2024 ASSE International Annual Meeting Recaps

The 2024 ASSE International Annual Meeting was held Oct. 9-11 at the Westin Portland Harborview in Portland, Maine. Members of ASSE International and its various committees met to discuss, influence, and guide the important business of ASSE International, including standards, certifications, membership, and code development. Attendees from across the country came together, got some work done, learned a few things, celebrated colleague achievements, and shared some laughs with friends.

For those who couldn’t attend, or those who’d like to be reminded of all the important work we accomplished, below are brief recaps of each meeting and event, along with some photos. To see even more photos, visit our 2024 ASSE International Annual Meeting Flickr album at https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBU6x9.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 2

Seal Control Board Meeting
The Seal Control Board (SCB) Meeting was held online on Oct. 2, prior to the in-person Annual Meeting in Portland. The meeting was called to order by Brianne Hall, SCB Chair, at 11:31am. SCB Membership was discussed. The SCB welcomed two new members. The committee is now operating at full capacity. ASSE Product Standards and Product Listing Program updates were presented by Terry Burger and Chris White, respectively. The listing program activities have significantly increased over the last two years. 2024 has been the busiest year on record for the product certification program, surpassing pre-COVID levels by more than 100%. The upcoming ASSE, ANSI/ANAB and SCC audits were discussed, followed by nominations for SCB chair and vice chair. The meeting included a training session by Sean Cleary titled Backflow Assembly Installation Requirements.

Each morning of the in-person 2024 ASSE International Annual Meeting began with a “Networking Breakfast,” which included coffee and a light breakfast, sponsored by our friends at Southern California Pipe Trades District Council 16.

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 9

First-Timers Breakfast
First time ASSE Annual Meeting attendees were invited to a light breakfast to welcome them to their first meeting. They were provided with an overview of the events of the Annual Meeting and introduced to ASSE’s offerings and programs. This breakfast offered a chance to meet the ASSE Board of Directors and ASSE staff attendees could feel comfortable asking questions or providing feedback.

Business Session #1
The first business session included year-end reports from ASSE International’s officers and directors, chapters, and committees, and included nominations for the upcoming year’s Board of Directors. Proposed revisions to ASSE’s bylaws, submitted by the ASSE International Board of Directors, were also reviewed and voted upon. The proposed revisions passed and are now part of ASSE’s bylaws.

To read the 2024 reports, download the Reports Book here: https://www.asse-plumbing.org/media/ziod0esx/am24_reports.pdf

To review the changes to the bylaws, download the 2024 Proposed Bylaws Revisions here: https://www.asse-plumbing.org/media/g2enbw03/asse-2024-proposed-bylaws-revision.pdf

E.J. Zimmer Technical Seminar — Session #1:
“Understanding the Science Behind Cured-in-Place Pipe Lining”
Presented by Tom Bowman, president, NuFlow Technologies, this presentation focused on the science behind cured-in-place pipe lining and how these installations work. Discussions in this session included: what design parameters and ASTMs are used to validate CIPP products, the most common installation techniques, and a discussion surrounding the topic of CIPP use in plumbing systems.

Service Plumber (13000) Technical Committee Meeting
The Service Technical Committee was provided examination statistics, and a new promotional one-page piece was presented. Staff will work on the availability and distribution of this piece to schools and the public. The test questions are complete for the ASSE 13030 Hybrid Certification and need to be reviewed. A subcommittee will be formed to review the questions. The committee suggested this certification be promoted to contractors and healthcare organizations. Staff will work on a marketing plan.

ICRA (12000) Technical Committee Meeting
It was reported that the item banks for the ASSE Series 12000 examination have all been updated. The committee also discussed the need for outreach to hospitals and healthcare industry events where ASSE may benefit as an exhibitor.  Scott Hamilton has attended the APIC conference for the last couple of years, doing heavy promotion and visiting national nursing home groups. Classes will be held for hospital facilities staff, and we’ll be reaching out to local contractors. There is a need to expand the number of schools and instructors.

ASSE Membership Committee Meeting
During the meeting, updates on ASSE’s membership count, a proposal for a new Canadian chapter, ASSE’s Member Manager, quarterly webinars, engagement videos, and member benefits were discussed.

This year saw a significant drop in members, which was attributed to three main factors: the end of a two-year grace period, the turnover of student members, and an adjustment to company memberships. Although there was a significant drop in members, the members that are currently active are an engaged and energetic group with a strong base from which to build from in future years.

At the meeting, Mike Gordon from UA Canada took the floor to propose a new chapter — the Canada ASSE Chapter. This chapter would be based in Ottawa and would be the first chapter outside of the United States.

Updates on Member Manager and the new ASSE website were provided to the committee. The ASSE website went live with a new look on Sept. 30 with the goal of making the site more intuitive and modern. Member Manager, which launched in June, had some bug fixes and a new Members-Only feature is in the works, which will house past quarterly webinars with the possibility of expansion.

A quick recap of the Membership engagement videos was given. There were six videos recorded at the 2024 Mid-Year Meeting that have begun being posted on ASSE International’s social channels. Attendees were encouraged to interact with the content by liking, commenting or sharing.

