Honoring a Lifetime of Service: Todd Barrows Receives Michael Quinn Stewardship Award
PLYMOUTH, Ind. — The Indiana Weights and Measures Association (INWMA) honored one of its most respected veterans during its 112th Annual Conference and Training at Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, Indiana, presenting the Michael Quinn Stewardship Award to retired Elkhart County inspector and longtime association leader, Todd Barrows.
The award, the highest honor bestowed by the INWMA, recognizes individuals whose leadership, integrity, and long-term service have significantly advanced the association’s mission of ensuring fairness and accuracy in commercial measurement across the State of Indiana.
Honoring a Lifetime of Stewardship
Barrows, who is now retired, devoted 31 years of service as a weights and measures inspector for Elkhart County. In addition to his work in the field, he spent two decades on the INWMA Board of Directors, including six years (three terms) as Board Secretary, where he helped guide the association’s business, training efforts, and long-term planning.
The Michael Quinn Stewardship Award was presented during a special ceremony at the conference, recognizing Barrows’ decades of commitment to both his local jurisdiction and the statewide weights and measures community.
“Todd represents exactly what stewardship looks like in our profession,” said INWMA President Jacob Murphy during the presentation. “For more than 30 years, he protected consumers and honest businesses in Elkhart County, and for 20 years he helped lead this association. His reliability, professionalism, and quiet leadership have made a lasting impact on inspectors across Indiana.”
A Career Defined by Fairness and Professionalism
Throughout his 31-year career, Barrows became known for his thorough inspections, practical problem-solving, and unwavering focus on fairness in trade. Mr. Barrows worked to ensure that Indiana consumers received what they paid for and that businesses operated on a level playing field.
Colleagues frequently turned to Barrows for guidance, especially newer inspectors navigating complex inspections for the first time. As a board member and secretary, he helped shape conference programming, promote training initiatives, and keep the association’s operations running smoothly behind the scenes.
“Todd has always been the kind of person who would take the time to explain things the right way,” one fellow inspector noted. “He didn’t just know the regulations—he knew how to teach them. A lot of us are better inspectors because of him.”
Continuing the Legacy of the Quinn Award
The Michael Quinn Stewardship Award, named in honor of former INWMA President and longtime leader Michael Quinn, is reserved for individuals whose careers reflect exceptional dedication to the association and to the integrity of weights and measures work in Indiana. The award emphasizes not just years of service, but the lasting impact of that service on programs, people, and public trust.
By selecting Barrows as this year’s recipient, INWMA highlighted the continuity of that legacy recognizing someone who, much like Quinn, has devoted his career to building, supporting, and preserving the profession.
“Michael Quinn set a standard for stewardship, and Todd has carried that standard forward,” Murphy said. “Even in retirement, his influence is felt every time an inspector applies something they learned from him or follows a process he helped refine.”
A Highlight of the 112th Annual Conference
The presentation of the Michael Quinn Stewardship Award was a highlight of the 112th Annual Conference and Training at Swan Lake Resort, where inspectors and industry partners gathered for several days of education, collaboration, and professional development.
As Barrows accepted the award, attendees recognized not only his contributions over three decades in the field, but also his 20 years of steady leadership on the INWMA board. The standing ovation underscored the respect and appreciation he has earned throughout his career.