Frank Calandra Jr. honored with the Erskine Ramsay Medal Award
The Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME) is pleased to announce that Frank Calandra Jr. has received the prestigious Erskine Ramsay Medal. Established in 1948 and funded by the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers (AIME), the Erskine Ramsay Medal recognizes distinguished achievement in coal mining. Election to this honor is facilitated by the SME Coal & Energy Division.
Calandra is recognized for distinguished achievement in coal mining and as an icon in coal mine safety, advancing ground control technology and saving countless lives. When asked what his first thought was when he learned he was the recipient of the Erskine Ramsay Medal, Calandra replied, “Fantastic! It is great being a part of the mining industry!” He was acknowledged on SME’s virtual awards video during the Society’s March 1-5, 2021 MINEXCHANGE Annual Conference & Expo.
Calandra first became involved in the manufacturing of roof control products in the early 1970s. He started manufacturing resin that was used with bolts and other installation products. Presently, he is Chairman of all JENNMAR US and JENNMAR subsidiaries, J-LOK, JM Steel and is on the Board of Directors of JENNMAR Australia, JENNMAR China and the Calandra Group.
As the company expanded in the early 1980s, Calandra focused on hiring sales personnel that held mining degrees along with chemical and civil degrees so the company could best satisfy the customer. He recruited from colleges such as Penn State, Virginia Tech, the University of West Virginia, Utah and Rolla Missouri. Over the course of several years, Calandra’s 20 patents changed the mining industry significantly by providing the mining cycle additional protection toward the advancement of the face. With his background in metallurgy, he was able to add strength to increase the roof bolt’s capability. He led the company to introduce faster setting resins.
Calandra’s company has over 3,000 employees plus 20 plants worldwide. The engineering and research personnel have 80 patents issued including specialty bolts, cable bolts and trusses as well as pumpable resin known as J-LOK P. As he expanded the business, Calandra stressed to his employees to keep costs low, provide a high degree of quality and quickly respond to inquiries.
The Society for Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration (SME) brings together the mining and mineral industry’s brightest and most dedicated professionals. Over 13,000 global members advance their careers with the world-class technical resources, educational programs, networking opportunities and professional development tools from SME. Our members are focused on sharing best practices for safety, environmental stewardship and moving mining forward.
