Battery Council International (BCI) has named Donna Snyder as the recipient of its 2026 Distinguished Service Award, recognising her long-term contribution to the battery industry and the association’s activities.
The Distinguished Service Award is BCI’s highest individual honour, presented to individuals who have made sustained and meaningful contributions to both the organisation and the wider energy storage sector.
“It is not an exaggeration to say that BCI would not be the organisation it is today without Donna Snyder’s leadership and commitment,” said Roger Miksad. “She didn’t just fill a spot on BCI’s committees, she led them – and in some cases, built them from scratch. Donna’s volunteer service over many years is exactly the kind of selfless work that the Distinguished Service Award was created to recognise.”
Snyder, a former senior leader at East Penn Manufacturing, will be formally presented with the award at BCI’s 2026 Convention + Power Mart Expo on 5 May in Nashville, Tennessee.
She joined East Penn in 1983 as a designer in the company’s advertising department, going on to serve as vice president of marketing/advertising. Over more than four decades, she led the company’s marketing and communications strategy while also maintaining a prominent role across industry bodies.
Within BCI, Snyder played a key role in developing the association’s communications and outreach. She was a founding member of the BCI Marketing Committee in 2009 and served as its chairman, focusing on promoting the value of lead batteries, standardising industry practices and developing marketing resources for members.
In 2016, she also helped establish BCI’s Communication Committee, aimed at strengthening engagement with regulators and the public. In addition, she chaired the association’s Data Book Committee and contributed to its Product Information Committee.
Snyder retired at the end of 2025, having led a marketing and advertising team at East Penn while also contributing to BCI committees for nearly two decades.
The award, established in 1945 and originally known as the BCI Honorary Lifetime Membership, is presented by the organisation’s board of directors. Previous recipients include former BCI board chairs Chris Pruitt of East Penn Manufacturing and Dave Shaffer of EnerSys, who were honoured in 2025, as well as earlier industry figures such as Hal Hawk, Roger Winslow and DeLight Breidegam Jr.
