Our Chapter History

In the mid-1970s, while attending a chapter meeting in Cleveland, Dave O'Carroll was approached by Robert Schutz, PE and Richard McCloskey about the possibility of starting a Columbus-based chapter. Several of the Cleveland Chapter members pointed out the need for an Ohio ASPE chapter in Central Ohio. Dave, armed with this information and encouragement, returned to Columbus and contacted several people with close ties to the Central Ohio plumbing community.

Dave began to solicit members and involved Tom Jones, CIPE, Pat O'Reilly and Bob Decurtins, CIPE of Dayton. Tom was principally involved in completing the paperwork to organize the new chapter while Pat helped Dave solicit Central Ohio members and Bob canvassed the Dayton area for memberships.

Initially it was understood that Dayton members would break away from the Central Ohio Chapter once it was strong enough to support itself. There are now three Ohio Chapters of ASPE to serve the plumbing industry. The Dayton and Cincinnati area engineers formed the Southwestern Ohio Chapter.

In the spring of 1980, a meeting was held to elect an interim board of officers with Tom Jones, CIPE, selected as its president. The newly elected board was installed as the 1980-81 board when the Central Ohio Chapter received its charter on October 25, 1980.

The Chapter has provided engineers, contractors, code officials, manufacturers representatives and others in the plumbing industry with an opportunity for more contact and interaction.

In addition to improving the relations to the industry, the Central Ohio Chapter also

proved a major asset to the state-wide plumbing community by the introduction to the Ohio Legislature of a bill which placed medical gas, fuel gas, and liquid petroleum piping systems in the Ohio pressure piping code. The bill passed in 1983.

The Central Ohio Chapter gained national recognition in 1984 when it's 1982-83 Board and members earned all three of the Society's awards. Gil Lowder and his Membership Committee obtained two of these awards. This was a great honor, as only three other Chapters in the United States and Canada won these awards that year. The 1983-84, 1984-85 and 1986-87 Membership earned the Society's "Chapter Award of Merit" and the 1984-85 Membership Vice President Vince Newton won the Society's membership growth award.

The Central Ohio Chapter continues to receive regional awards, including the “Chairman’s Award” for outstanding performance by an ASPE Chapter for the implementation of Continuing Education Unit classes for their membership and contractors.

The Central Ohio Chapter also received the “Award of Merit” for 2015-2016 for outstanding accomplishment in all areas of society activity during the entire year.

The Central Ohio Chapter has the highest percentage of attendees at the General Meetings of any Chapter in its region.

From 1983 through 1997, the Chapter's monthly meetings were held on the last Monday of the month at the Monte Carlo Restaurant located at 6333 Cleveland Avenue, Columbus, Ohio, 43231. Today the meetings are held on the second Monday of the month at Raymond Memorial Gold Course, 3860 Trabue Rd., Columbus, OH 43228.