Charlotte, North Carolina — The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) on Monday opened its 93rd annual Education and Business Conference, the association’s first in-person conference since 2019, at the Sheraton Charlotte Hotel.
During the conference’s opening session, IAPMO honored numerous individuals with awards recognizing unique contributions and long-standing support from members and industry allies. The awards and their recipients include:
● Legislator of the Year: U.S. Rep. Norma Torres (D-Calif.) from California’s 35th district
● President’s Green Oval: Shabbir Rawalpindiwala, retired Kohler Co. retired manager of Codes and
Standards; Tim Collings, retired senior building inspector, city of Salt Lake
● Joseph Kneidinger Sustainability Professional of the Year: Doug Bennett, conservation manager, Southern Nevada Water Authority
● Bruce Pfeiffer Committee Member of the Year: Rex Crawford, retired chief plumbing inspector, city of Lincoln, Nebraska
● American Flag Award: Jaime Valdivia, retired Piping Industry Progress and Education Trust Fund (P.I.P.E) director
● Industry Person of the Year: Ray Levangie, retired business manager, UA Local 398
● Government Person of the Year: John Nielsen, Plumbing and HVAC program manager, state of
Idaho
● George Kauffman Lifetime Achievement Award: Dave Mann, retired business representative, UA
Local 342
The association also introduced a new award, the IAPMO Fellow, to honor both longtime and more recent contributors of distinction. The inaugural class of inductees are: Bob Adler, Jim Anderlik, Denvert Boney, Ken Carlson, Tim Collings, Bob Courtnier, Rex Crawford, Dan Daniels, Mike Durfee, Larry Facer, Pennie Feehan, Doug Fredericksen, Tom Gugino, John Halliwill, Gary Hamilton, Sherry Hernandez, Gary Hile, Chuck Kirby, John Koeller, Bill Laub, Ray Levangie, Richard Lisle, Dave Mann, David McHenry, Danny Nunez, D.J. Nunez, Bruce Pfeiffer (posthumously), Tom Pitcherello, Linden Raimer (posthumously), Shabbir Rawalpindiwala, Phil Ribbs, Ron Rice, Arnie Rodio, Bob Siemsen, Larry Soskin, Jim Stack, Marylyn Stapleton, Dave Straub, Jaime Valdivia, Mike Wynne.
IAPMO CEO Dave Viola delivered the annual State of IAPMO report, and the keynote address was delivered by the International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (IWSH) Foundation, updating IAPMO membership on recent initiatives in Lowndes County, Alabama, and the Navajo Nation to solve pressing issues affecting residents’ access to clean drinking water and safe sanitation systems.
IAPMO’s 94th annual Education and Business Conference will be held in San Antonio, Sept. 24-28, 2023.
IAPMO®, developer of the Uniform Solar, Hydronics and Geothermal Code (USHGC®) and Uniform Swimming Pool, Spa and Hot Tub Code (USPSHTC®), has posted online the 2025 Report on Proposals for the 2027 editions of these prospective American National Standard-designated model codes.
IAPMO® and the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) have renewed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), now incorporating ASSE International and ARCSA International, to jointly advance and promote the mutual interests of education, regulations, design, specifications, installation, and inspection of plumbing systems, as well as training, testing and certifying qualified professionals to perform design work responsive to the need to conserve and protect water supplies, and reduce energy use connected to delivery and use of water.
IAPMO®, developer of the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC®) and Uniform Mechanical Code (UMC®), has posted online the 2025 Report on Comments (ROC) for the 2027 editions of these American National Standard-designated model codes. The ROC includes the committee actions as discussed during the May 6-8 technical committee meetings, the electronic ballot results as balloted between May 19-June 16, and the Technical Correlating Committee actions on all comments received for the 2027 editions.