As we wrap up a busy, and hopefully restful, summer, I want to take this opportunity to welcome everyone – new and renewing members alike – to IIAR. I know I’m well into my term as your IIAR Chairman, but this welcome, and re-welcome, is in order because our membership is always growing, and your staff is busier than ever supporting that growth by completing the products and projects that move us closer to our strategic vision.

It’s always the hard work and contributions of IIAR’s membership that moves us forward, so it’s appropriate to take a minute and extend special thanks and appreciation to all who contributed their time and financial support to this year’s recent conference in Long Beach.

If you didn’t already realize that we’re in the midst of IIAR membership renewal season, the success of that conference is a great reminder of how essential IIAR membership is to the leadership of our industry.

Resolving some of the most complex scenarios we face in the coming years will depend on the ability of IIAR’s membership to come together and continue to develop the resources and communicate the potential of new technologies. That’s something you can do now by finding ways to get, or stay, involved in the many activities of our organization.

There are many challenges – and opportunities – facing our business environment. This year we’ve again focused on the regulatory landscape and examined the technology and best practices we’ll need to meet growing demand from so many new and traditional sectors.

Meanwhile, as you’ll read about in this issue of the Condenser, we’re working on IIAR’s first hydrocarbon standard, a natural extension of our mission to offer safe practice standards as the refrigeration industry turns to low global-warming-potential solutions.

I’m proud of IIAR’s significant output of all of our new and revised standards. These efforts further solidify our organization as the authority on all-natural refrigerants, and they also lay the groundwork for a host of other member benefits and services like educational guidelines and classes offered through the Academy of Natural Refrigerants.

IIAR’s greatest asset is the vibrancy and engagement of its various committees. It has been encouraging to experience first-hand how well our committees are attended by volunteers, how active our membership is in advancing and supporting the work of IIAR’s committees, and how dedicated our staff has been in developing new services.

All of these achievements are the result of everyone’s hard work. I would like to thank you all for volunteering your time and actively committing to IIAR– your effort is continuing to pay off.

I’d also like to take this opportunity to call not only for your renewed membership but also for your increased participation and leadership in IIAR’s committees and the development of conference technical papers. Whether you get involved as a committee member or tech paper author, or in any other way, your involvement is what moves us forward.

We’re continuing to grow as a resource for the educational and training materials that make our industry safe and enable the use of new natural refrigeration technologies.

Meanwhile, our publications are second to none, addressing new trends and introducing new technologies, and you, as an IIAR member have the opportunity to contribute to them directly.

You also have an opportunity, as a member, to expand your interaction with your peers, and influence the policies, codes, and standards that shape the way we do business. Our committees span all of these areas and beyond, and they all depend on your help and support in some form.

However you decide to get involved this year, I’m hoping you’ll see this IIAR membership renewal season a little differently, as a chance to dive into the work of your organization. We’re growing like never before, and I’m looking forward to working with you all in the year ahead.