VMA’s 75th Annual Meeting: Elections, Honors and Celebration

Recognized for outstanding service on the VMA Board of Directors were outgoing directors: Sam Bennardo, AUMA Actuators; Don Curtin, Conval; Doug Dunn, Metso Automation USA; and Bruce Broxterman, Richards Industries.

Service Award recipients included:

• Kevin Kemerer, Precision Pump & Valve Service, in addition to being involved in the Valve Repair Council, has been an active member of the Manufacturing Committee for a number of years including serving as chair.
• Bill Metz, Richards Industries, has also been a member of VMA’s Manufacturing Committee and is the immediate past chair of the committee. He was instrumental in finalizing the tour for 2014 to Mazak in Florence, KY.
• Mike Rooney, Emerson Process Management – Valve Actuation, has served for a number of years as chairman of the Communications Committee and has led the communications effort for our 75th Anniversary.

The Wm. Powell Company was recognized for being the only company that has been a continuous member since the organization formed in 1938. Randy Cowart, chairman/CEO, accepted on behalf of the company.

An article, to be posted soon on VALVE Magazine.com, will highlight several of the speakers’ presentations, including comments by Alan Beaulieu, the well-known economist, who is president and principal of ITR Economics.

Next year’s annual meeting—which is open only to members of VMA and VRC (Valve Repair Council)—will take place at the Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain in Marana, AZ.

• Launched a public relations campaign to let valve users around the globe know that its members’ products are the “best in the world”
• Produced a video in which members discuss why they belong to VMA and why users would do well to work with VMA member companies
• Held a press briefing at the annual meeting to announce the results of a recent member employment survey, which shows that valve, actuator and control manufacturers now employ 30,000 people in the U.S. and Canada
• Published a special 75th Anniversary Commemorative Program, now available in The VMA Store.
• A special section of the VMA.org website offers additional information about VMA’s 75th Anniversary, including a series of articles about industry icons, the history of the organization, timelines, a historical photo archive and more.

Judy Tibbs is associate publisher/editor in chief of VALVE magazine and VMA’s director of education. Reach her at jtibbs@vma.org.