CGA is pleased to congratulate Dr. John A. Somavarapu of American Air Liquide Holdings, Inc. as the recipient of the 2018 IOMA International Harmonization Award!

This prestigious award was created by the International Oxygen Manufacturer’s Association (IOMA) Global Committee in 2005 to recognize significant and distinguished service to the international harmonization process, and is presented annually to an individual who best exemplifies the character, commitment, and technical excellence prevalent in the development of harmonized publications or legislation at the international level.

John has over 20 years of total industrial experience in the areas of ASU basic and detailed engineering including process simulation, process control, commissioning, performance testing, operation support, efficiency improvement, oxygen system safety, incident investigations, training development, due diligence audits for plant acquisitions, and technical standards development. After receiving his PhD in Cryogenic Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Kharagpur, India, John joined Superior Air Products Limited located in New Delhi and later worked for Linde in the US as a Process and Start Up Engineer. John is currently recognized as an Air Liquide International Fellow in the technical area of ASU Technology Operations. As an International Fellow, John has reached the highest level of technical expertise recognition within the Air Liquide Group and helps set the vision and direction of Air Liquide in his domain. He is the Director of ASU Technology for Air Liquide’s Large Industries US Center for Technical Expertise (CTE). Through this role, he directly supports the Air Liquide’s operating ASUs in the Americas.

John actively participates and influences the standard writing activities of the industry associations to communicate Air Liquide’s best practices as standards bodies develop new positions. John has been the Air Liquide voting member in the CGA Atmospheric Gases and Equipment Committee since 2006. He was the Vice-Chairman and the Chairman of this committee during 2008 – 2012. He actively leads and contributes to CGA and EIGA joint working groups developing ASU related industry standards. Since joining CGA 13 years ago, he has contributed his expertise to over 60 work items, with more than 20 of those efforts being international harmonization projects. John has also attended or presented at nearly every CGA Safety & Reliability of Industrial Gases, Equipment, and Facilities Seminar since 2005, and served as chair for the 2014 seminar.

Recognized by his peers as a leading subject matter expert in air separation technology, John is regularly solicited to facilitate the coordination of company positions to drive harmonization within our industry. He has taken on a mentorship role in introducing new Air Liquide participants to CGA activities and always takes a supportive and encouraging stance with his fellow committee members.

Please join us in congratulating John for his well-deserved recognition as the IOMA International Harmonization Award winner!

YearWinnerCompany
2018Dr. John SomavarapuAmerican Air Liquide Holdings, Inc.
2017Mark BeggAir Products SA NV
2016John BernardPraxair, Inc.
2015David BirchThe Linde Group
2014Ichiro NakayamaTaiyo Nippon Sanso
2013Alain ColsonL’Air Liquide S.A.
2012Jerrold SamethMatheson
2011Takashi WashizuAir Water Inc.
2010Dr. Hervé BarthélémyL’Air Liquide S.A.
2009Andrea MariottiSOL Spa
2008William SchmidtAir Products and Chemicals, Inc.
2007Helmut KahlThe Linde Group
2006Gary PrezbindowskiAmerican Air Liquide Holdings, Inc.
2005Dr. Christopher JubbBOC Gases