Committee Update
That’s why we’re introducing a new column in the Condenser to update our readers on current IIAR committee projects and plans for the future. In this space in each issue, we’ll focus on one committee at a time, delving into the purpose of the committee we’re spotlighting and the important issues that committee is currently tackling.
Some IIAR committees have been in existence since the formation of the organization, and others are newcomers, added in recent years in response to new issues or needs. However, all ten of them continue to accomplish the goals our industry has set forth. IIAR’s ten committees include: code; education; international; marketing; piping; research; safety; standards; CO2; and the newest addition, government relations.
Any IIAR member is invited to participate in the work of the organization’s committees, either by serving as an active member or by bringing an important issue to the attention of the appropriate committee. You’ll find a list of all the committees and their leaders on the opposite page. In the meantime, read on for our first committee spotlight, on the newly formed Government Affairs Committee.
IIAR Announces Formation of Government Relations Committee
The International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration is pleased to announce that its newest member committee, dedicated to government relations, was formed this year to work directly with the Institute’s government affairs representative, Lowell Randel.
As IIAR continues to work on behalf of the industry with government officials both in the U.S. and in other countries, the new committee will tackle issues important to IIAR members and continue the organization’s tradition of advocacy on behalf of the industry.
Committee Chair, Mark Stencel, Vice President and General Manager, Vilter Manufacturing, will lead the group. Stencel said the committee is accepting new members and expects to be fully formed by September.
“As this committee is coming together, one of things we’ll be focused on is to engage in and understand the work of our government relations director,” said Stencel. “As such, we’ll be working from his insights on legislative and regulatory issues that impact IIAR. This committee will also serve as a vehicle to communicate on these activities to IIAR members. This is an exciting step for IIAR, and I’m honored to be of service as the committee chair.”
The Government Relations Committee is similar to other IIAR committees in that it will draw upon the experience and diversity of the IIAR membership, including contractors and engineers, but the new committee will also have an especially strong focus on end-user members, Stencel said.
The Government Relations Committee will have a variety of issues to tackle in the fall, once it is fully formed and ready to begin its work, said Stencel.
He added that among the many things on the agenda for the group, elevating the understanding of the environmentally friendly aspects of ammonia as a refrigerant will make the top of the list.
“We’re ready to really raise the profile of the green component of our work,” he said. “Government has many incentive programs designed to encourage the use of energy efficient equipment in many different industries. The food processing and related industries have traditionally not seen the same degree of focus on such incentive programs. Where applicable, we’ll advocate for incentives similar to those found in other industries, to encourage optimally designed ammonia refrigeration systems and get recognition for the efficient systems that already exist in our industry.”
Meanwhile, the Government Relations Committee will also focus on concerns voiced by the industry with respect to the application of codes and standards that affect ammonia refrigeration, Stencel said.
“With the formation of this committee, we’re working toward a good information sharing relationship with OSHA and other regulatory bodies to ensure that the appropriate standards are applied when ammonia refrigeration systems are evaluated,” Stencel said.
“We believe that given the concerns raised by IIAR membership regarding the OSHA National Emphasis Program for chemical facilities, the goals and objectives of this committee are particularly relevant at this time.”
The formation of the new committee is also relevant to IIAR’s membership because it represents IIAR’s response to member surveys conducted over the last decade, IIAR said. Those surveys indicated that IIAR members consider advocacy on behalf of the industry to be a primary purpose of the organization.
