AWS president dies

Dennis K. Eck

The American Welding Society has announced the death of 2023 President Dennis K. Eck. He was a distinguished AWS member for more than 30 years, working within the AWS Houston Section and taking on increasingly significant roles within the organization. He was the Houston Section chairman 1989-2021, AWS director at large 2016-2018, AWS vice president 2019-2022, and was inducted as the 2023 AWS president earlier this year. Eck also was a valuable contributor to the AWS Membership Committee since 2002.

He served the welding supply industry for 41 years within the Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico markets. He had a broad background in the gas and welding supply industry with general management, sales and marketing, business development, distribution, and plant operations experience.

Eck was partner and vice president of sales for 10 years with National Alloy & Equipment in the Houston market and was instrumental in its sale to Praxair in August 2011. He remained as general sales manager and business development at Linde/Praxair until his retirement in 2020. At the time of his passing, he was president/owner of Diversified Services & Solutions LLC.

Eck was actively involved with SkillsUSA, AG Mechanics San Antonio and Houston, and the Craft Training Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.

His AWS honors and awards include AWS Houston Section Meritorious in 2004, District 18 Meritorious in 2005, and AWS Distinguished Member in 2017. He organized the annual AWS Prayer Breakfast at FABTECH 2017-2019 and was its speaker in 2014. He will be posthumously honored as an AWS Life Member for his 35 years of service at this year’s FABTECH in Chicago.