NEW YORK, N.Y. — The Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) mourns the loss of former Executive Vice President, William Hanley, who passed away June 4, 2018. He was 75. Mr. Hanley took the helm at the IES in 1988, when the Society was in a difficult financial situation, and steered the IES into an era of unprecedented growth before retiring in December 2014 after 26 years. Today, the Society is not only on sound financial footing but has emerged as the international leader in lighting education, standards, publications and professional development.
Among his most notable achievements, Mr. Hanley presided over the launch of LIGHTFAIR International, IES’s management of the Street and Area Lighting Conference and the publication of three editions of The Lighting Handbook. While serving as IES executive vice president, he also taught English at a local New Jersey college during the evening. Hanley was the longest serving executive vice president in the history of the IES.
Cheryl English, President of the IES, shared her reminiscences of Hanley, “Bill has been a true leader for the IES and lighting industry. He transformed our organization into the solid and respected technical society that it is today. I will always think of Bill as a true gentleman with a keen sense of humor just waiting for someone to give him an opportunity to release it. Bill’s compassion for his associates and the IES members has been remarkable. It’s been an extreme honor to have worked with Bill for the 26 years he was with IES, and a greater honor to call him a friend. It is my greatest hope that we utilize lighting research to improve the wellbeing for those who suffer from Alzheimer’s as a tribute to this great man. #ENDALZ”
“IES is lucky to have had Bill Hanley as its executive vice president. Bill provided stability at a time of need and set our Society on a path of growth. We are fortunate to be in the position that we are in today because of his hard work, dedication, and care. In my short tenure here at IES I never had the privilege of getting to spend time with him, but one trait that nearly every person spoke fondly about was his sense of humor. Bill will be missed and we are forever thankful for what he brought to IES and the entire lighting community,” said Tim Licitra, Executive Director of the IES.
In an LD+A magazine tribute to Mr. Hanley upon his retirement, Past President Kimberly Mercier cited Mr. Hanley’s administrative expertise in orchestrating the IES turnaround. “Bill collected the skills and abilities that allowed our organization to truly stand and be recognized. His abilities to manage our staff, balance our budget, and navigate the delicate interface between the organization and our volunteers have been apparent and the IES will be forever grateful for his contribution to our successes. Personally, I have been blessed to have known Bill.”
Another Past President, Pamela Horner, added that Mr. Hanley’s members-first philosophy was critical to his success. “Just prior to my becoming IES President on July 1, 2001, Bill and I had a chat about our various responsibilities. He led with ‘I work for you,’ and that was always his philosophy. He steadfastly respected the elected leadership of the Society, working alongside the members to ensure that the IES became and remained a strong and viable institution. Being a modest man, Bill never took credit for what many of us believe were his major accomplishments. I cannot imagine where our Society would be had we not hired Bill over two decades ago.”
Finally, Rita Harrold, former Director of Technology for the IES, offered a staff member’s perspective on Mr. Hanley’s tenure. “Twenty six years ago as an IES member working in industry, I served on a Board appointed search committee to find an IES Executive Vice President. Little did I know then that I had also found the person who would become my boss when I joined the IES staff in 1992 and, more importantly, a lifetime friend,” said Harrold.
As a fitting conclusion to his career, Mr. Hanley was named The Edison Report’s “Person of the Year” in May 2015, several months after retiring from the IES.
Mr. Hanley is survived by his wife, Irene, and two children, Matthew and Elizabeth.
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