The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) Manufacturers/Suppliers (M/S) Council elected its 2022 officers at AFSA40: Convention, Exhibition, and Apprentice Competition. Derek Allen of Core & Main in Hayward, California, will serve as the chair of the Council, and Bill Phair of Ferguson Fire & Fabrication in Passaic, New Jersey, will serve as the vice chair.
Tim Freiner of Potter Electric Signal Company, St. Louis, Missouri, was re-elected to a three-year term, expiring in 2024. Phil Schechinger of ASC Engineered Solutions in Exeter, New Hampshire, was newly elected to a three-year term expiring in 2024. Additionally, Lainey Liotta of Lubrizol in Cleveland, Ohio, was elected to a one-year term expiring in 2022.
A complete list of the 2021-2022 M/S Council follows:
- Mark Abernathy, Bull Moose Tube Company, Chesterfield, Missouri;
- Derek Allen, Core & Main, Hayward, California;
- Matt Baker, Spears Manufacturing, Sylmar, California;
- Ray Fremont, Jr., General Air Products, Inc., Exton, Pennsylvania;
- Tim Freiner, Potter Electric Signal Company, St. Louis, Missouri;
- Lainey Liotta, Lubrizol, Cleveland, Ohio;
- Jim McHugh, AGF Manufacturing Inc., Malvern, Pennsylvania;
- Michael Mottice, Johnson Controls, Hillard, Ohio;
- Darren Palmieri, Viking SupplyNet, Hastings, Michigan;
- Bill Phair, Ferguson Fire & Fabrication, Passaic, New Jersey;
- Phil Schechinger, ASC Engineered Solutions, Exeter, New Hampshire;
- Rex Schwendiman, Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Company, Dallas, Texas;
- Chris Stason, Victaulic Company, Temecula, California; and
- Ralph Watson, Globe Fire Sprinkler Corporation, Standish, Michigan.
The M/S Council is comprised of both appointed and elected representatives. Each device manufacturing company that holds AFSA membership at level A-6 or above is allowed one seat, with the representative to be appointed by the individual company, and two appointed seats on the Council are reserved for distributor/fabricators in dues-paying categories A-9 or above with a national scope. There are seven elected representatives, and persons serving in these positions may represent any supplier or manufacturer company that includes, but is not limited to, suppliers, other manufacturers, or manufacturer's representatives as long as the company is an AFSA member in good standing.
The Council, established in 1983, is a national council representing member companies who produce fire sprinkler system components, and supply materials and services to the industry. The M/S Council was created to represent the interests of all associate members that make and supply products in the industry and assist AFSA's Board of Directors in meeting the goals of AFSA.
All Associate members are encouraged to contact M/S Council representatives if they have any questions or ideas about the activities of AFSA. For more information, contact AFSA’s Vice President of Engineering & Technical Services John August Denhardt, P.E., M/S Council Staff Liaison, at [email protected].
