Judges announced for the 2025 Working at Height Awards

The judging panel for the 2025 Working at Height Conference & Awards has been unveiled, featuring a lineup of esteemed industry experts.

As part of the Working at Height Conference & Awards event co-organized by Access, Lift & Handlers (ALH) magazine and the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF), the Working at Height Awards brings together MEWP manufacturers, rental companies, contractors and suppliers to recognize and celebrate exceptional achievements in safety, innovation and performance.

The event, which aims to champion the safe and effective use of access equipment, will kick off at Nashville’s Music City Center on the evening of October 15 with a networking reception.

Working at Height Award winners will be revealed on Oct. 16 during a high-profile ceremony held following the Working at Height Conference earlier that day. To learn more, or to enter the Awards, click here. 

Working at Height Awards judging panel

Ebbe Christensen (Photo: Ebbe Christensen)

Ebbe Christensen
Consultant

Ebbe Christensen has dedicated the past 25 years to the North American access industry, specializing in bringing niche products to market. In 2000, he launched ReachMaster, Inc. in Texas, introducing Falcon Lifts’ compact aerial lifts, known as “spider lifts,” to the United States. He later expanded to distribute Denka Lifts in North America and acquired ReachMaster, Inc. in 2012.

Over the next eight years, ReachMaster, Inc. helped numerous brands, including Hinowa (now JLG), Bluelift, Dino Lift, PB Lift, Almac Crawlers, Winlet, and Ruthmann, establish a foothold in the U.S. markets.

In 2020, he sold ReachMaster, Inc. to German Ruthmann and continued as President and CEO for Ruthmann ReachMaster until 2024. He now consults for international companies seeking to enter the North American market, continuing his work in pioneering new and safer access technology.

Christensen has been an active member of industry organizations, including IPAF, where he served as past Chair of the IPAF North American Regional Council and continues his involvement. A seasoned speaker and presenter, he possesses a strong passion for the access and material handling industries. In 2024, he received the IPAF/ALH Person of the Year Award at the Working at Height conference.

Before his career in the access industry, he specialized in introducing European companies and technology to North America, establishing and leading several US subsidiaries of international companies. He also owned and operated his own international consulting companies. He began his career in international shipping and and logistics in his native Denmark before moving to the US in 1989.

Christensen holds a degree in International Business and Marketing from Copenhagen Business School, earned in 1987. He now resides in the Houston area of Texas, and when not advancing aerial access technology, he can be found working on his classic car collection or indulging his interest in gastronomy and wines.

TJ Lyons (Photo: TJ Lyons)

TJ Lyons
Owner and Founder
Lyonetics Consulting

TJ Lyons is a recognized expert in prevention through design. He is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP) and Occupational Hygiene and Safety Technician (OHST), accredited by the BCSP, and a Construction Risk and Insurance Specialist (CRIS®), certified by IRMI.

Lyons spent most of his safety career with two of the largest construction firms in the U.S., including several years working on defense projects overseas. He recently retired from the construction industry and continues to advocate for a safer workplace.

Lyons is proud to have founded the successful “Ladders Last” efforts here in the US to eliminate those archaic devices from the workplace.

Randy Marzicola
Vice President – North America
IPAF

Randy Marzicola (Photo: IPAF)

Randy Marzicola most recently served as director of business development at JLG Industries, where he spearheaded new market entry and geographic expansion strategies, leveraging technological innovation for JLG’s Industrial Solutions Group.

Marzicola is a hands-on executive with a distinguished career marked by progressive leadership roles at renowned organizations such as JLG-Oshkosh Corp Co., Timex, Stanley, and Black & Decker/DeWALT. In these roles, he made significant contributions to improving operating income, generating revenue, achieving operational excellence, pioneering new business development initiatives, and developing creative experiential marketing.

Marzicola is well-known throughout the industry for his forward-thinking collaborative approach and emphasis on building high-performance team cultures. He is recognized as a champion of commercial excellence. His strategic acumen, coupled with a dedication to a customer-first priority, has consistently delivered growth, innovation, and organizational success.

Marzicola holds an MBA in marketing from Loyola University Maryland and a BBA in management from James Madison University. His academic achievements are complemented by a Black Belt Six Sigma certification, underscoring his commitment to operational excellence. Marzicola possesses strong business leadership qualities and brings the right strategic blend of insight, inspiration, and innovation to positively impact stakeholder interests and deliver shareholder value.

Mark Hinkel (Photo: Mark Hinkel)

Mark Hinkel
President
Hinkel Equipment Rental

Mark Hinkel has been involved in the MEWP rental industry for more than 45 years. He currently serves as President of Hinkel Equipment Rental, a company originally founded in 1953 by Walter and Gloria Hinkel. The rental company operated as a crane and excavator business until the early 1970s, but diversified its fleet in 1993 when Mark added Bronto Skylift truck-mounted aerial platform lifts. Operating both Hinkel Equipment Rental and The Institute for Aerial Lift Safety, Mark has trained and familiarized thousands of aerial lift operators in the industry and continues to promote the safe use of powered access.

Panel Chair: Lindsey Anderson
Editor
Access, Lift & Handlers

The Working at Height Awards are free to enter and include eight categories that will cover new product introductions, technologies, work processes and programs. All shortlisted companies receive two complementary tickets for the two-day event that runs Oct. 15-16 at Music City Center in Nashville.

The 2025 Working at Height Awards categories are:

• Working at Height Safety Innovation – OEM/Supplier
• Safety Culture and Leadership Excellence – Rental Industry
• Technology Innovation Award
• New Product Award – Scissor Lifts
• New Product Award – Boom Lifts
• New Product Award – Atrium Lifts/Compact Crawlers
• IPAF North America Member Company of the Year
• IPAF/ALH Person of the Year