ASPE Executive Director/CEO, William M. Smith, FASPE, Receives Prestigious Award from ASME

We are pleased to announce that Executive Director/CEO William M. “Billy” Smith, FASPE, was recently awarded the Patrick J. Higgins Award & Medal from ASME International.

The Patrick J. Higgins Award recognizes an individual who has contributed to the enhancement of standardization through participation in the development and promotion of ASME codes and standards or conformity assessment programs in a number of areas.

The honoring of Billy as the 2025 recipient of the Patrick J. Higgins Award acknowledges his extensive experience, outstanding leadership, perseverance, and enthusiastic participation as a key influencer in plumbing safety, including contributions to plumbing engineering, product standards, and building codes, prioritizing public health, safety, and efficiency in the industry.

In his role as Executive Director/CEO of ASPE, Billy serves as the ASPE representative on numerous codes and standards committees, including many leadership positions, for other industry partner associations such as ASHRAE, ASSE, ASTM, CIPH, CSA, IAPMO, ICC, PDI, and PMI. A previous ASPE Board of Directors member, Billy joined the ASPE staff in 2014 as Sr. Director of Technical and Regulatory Affairs, and he was appointed Executive Director/CEO in 2015. Billy joined ASPE in 1993 and was inducted into ASPE’s College of Fellows in 2012.

“I am very grateful and extremely humbled that ASME selected me to receive the Patrick J. Higgins Award,” Billy says. “In addition to the recognition of my many years of work with ASME, this award has special meaning for me considering my long-time, close, and enjoyable friendship with Pat Higgins.”