Published: 05/18/2026

NARSA’s Lifetime Achievement Award Presented to Martin Newell, Jr. 

Martin “Marty” Newell, Jr. was honored with NARSA’s Lifetime Achievement Award during the 2026 Spring Conference on April 29 in Duluth, Minnesota. His wife, Gina, accepted the award on his behalf at The Garden Event Center. 

The Lifetime Achievement Award is given to individuals whose distinguished record of professional achievements and accomplishments has spanned decades and advanced the stature of the heat transfer industry.

“I appreciate the recognition from my peers,” said Marty Newell. ”I would say it’s some validation from people outside my immediate family that I worked hard and did a good job. Getting this award from NARSA really just isn’t for me. My dad taught me a really strong work ethic, and I got nothing without the employees. So whatever I've achieved, I achieved through Active radiator with all the people that work there.”

Newell was nominated by a fellow NARSA member who said, “With more than five decades of experience in the radiator and heat exchanger industry, Marty Newell has left an indelible mark on the aftermarket sector. He grew up working in his father’s and uncle’s radiator shop in Philadelphia, gaining hands-on knowledge and a relentless work ethic. This foundation inspired him to launch his own company in 1987, Active Radiator Supply Company, which he transformed from a small neighborhood shop into a nationwide industry leader.”

When it comes to NARSA, Newell said he formed many relationships with people who shaped his career. “Meeting people at NARSA really helped me start to see the world outside the four walls I was in,” said Newell. “I worked with my father in a radiator repair facility for quite a few years, and getting out and meeting people from NARSA really kind of opened up the world to me. Some of those individuals that I consider mentors include John Hart, Carl Geiger, and Martin Taal.”

Some of Newell’s career highlights include setting a new standard by offering next-day delivery of copper and brass radiator cores in 1987, something that was unheard of at the time. Newell is also a leader in the aluminum industry. After recognizing the industry’s shift in the 1990s, Active partnered with SECO/WARWICK to develop the first proprietary “Active Only®” aluminum brazing furnace.

Newell has also completed 10 strategic acquisitions over two decades, integrating CNC machine shops and repair companies. And he’s introduced more than 200 new products annually, keeping pace with customer and industry demands.

Looking back over his 50 years in the cooling systems industry, Newell said he believed in taking risks. “I would say the thing I probably did best was seeing things coming about 5 years down the road, and trying to be in the right place when that time came. There was never a day I woke up thinking I couldn't do it. I always believed I'd succeed. And I have a healthy fear of failure.”