Now that we’ve all returned from San Antonio, it’s a new member year, and your staff is digging in to accomplish many of the new goals set out for 2017. First among them is planning the next successful conference. We’re looking forward to returning to the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, and I hope to see you all there. Now is the time to take advantage of IIAR’s early membership renewal opportunities and get involved in the work of your committees.

At headquarters, we’re building several new services I’m excited to discuss here in my column this month. First, we’ll implement our eagerly anticipated learning management system to support the newly created Academy of Natural Refrigerants. Other activities this year will include enhancing our website with Spanish-language features and adding a job board.

Meanwhile, we’re moving ahead with the development of the Academy of Natural Refrigerants. We’ll continue to carry forward the IIAR-2 classes and exams and we’ll begin work on the Board of Directors-led initiative to create similar classes and exams for IIAR Standards 4, 5, and 8 as well as a PSM/ RMP introduction course.

As I mentioned at this year’s business meeting, IIAR’s advocacy and outreach efforts are growing like never before, and I’m pleased to report that recent meetings with OSHA, EPA and DHS have been a success, especially where our new education initiatives and broader effort to inform the regulatory community are concerned.

At the same time, our new regional program with ASTI and an emphasis on training for coordination with first responders, will broaden our educational efforts.

I’m going to focus on those efforts, under the Academy of Natural Refrigerants – in this month’s column – because they are addressing a number of major needs of our end users and other sectors of our membership.

Looking forward, IIAR’s flagship education program will offer educational opportunities in four major curriculums with formal certificate training.

First, educational material developed for the IIAR suite of standards will take our industry’s knowledge, expertise and most valuable technical resource beyond the printed page and make it into a useable, practical reference for our industry and the rest of the global cold chain.

IIAR-2 is already available under this initiative, and conversion of standards 4, 5 and 8 into similar courses will begin in October of 2017. Other standards, such as 6 and 9 are also slated for development next year.

Next, education around the PSM and RMP general duty clause – in the form of an introductory course – is also planned to begin in October or November of 2017. These additional courses will create a template for PSM/ RMP auditors working in our industry.

Finally, the third and fourth future IIAR courses that are planned address design publications and basic engineering design for industrial and commercial refrigeration facilities

Our expansive educational program is being designed for the long term – to provide members with educational choices to meet their business and professional development requirements, and I hope you, as an IIAR member, will find value in it for years to come.

IIAR members may work on any one of these areas I just described, or pursue groups of curriculum to develop their industry knowledge and address the growing professional demands that are placed on them.

As this is happening, I hope you’ll support the many committee programs and objectives that IIAR is always pursuing – from standards and code development to government relations outreach to safety compliance and educational programs.

There are so many exciting changes and programs going on in our industry that there is always a place for anyone to get involved and find their best way to contribute. Whatever that is, it begins with your participation in our organization as an IIAR member.

Now is the time to get engaged and become a member. If you haven’t already, or it’s time to renew your membership, I urge you to do that now and join all of us in making this group of professionals and our industry at large, the best it can be again in 2017.