United We Stand
Highlights of the PMI 2006 Fall Meeting
For Immediate Release
October 25, 2006
Contact: Barbara C. Higgens, Executive Director (847) 884-9764
Schaumburg, IL – With an election just around the corner, PMI returned to our nation’s capitol for
the PMI 2006 annual Fall Meeting. PMI welcomed 70 attendees, seven spouses, 13 speakers, and three
trade press to the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC. Taking advantage of this Washington, DC
location, the keynote dinner presentation Tuesday evening featured Tony Blankley and Eleanor Clift who
provided “An Insider’s View to the Political Scene.” Their lively debate captivated the audience. Mr.
Blankley served as press secretary for seven years to then Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich. In
that role, he not only helped create the messages that shook the country, but also helped create policy.
Ms. Clift is a contributing editor for Newsweek. She reports on the White House, Congress, and the
various personalities who make up the Washington power structure as she is a member of the magazine’s
political team.
A Welcome Reception and dinner kicked off the meeting on Sunday, followed by the General Membership
meeting where the officers for 2007 were elected, (see related press release) and PMI’s 2007 operating
budget was presented and approved. PMI’s new vision statement, adopted by the Board at a Strategy
session in June, was unveiled for the membership as follows: The Plumbing Manufacturers Institute
Will Be Recognized As The Worldwide Voice Of The North American Plumbing Industry. The vision statement
overarches the mission statement adopted by PMI last fall. The following days were filled with issue
and product related meetings, informative presentations, and educational and interactive workshops
that informed and enlightened attendees.
Monday’s session included the new Materials Performance Committee followed by the Government Affairs
Standing Committee meeting, where the focus was on recent legislation passed in California regarding
lead content of plumbing products. The Product Groups: Supply Fitting/Water Temperature Device and
the Flushing Devices/Fixture Committee meeting, met Monday morning. The Fair Trade Issue Committee
featured Michael Colopy, Foreign Affairs Specialist of International Commerce Consultants, Inc. and
fourth time PMI presenter, who shared more of his insights on China with the membership, and Rose
Braden, Research Analyst from the US China Build, who reviewed plans for the proposed PMI China mission
and discussed market opportunities there.
The afternoon concluded with a joint meeting of the Universal Conformity Assessment Issue Committee and
Technical Standing Committee. This agenda included the announcement of the new Electronics Working Group.
This group includes Norm Kummerlen, Principal Engineer of Moen Inc.; Larry Himmelblau, Product Compliance
and Testing Coordinator of The Chicago Faucet Company; Herb Barnhart, Executive Vice President of Tempress,
Ltd.; Jeff Baldwin, Engineering Manager of T & S Brass and Bronze Works, Inc.; Mark Malatesta, Engineer
Technical After Sales of American Standard Inc.; and a person to be named from BrassCraft Manufacturing
Company.
Internet Security was the topic of Larry Clinton’s presentation at the E-Business Issues and
Opportunities Session on Tuesday afternoon. Mr. Clinton is COO of the Internet Security Alliance, a
joint venture of Carnegie-Mellon University and the Electronics Industries Association (EIA).
Featured speakers John Doherty and Clark Ellis, Principals of FMI Corporation presented, “Urban
Infill – A New Category for the National Home Builder: Ramifications for Suppliers to the Construction
Market,” during the Member Services Committee meeting Tuesday afternoon.
The Water Conservation Committee met on Tuesday featuring John Flowers, Water Efficiency Manager of
the US Environmental Protection Agency, who presented the need for and implementation of water
efficiency and Steve Cummings, Manager of Research and Design of Caroma Industries, LTD and PMI member,
who informed the attendees of Australian water conservation requirements. Following lunch, Political
Analyst Frank Luntz engaged meeting attendees in a lively discussion of the current political landscape
and projections for the upcoming elections. Always entertaining and enlightening, Dr. Luntz returned to
PMI after a five year hiatus. Also back by request of PMI members was NASA’s Jack Bacon, PhD, who
provided an update to his fascinating presentation “NASA’s Water Management Practices and Future Space
Exploration Plans.”
The Fall meeting concluded Wednesday morning with a well-attended session of Green Building and Water
Efficiency which featured invited guests, Shawn Martin, Director, Applied Technology Division of the
NAHB Research Center, who presented “Water Conservation through System Design and Green Building
Guidelines,” David Sheridan, Principal in Aqua Cura, who discussed “LEED Water Efficiency, Current
Status and Future Directions,” and Drury Crawley of the US Department of Energy, who updated the group
on implementation of Green Building initiatives from a hands-on perspective.
Make plans now to attend PMI’s 2007 Spring Meeting
April 1-4 at the Grove Park Inn, Asheville, NC
PMI Mission Statement
- To Promote the water efficiency, health, safety and quality of plumbing products while maximizing consumer choice and value in a fair and open marketplace.
- To provide a forum for the exchange of information and industry education.
- To represent the members' interests in the regulatory/legislative processes.
- To enhance the plumbing industry's growth and expansion.
The Plumbing Manufacturers Institute is the voluntary, not-for-profit national trade association of manufacturers of plumbing products serving as the Voice of the Plumbing Industry. Member companies of PMI produce a substantial quantity of the nation’s plumbing products. For more information on PMI or its semi-annual meetings, contact the Institute at 1340 Remington Road, Suite A, Schaumburg, Ill., 60173; or via phone (847) 884-9PMI (9764), facsimile (847) 884-9775, or website www.pmihome.org.
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PMI will hold its 2007 Spring Meeting April 1-4, at the Grove Park Inn, Asheville, NC.
NOTE: PHOTOGRAPHS AND THE PMI LOGO
CAN BE PROVIDED VIA E-MAIL, UPON REQUEST.
Please contact PMI for more information.