Lastly, there was a brief discussion on member benefits. The committee asked for feedback from the audience. Feedback was recorded and will be discussed in future committee meetings.

Al Cohen Memorial Chapter Presidents’ Liaison Conference
The Al Cohen Memorial Chapter Presidents’ Liaison Conference began with updates from the Membership Committee (see ASSE Membership Committee Meeting recap above), then moved to discussing chapter rosters and potential updates to Member Manager. It was mentioned that ASSE’s membership staff is available to help with chapter outreach, including creating flyers for meetings and sending email blasts for member turnout.

Water Treatment Equipment (22000) Technical Committee Meeting
It was reported that the item banks for the ASSE Series 22000 examination have been updated. Guidelines related to school requirements and equipment need to be developed. Joe Fernandez stated that the ASSE 22000 and Service Plumber programs will be conducted together at the next United Association Instructor Training Program (ITP).

Welcome Celebration
The Welcome Celebration, sponsored by our friends at Piping Industry Progress & Education (P.I.P.E.) Trust Fund, was a fun networking event that includes cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, music, and dancing. Attendees were pleased that the full 9-minute album version of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Free Bird” was played at the end of the evening, instead of the 5-minute single version that was played in past years.

THURSDAY, OCT. 10

Fire Protection (15000/27000) Technical Committee Meeting
The committee was informed that the test question subcommittee reviewed test questions and completed its work on updating the examination item banks. The committee was also advised that the ASSE Series 15000 was finalized and published on Sept. 9.

The new committee structure was discussed — the Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems (15000) and Hybrid Fire Extinguishing Systems (27000) programs

will stay as a joint committee. Subcommittees will be established for test development, guidelines, and instructor/proctor and school applications. 

Under new business, the committee reviewed the purpose of the standards. A motion was made for staff to change the ASSE Series 15000 and ASSE Series 27000 standards to continuous maintenance with ANSI. The committee will then bring forth changes to the standard once a year without having to open the standard when changes are made to the codes each year.

NFPA Subcommittee Meeting
The NFPA Subcommittee was called to order by Chair Jeff Van Rhyn, Jr. The committee reviewed the ASSE standards that could be included in NFPA codes and standards.

• NFPA 99 already includes the ASSE 6000 standards throughout the document.
• ASSE 15000 future references in the NFPA 25.
• ASSE 27000 future references in NFPA 770.

The importance of ASSE having a presence at the NFPA Conference was discussed. There is a need for the committee to grow and bring in different areas of expertise to assist in future activities and strategies.

Code Development Committee Meeting
The Code Development Committee (CDC) was called to order by Chair Jason Shank. The CDC discussed the upcoming timelines of the model plumbing codes (UPC, IPC, NSPC, and Canadian). We also discussed progress on any state codes proposals or amendments. The committee reviewed the results from the IPC and UPC hearings and discussed future strategies for the code development process.

President’s Luncheon/Government Relations Update
While treated to a plated lunch, current public policy initiatives impacting the industry on local and national levels were presented by Jim Scarborough, director of Government Relations for IAPMO / ASSE. Updates on policy efforts and strategies moving forward were also discussed.

School Forum
This year’s School Forum had great attendance and aimed to generate discussion regarding issues at the school level and types of outreach that should be conducted with schools. Karen Kadubek, new ASSE staff member, will be working with the schools on initiatives to develop ideas for outreach and communication with the schools.

New ideas that were discussed:

• Consistent scheduling of webinars and conducting them two times per year rather than quarterly.
• Conduct informational webinars after major ASSE meetings to report details
• Develop modules that training directors can access online

Staff also discussed the need to conduct physical audits of schools. Staff will consult with training directors and staff with working knowledge of the schools and develop a strategy for conducting these audits.

Manufacturers’ Forum
The Manufacturers’ Forum included standards updates, certifications updates, and code updates as they relate to ASSE listees. At the end of the forum, ASSE listees had the opportunity to ask questions to ASSE and IAPMO staff during the ASSE Product Standards and Listing Program Q&A session.

Cross-Connection Control (5000) Technical Committee Meeting
The committee met and reviewed statistics for the Cross-Connection Control program. Regulatory updates were provided by Sean Cleary for multiple states:

• Nevada is now accepting the ASSE 5000 backflow tester certification.
• Utah will be pursued.
• California’s State Water Resources Control Board adopted the new Cross-Connection Control Policy Handbook (CCCPH), which will require cross-connection certification providers to be ANSI accredited by 2027. Anyone requesting consideration will need to provide proof that they are in the process of becoming ANSI accredited by July 2025.
• In Colorado, legislative changes are going to be reopened for review in January 2025 when governance reconvenes.
• In Michigan, licensed plumbers are now the only ones allowed to test backflow devices.
• New Hampshire now accepts ASSE certification.
• Louisiana will begin accepting ASSE and ABPA tester certifications at the beginning of January 2025.

Products Standards Committee Meeting
Informational reports were presented to members who were present at the meeting. However, the Products Standards Committee did not reach a quorum, so unfortunately, the committee was unable to conduct formal business.

