Over the years, I’ve enjoyed the professional support, technical guidance and personal friendship that are only possibl when one belongs to a group as enthusiastic and hardworking as IIAR. As an IIAR member and former committee chair, I came to the annual conference every year excited about the new ideas and projects that advance the work of our industry

This year, I attended the annual meeting in a new role that was a great honor to accept, the position of IIAR president. I’m stepping into this position as a longtime member of this industry and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to serve the board of directors and you, the members of this organization.

The recent annual conference demonstrated the successful work of the IIAR on so many levels. As part of a volunteer membership, we provide the essential technical standards, educational tools and other materials we depend on as an industry to improve the efficiency and safety of refrigeration systems using natural refrigerants.

Nowhere was this more evident than at our recent conference, where the excitement and dedicated work of our membership – represented by endusers, engineers, contractors, manufacturers, faculty and students from around the world – was on full display.

The accomplishments of this group are unparalleled in our industry, especially those made possible by the leadership of our previous president, Bruce Badger. Under his tenure, some significant and far reaching initiatives have been put into place that will serve as a solid foundation for the growth of IIAR in years to come.

Our membership outreach programs have shown continued success through both domestic and international growth. Working closely with the international committee and its chairman, Paul Bishop, the IIAR’s alliance programs have continued to increase the organization’s influence as we build sound relationships around the world.

Government advocacy, process safety materials and code development programs have also grown under Bruce’s leadership. These successes are a reflection of the strong involvement of our membership and a renewed enthusiasm to make IIAR the primary source of technical information, safety standards and effective advocacy for the use of natural refrigerants in industrial refrigeration. Looking forward, I see an opportunity to continue to build on these strategic initiatives and expand the organization’s leadership in promoting the safe and effi cient use of ammonia and other natural refrigerants.

We will focus our efforts on growing our membership through international outreach programs and a renewed emphasis on demonstrating the value and extensive resources of IIAR for the domestic industrial refrigeration community.

Working with the new government relations committee, the organization will pursue a number of new initiatives designed to strengthen our advocacy programs and ensure that IIAR members are informed of pending legislation and trends in government activities as they develop. Most importantly, we will continue to focus our efforts on the financial stability of the organization while providing for the essential needs of our membership.

The future of IIAR is bright, with strong membership enthusiasm and support. Our success is directly related to the dedication and hard work of the many volunteer members serving on the various technical committees, executive committee and the board of directors.

These individuals have been and will continue to be our most valuable resource. I invite everyone to participate in IIAR and I look forward to working with all of you to meet the significant challenges facing our industry and to fulfill the global mission of our organization. Q