The Institute of Refrigeration announces this month eight members who are being appointed as Fellows of the Institute in recognition of their technical expertise, leadership and contribution to improving the standing of the RACHP industry.  Their short biographies below demonstrate the range of interests IOR members have and how they are helping the IOR to encourage the next generation of engineers and technicians, advancing technology, improving efficiency and sustainability and working in many different ways to raise the profile of our industry. IOR Fellows are long term members of the IOR with a commitment to leading and advancing our industry that goes beyond their day-to-day work responsibilities.

The list of new IOR Fellows appointed for 2025 are:

John Billson FInstR. John has been an active IOR member for over 35 years. Entering the industry as an apprentice refrigeration engineer for Turner Refrigeration, Glasgow. He worked as an engineer for many of the major food retail contractors before joining Dean & Wood, Leeds as a Sales Engineer. Today his day-to-day role is Managing Director of Beijer Ref UK & Ireland. He actively participates in non-profit initiatives such as the Trainee of the Year Awards, which recognise and encourage young talent within the industry. He has consistently supported IOR events, including the annual dinners in London, Northern and Scotland.  His leadership has resulted in a strong culture of IOR involvement within his company.

Nick Franzen FInstR has been on the IOR Papers and Publications Committee for 8 years and has contributed to the Beyond Refrigeration Environment Group as well as writing a paper on low GWP refrigerants for the IOR. He has been a member for over 10 years. He has also been a judge on the RAC Cooling Industry Awards and written several articles for the RAC magazine and given conference presentations to industry on the topic of DX carbon dioxide.  He will be presenting an IOR masterclass on subcooling and superheat this year.

Juliet Loiselle FInstR started as an Associate member of the IOR some 15 years ago.  Now a Member, she has actively participated in the organisation of the IOR Dinner, as a past member of the IOR Board of Trustees and as a representative of the IOR to ACRIB.  She encourages regional IOR activities in Scotland, Hampshire and Northern branch. As Publisher of the ACR Journal and Heat Pumps Today and organisers of ACR & Heat Pump Trainee of the Year Awards she ensures that they are “friends of the industry” supporting and encouraging not just IOR initiatives but also FETA, BESA, HPA, GSHPA and the Women’s Engineering Society.

Neil McGoldrick FInstR has been a member for over 13 years. As a member of the IOR’s RACHP EngTech section he has drafted bullets for the on topics such as Suction Accumulators, and is presently working on Dry Air Coolers and System service reporting for customers. His work covers a wide range of applications both on shore and marine. He currently specialises in refrigeration for trawlers including ice plant, controlled fish rooms ad blast freezers.

Julie Murray FInstR was Chair of IOR Scotland for 5 years and Head of the Scottish Dinner Committee for 10 years.  She joined the IOR as an Affiliate in 2015 and advanced to Member Grade in 2018.  She was elected as a Trustee of the IOR in 2023.  She works at Beijer Ref where she has actively mentored and supported young engineers to encourage their career development.

Steven Padgett FInstR is a member of the IOR Technical Committee. He helps to promote the work of the IOR to colleagues, customers and others within the industry. He works for Beijer Ref UK & Ireland and has helped to produce technical presentations internally and for local refrigeration societies and colleges. He has developed a CO₂ course and contributes to the BRA Training Working Group and Equipment and Components Section. 

Nick Rivers FInstR joined the IOR in 1993 and during his career has worked in high level technical roles for both end users and contracting companies. He served as IOR Treasurer for five years until 2023 and is currently a member of the IOR Technical Committee.  He has given IOR papers on carbon dioxide refrigeration design and engineering in the retail sector. 

Justin Southwick FInstR joined the IOR as an Associate Member in 2011 and became a Member in 2020. He is leading on the Net Zero initiatives and energy at the Carter Thermal Industries Group mechanical, electrical and refrigeration training centre. He recently joined the IOR Membership Committee and is a member of the BRA Commercial Refrigerated Cabinet Section and Training Section. He works with EmployabilityUK providing STEM support to young people across the Midlands.