Networking Reception
The Networking Reception was a relaxing networking event that included food, beverages, and plenty of good conversation.

FRIDAY, OCT. 11

Professional Qualifications Standards Committee Meeting
The Professional Qualifications Standards Committee (PQSC) reviewed all the current and draft professional qualifications (PQ) standards currently open for maintenance. There are seven standards in revision, one is being reaffirmed, and two new standards are in development. In revision are ASSE Series 6000, Professional Qualifications Standard for Medical Gas Systems; ASSE Series 7000, Professional Qualifications Standard for Residential Potable Water Fire Sprinkler System Installers and Inspectors for One- and Two-Family Dwellings; ASSE Series 10000, Professional Qualifications Standard for Green Plumbing Systems Installers; ASSE Series 16000, Professional Qualifications Standard for Inspectors and Plans Examiners; ASSE Series 19000, Hydronic Systems Professional Qualifications Standard; and ASSE/ARCSA Series 21000, Professional Qualifications Standard for Rainwater Catchment Systems Personnel. ASSE Series 8000, Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) Replenishment Systems Professional Qualifications Standard, is being reaffirmed. The new standards being developed are ASSE Series 22000, Professional Qualifications Standard for Water Treatment Equipment Personnel, and ASSE Series 28000, Professional Qualifications Standard for Inspectors of CIPP (Cured-in-Place-Pipe) Rehabilitation of Building Sewer and Drain, Waste and Vent Piping Systems.

The committee approved opening ASSE Series 15000, Professional Qualifications Standard for the Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of Water-Based Fire Protection Systems, for revision and to develop ASSE Series 18000, Professional Qualifications Standard for Fuel Gas Systems and Equipment Installers and Repairers.

The committee received eight proposals for the development of new standards. Four of the proposals were approved.  The following new standards approved for development are: ASSE 6070 for Medical Gas Instructors, ASSE 12XXX (designation TBD) for Rainwater-Stormwater Catchment System Operators, ASSE Series 12XXX (designation TBD) for Stormwater Harvest Designers, and ASSE 120XXX (designation TBD) for Stormwater Harvest Installers.

E.J. Zimmer Technical Seminar — Session #2:
“Treatment Methods for Onsite Alternate Water Systems
Presented by Dan Cole, IAPMO senior director of Technical Services and Research, this discussed ways in which the water collected via onsite alternate water sources may be treated to ensure it can be used safely for its intended purpose. This paves the way for the need to ensure that the professionals designing, installing, and inspecting these systems are appropriately qualified to do so and the need for professional qualification standards in these areas.

Board of Directors Meeting
This open ASSE International Board of Directors Meeting included reports from committee chairs regarding their meetings held earlier in the week.

Business Session #2 and Award Ceremony
The second business session included election of the ASSE International officers and directors, and the International President’s address. ASSE International awards were also presented to our deserving members.

Congratulations to President Vincent Gallo IV and our 2024-25 ASSE International Board of Directors!

NOTE: To fill the vacancy left from Chris Cheek being elected as Vice President, Brian Andersen of the California Chapter was appointed by ASSE President Vincent Gallo IV as Western Region Director at the closed Board of Directors meeting on Saturday, Oct. 11 in Portland, ME.

International President: Vincent Gallo IV
Vice President: Chris Cheek
Immediate Past President: Daniel Rademacher
Central Region Directors: Brianne N. Hall, P.E. and Kevin McDonough
Northeastern Region Directors: Gregory Beck and Doreen Cannon
Southern Region Directors: DJ Berger and Joseph Cooper
Western Region Directors: Brian Andersen and Vince Kacaba
Manufacturers’ Representative: Thomas Lentine

Congratulations to our 2024 ASSE International Award winners! So many of ASSE International’s members and chapters have contributed greatly to our organization and are worthy of awards, so it is our honor to recognize these deserving individuals and chapter.

Salvatore J. Farruggia Presidential Award: Jason Shank and Vincent Gallo IV
Recipients are chosen by the outgoing international president and presented to individuals who have contributed to the success of that president’s term in office.

Most New Members Award: Wisconsin Chapter, accepted by Vincent Gallo IV
Presented to the chapter with the most new members.

Dewey R. Dedrick Jr. Award: Illinois Chapter, accepted by Joseph Sowa
Chosen by the Board of Directors and presented to a chapter for outstanding performance.

Patrick J. Higgins Award: DJ Berger
Presented to an individual who demonstrates knowledge and support of voluntary, consensus standards and their adoption into code.

Rand Ackroyd Award: Brannon Baxter
Presented to an individual who has expressed a thorough knowledge and true dedication to the ASSE backflow program, or the backflow and associated industry by their efforts in protecting our drinking water through cross-connection control and education.

Fellow (FASSE) Award: Joseph Cooper and Daniel Rademacher
Presented to members for their dedication and service to the society.

Henry B. Davis Award: Joseph Fernandez
The Henry B. Davis Award is an annual merit award presented to a member who has contributed the most toward the advancement of sanitary engineering in accord with the ideals of the Society.