contractor, collaborated on one of the city’s first commercial air conditioning systems at the B&W Cafeteria in 1933. Many of the people who entered the heating and air conditioning field received their training from these companies, one being a consulting firm and the other being a distributor and contractor.

The chapter held its first few meetings at a restaurant in the Westgate Shopping Center on Highway 100, but soon M. T. Gossett offered the use of Gossett's Barn as a meeting place. The barn, located behind the Gossett residence on Abbott Martin Road was a popular gathering place for catered parties in those times and the Gossett's were generous in their grant of its use to various groups. In appreciation, the chapter installed a heating and air conditioning system in the barn. In later years, ASHRAE met at the B & W Cafeteria in Green Hills, and in 1984 meetings moved to the Ramada Inn on James Robertson Boulevard. Meetings have also been held at the Ramada Inn on Spence Lane, and briefly at the Music City Sheraton.

Until the mid-80’s, meetings were held in the evenings. A cash bar and a preponderance of middle-aged men in suits were standard features of those meetings. During the late 80’s, the board decided that lunch meetings would accommodate more schedules, and attendance immediately improved. Young people and women in our industry joined and became active. In 1993, Burkley Allen, an I.C. Thomasson and Assoc. employee, became the first female chapter president. Attendance has continued to improve over the years. There were 90 attendees at a December 2023 meeting. Recent board meetings have has as many as15 attendees.

In 2001, the Nashville ASHRAE Chapter joined the American Society of Civil Engineers, the Society of American Military Engineers, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the American Council of Engineering Companies of Tennessee, and the Tennessee Society of Professional Engineers to raise $1,850,000 for the construction of the Tennessee Engineering Center, and addition to what was called the Cumberland Science Museum and is now known as the Adventure Science Museum. Board meetings and chapter meetings are currently held at this facility.

The original name of the chapter was “Nashville”, but it soon became apparent that “Middle Tennessee” was more appropriate since the membership included many from outside Nashville. The Nashville Chapter sponsored and initiated the Knoxville and Chattanooga Chapters. After these chapters were established, the Middle Tennessee Chapter once again became the Nashville Chapter.

Many meetings and conferences have been sponsored by the Nashville Chapter, including Chapters Regional Conferences (CRC’s) in 1968, 1983, 2000, 2004, and 2017. The Society annual meeting was held in Nashville in 1987 and 2004.

Since the chartering of the Nashville Chapter, its members have loyally supported the chapter with their time and resources, Members have worked on research, resource promotion, technical committees, and leadership roles. The members have created a forum for discussion where members could become acquainted with the work of colleagues, and where the sharing of information and fellowship has served the industry well.

Year Served Past Presidents And Current President