Building the Next Generation: 2026 ICA Scholarship Winners
The Insulation Contractors Association of New York City is proud to announce the winners of our 7th Annual ICA Scholarship. Since 2019, the ICA of New York has awarded three $5,000 scholarships each year to enhance opportunities for the children and grandchildren of current ICA contractor members, members of the International Association of Heat & Frost Insulators & Allied Workers Local No. 12, and employees of an ICA contractor member in good standing. The scholarship supports college, trade school, or university education.
Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievements and awards, leadership and work experience, the application essay, and letters of recommendation.
MEET THE WINNERS
This June, the ICA awarded three scholarships at our Membership Dinner Meeting.. The recipients are:
- Christos Koukounas, Fordham University
- Lylah Londono, Stony Brook University
- Ryann Tierney, John Jay College of Criminal Justice
CHRISTOS KOUKOUNAS
Chris is a freshman finance major at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business. He’s pursuing a career in private equity in hopes of becoming an investment banker on Wall Street.
As the son of Chris Koukounas, owner of Premier Insulation Services and an ICA contractor member, Chris has spent his summers estimating insulation projects. He’s an entrepreneur, operating his own health and wellness company, where he’s learned the importance of discipline, accountability, and precision, values we know make or break a job in the field.
“For twenty years, my dad has built this company from the ground up. What started as a small business has grown through consistent leadership, long hours, and a commitment to building customer trust by doing every job the correct way,” Chris shares.
Through working beside his dad, Chris has also gleaned other valuable business insights.
“The insulation business has shown me that successful projects depend not only on skilled labor, but also on careful financial planning. Margins are tight and labor must be scheduled carefully,” Chris says. “A successful company is not built simply on hard work, but on well thought out financial decisions beyond what goes on in the field.”
These lessons have directly influenced his career path. “I want to better understand how money flows through a business and how long term growth is achieved.”
Chris graduated from Chaminade High School in 2026. His honors precalculus teacher describes Chris’s legacy as marked by genuine kindness and quiet leadership. “He leads by example and lifts others up through quiet consistency,” Daniel Haslbauer shared.
Chris is honored to be a recipient of the 2026 ICA Scholarship: “Like the systems I help estimate, my future is still under construction. With faith, discipline, and the foundation my family has built, I am prepared to continue pursuing my dreams with purpose.”
“Chris lives his values. His deep faith is central to who he is, and he leads a life rooted in purpose,” Haslbauer remarked.
LYLAH LONDONO
Lylah is a first-generation college student at Stony Brook University studying health sciences to pursue a career in health care administration.
Lylah’s father, Fernando, is a member of Local 12. “I have seen firsthand the value of hard work, advocacy, and supporting others to build better opportunities,” Lylah shares. This scholarship will allow her to build on her father’s foundation of perseverance, commitment, and lifting others up in the medical field.
Lylah intends to use these values to improve hospital settings and make sure patients receive the best care possible. She describes this as truly making “a difference in people’s lives even if it’s from behind-the-scenes.” Through her internship experiences at the hospital, she’s learned that every role is important, including the management roles that keep hospitals operating efficiently.
Her parents have always encouraged her to work hard, despite not having had the same academic opportunities themselves. “Every day I use their support as a reminder to keep working hard toward my goals,” Lylah shared.
For the past four years, Lylah has been a caregiver to a 4-year-old, the daughter of Juliana Ruiz. Juliana shares that Lylah exemplifies the qualities her parents modeled for her and “demonstrates a sincere desire to do her best in everything she undertakes.” Lylah has not only cared for Juliana’s daughter; “she was investing in the well-being and development of my child.”
“I have no doubt that Lylah will bring the same level of dedication to her educational pursuits as she has shown in her work with my family,” Juliana said.
RYANN TIERNEY
Ryann Tierney is a student at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and also won the ICA scholarship in 2024.
Ryann has a new trajectory: criminal justice, with hopes of a career in the FBI. Ryann doesn’t just want to combat crime; she believes understanding is key to protecting our communities. That means learning about criminal motivations, patterns, and behaviors, which leads to crime prevention: stopping crime before it occurs.
Her passion comes from personal experience. In her words, “my childhood experiences have shaped me to be resilient and have fed my urge to help children who felt they didn’t have anyone to protect them, the way I did at times growing up.”
Ryann’s professors describe her as someone actively involved in her community. “She’s distinguished herself as a strong, committed, and highly capable student,” her professor Michael McCann shares. “I am confident she will continue to excel in her academic career.”
AWARDS DINNER
The scholarship winners were invited to an awards dinner on June 10th, where the ICA Executive Board members presented all three recipients with their scholarship checks. The ICA was excited to recognize these students and their families for their hard work. This isn’t just an honor; it’s developing a legacy for generations to come.
FUTURE APPLICANTS
Are you a family member of an ICA contractor, or an employee of one, planning to attend trade school, college, or university in 2027? Our next round of scholarships will be announced in winter 2027. Join our email list to be the first to hear about future opportunities.