It is a tremendous honor to be elected international president of ASSE. I am very grateful and humbled for this opportunity. I would like to thank Immediate Past President Dan Rademacher for his thoughtful and steady guidance the past two years — he has guided ASSE to new heights. The addition of the Canadian Chapter is just one goal that he has accomplished. I intend to follow through and carry on in his intention to grow our society. There are many other past presidents who have had an influence as well, including Jason Shank and Don Summers — both have offered their help and it is greatly appreciated. I also want to thank new Vice President Chris Cheek, who has a thorough understanding of new technologies used in the industry. We are in a position of growth and that is reflected in the Board of Directors. Thank you for your insight and active participation.
To introduce myself, my name is Vincent P Gallo IV. I am a licensed union plumber in the state of Wisconsin. I started my apprenticeship in August 1991 and tested out as a journeyman in October 1995. In 1996, I received my State of Wisconsin Backflow Tester Certification. My career has taken me places I didn’t know I could reach. In late 1999, I became an Instructor at UA Plumbers Local 75. I started teaching the backflow certification class in early 2000 and continued teaching for 17 years thanks to our education coordinator, who brought ASSE certifications into our school in 2008. Professional Qualification certifications are a very important part of ASSE, and all the individuals who obtain these certifications are at the top of the industry.
Please plan to attend the ASSE International Mid-Year Meeting, April 8-9 at The Tributary Hub, hosted by Plumbers Local 75, in Madison, Wisconsin. It will be a beneficial few days of meetings and we encourage everyone to take part. I also want to thank our sponsors, members and staff for their participation. It is up to all of us to use our various skill sets to keep the public safe through “Prevention Rather Than Cure.”
