As I was contemplating what to write about in this column, I couldn’t help but pause for a moment to realize how fast time truly does fly by, yet we don’t always take notice of how things change or what effects come from those changes. Just two years ago I wrote a column that asked “How do we go about navigating these uncharted waters?” relative to the beginning stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now I notice that we are learning to live and work in these ever-changing times, and I see those consistent adjustments we’ve made together as a Society. ASPE and our members continue working together as we strive to successfully manage this life and business crisis while jointly focusing solely on protecting the health, welfare, and safety of ourselves, families, Staff, members, Chapters, industry partners, and the public at large.
ASPE’s members are our most important resource, and during this season of uncertainty, the ASPE Staff and Board of Directors are working diligently to ensure that our members have every tool they need to continue to function as individual members, Chapter members, Chapter leaders, and Society leaders. We are so thankful for our membership and their efforts to assist in keeping our Society the best in the industry.
It’s exciting to see things getting back to normal as our ASPE Chapters are now enjoying their respective meetings in a face-to-face and/or hybrid format once again. Nothing beats the relationship building and networking opportunities that face-to-face interaction brings as a benefit of being an ASPE member.
Speaking of Getting Back to Normalcy
All of the industry also seems to be buzzing again with meetings being held in person, and what a good feeling that is. Considering this and how busy we are in catching up on our industry partnerships, the days may seem long at times; however, there never seems to be enough hours, even in the longest of days.
By the time you’ve had an opportunity to read this month’s column, I as well as other ASPE Staff will have participated in industry events such as the International Code Council’s Building Safety Month, Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC) Technical Committee meetings, ASTM F17 meetings, Emerging Water Technology Symposium (EWTS), and Plumbing Industry Leadership Coalition (PILC) meeting, plus many more to come as we move through the year of 2022.
Registration Is Open!
A reminder here of the importance of getting all set to attend the 2022 ASPE Convention & Expo in Indianapolis on September 16–21: we are glad to announce that registration is now open. The 2022 ASPE Convention & Expo is the only event this year designed to enhance the professional development, technical education, and career growth of plumbing industry professionals—combining the largest tradeshow dedicated exclusively to plumbing system design products and services with a technical education program for professionals at all career levels. To join thousands of your industry peers in Indianapolis, register now at expo.aspe.org.
Why Attend?
At the 2022 Convention & Expo you will find:
- The largest plumbing product showcase in the country filled with new technologies from more than 250+ global exhibitors
- Technical solutions to your plumbing design challenges directly from product engineers
- Game-changing innovations and hands-on application advice
- New ways to save time and money through live sessions on the show floor
- Networking events designed to connect you with thousands of industry professionals from around the world
- 25+ technical education sessions to help you learn new skills and advance your career
- Opportunities to earn up to 1.7 CEUs
Sunday Night Party
On September 18, registered attendees and exhibitors alike will gather at The Crane Bay Event Center in Indianapolis to celebrate at ASPE’s Sunday Night Party Presented by NIBCO Inc. Sure to be the most exciting networking event at the 2022 ASPE Convention & Expo, it will offer live music, drinks, food, dancing, and fun for attendees of all ages.
Keynote Address
Adding to the excitement that began on Sunday evening, the Monday, September 19 breakfast event will feature a keynote address by Chris Stricklin, co-author of Survivor’s Obligation: Navigating an International Life. A retired Air Force Colonel and a combat-decorated fighter pilot, Chris will share his inspirational story on how he learned to heal and live more fully on a daily basis.
Register Now!
As we get closer to the Convention & Expo, we will continue to share more about additional events you won’t want to miss. We are excited to see how it will benefit both our engineering members as well as our Affiliate members who plan to attend. Everyone is so important to our continued growth, and the ability to spend additional time reviewing new products and/or new application needs will benefit everyone. This is a good focal point to express to your employer about the importance of your attendance relative to professional growth and what you can bring back to your firm to share with others.
Did I mention that registration is now open?
Upcoming Deadlines
I would also like to take this opportunity to remind our members of some upcoming deadlines.
- For those members interested in participating in the Society Bylaws process, all proposed Bylaws amendments are due to me by May 21, 2022 at [email protected].
- WOA is accepting applications for its 2022 ASPE Convention & Expo scholarship, which was created to foster the growth and professional development of women in the field of engineering. The deadline to apply is June 30.
What an exciting time to be an ASPE member! Aren’t you glad you joined? If you haven’t, join us! To speed up that process, I’d love to help you out. Here is the link to join: aspe.org/membership-global-community/join.
See you in Indy!
Carry on…
