The product marketing manager for Douglas Dynamics Inc. has earned his Certified Snow Professional (CSP) designation from the Snow and Ice Manufacturers Association (SIMA), the company announced.

Andy McArdle, product marketing manager for Fisher Engineering, represents the industry's first manufacturer to receive a CSP. Douglas Dynamics Inc., parent company of Western, Fisher, Blizzard and TrynEx International.

The Certified Snow Professional is an accreditation developed for owners, operators and executives within the snow and ice industry. It focuses on the critical elements of running a professional snow business and recognizes a level of service quality and value to customers.

To achieve certification, applicants must complete a 200-question exam in under three hours covering topics such as HR management, subcontracting, snow and ice science, as well as snow and ice removal techniques. Accredited professionals must fulfill annual requirements to retain their CSP designation, a title currently held by only 200 individuals in the U.S. and Canada.

CSPs are uniquely trained to identify opportunities or challenges with their customers and leverage essential business values to provide solutions with a heightened-level of engagement.