PMI announced the election of Martin Knieps as president of the 2022 PMI Board of Directors during PMI’s 67th Annual Meeting of the Membership yesterday. The senior director of operational excellence at Viega, Knieps succeeds Todd Teter, senior vice president and general manager of the Professional Plumbing Group House of Rohl North America, a division of Moen. Teter will remain on the board as immediate past president. The meeting was held during the PMI21 Manufacturing Success Conference in San Diego.

In addition to Knieps and Teter, the other members of the 2022 board will be board vice president Sal Gattone, LIXIL; board secretary/treasurer Chip Way, Lavelle Industries; and at-large directors Daniel Gleiberman, Sloan Valve; Cambria McLeod, Kohler; Bob Neff, Delta Faucet; and Belinda Wise, Kerox, Ltd.

In his acceptance remarks, Knieps said he was honored by the confidence placed in him by the membership. He emphasized PMI's abundant room to grow by embracing the opportunities created by products using Internet of Things and artificial intelligence technology and by addressing challenges posed by climate change. "Nobody does the work alone and your participation makes all the difference," he said.

Knieps thanked Teter for his contributions as the 2021 PMI board president by presenting him with a California state flag flown over the capitol in Sacramento. He also announced that the 68th Annual Meeting of the Membership will be held as part of the PMI22 Manufacturing Success Conference from Oct. 24-27, 2022, at the Omni Louisville Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky.

In remarks summing up 2021, Teter recognized PMI member companies that joined during the year — Brasscraft, Elkay and Dornbracht, announced the acceptance of Uponor as a new manufacturing member in 2022, and welcomed prospective new members and 16 first-time conference attendees. He presented the PMI President's Award to Pete Jahrling, director, design engineering, Sloan Valve Co., and former two-term PMI board president.

Teter also praised PMI volunteers and member companies for stepping up during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect public health and safety and to assure that PMI could accelerate value to members during a difficult time. In 2022, as PMI members begin a new initiative to address climate change by setting a goal of zero waste, Teter said, "none of us has the solution to climate change but each has a part to play."

In his state of the association report, PMI CEO/Executive Director Kerry Stackpole congratulated Teter for his leadership during a challenging year and expressed his delight in seeing all the attendees in person. "The success of PMI is found in three things – people, process and products," he stated. Stackpole held a moment of silence in memory of Paul Patton, a former PMI board president, and spoke of his distinguished contributions to PMI and the plumbing manufacturing industry. He also reviewed PMI's accomplishments, its coalition partners, and the issues the association tackled during 2021.

DDI System, a provider of ERP and eCommerce software for wholesale-distributors, announced David Greene has stepped into a new role with the company as director of business development. Greene, founder and former partner of a market-specific ERP for foodservice equipment and supply dealers joined DDI System as a dedicated foodservice market specialist in January 2020. Greene’s wealth of industry expertise and trusted relationships strengthened DDI’s focus and growth in the foodservice equipment and supplies industry over the past year and a half, the company noted.

Greene is now responsible for growing the company’s business in all markets, finding new business opportunities and helping to build a strong, recognizable brand alongside the marketing and sales teams. His extensive distribution experience and interpersonal relationships will drive his ability to spot new growth opportunities and solidifying current customer, buying group and association relationships, the company explained.

“David has proven to be an extremely valuable member of the DDI System management team. His experience and unique ability to build lasting relationships has resulted in new opportunities and greater software enhancements to serve foodservice equipment dealers and dozens of other distributor markets,” DDI System CEO Adam Waller said.

Greene’s prior experience includes vice president of business development at AutoQuotes, where he assisted in sales, product development and implementation of the leading quoting software for foodservice equipment and commercial kitchen design.

Barnes joins Centrotherm Eco Systems

Centrotherm Eco Systems, manufacturer of the InnoFlue brand of polypropylene vent systems and accessories, announced a key addition to the sales team.

Jason Barnes joins Centrotherm as regional sales manager covering the Western territory of the United States. Barnes joins Centrotherm with almost two decades of experience. Previously, Barnes worked in the waterworks plant and industrial industry where he helped improve the United States’ outdated water infrastructure, while supporting domestic manufacturing and American jobs, Centrotherm noted.

“It was an easy decision to join Centrotherm,” Barnes explained. “The company exemplifies commitment to the betterment of the HVAC/plumbing industry. I look forward to supporting American jobs, manufacturing and continuing to promote and sell cutting-edge products that will greatly improve the industry.”

Milwaukee Tool recognized Hermitage, Pennsylvania-based Preferred Sales as its agency of the year within the plumbing and HVAC channels at its national sales meeting this fall.

Milwaukee Tool recognizes several agencies and individuals for outstanding achievement within the plumbing and HVAC channels. Award recipients are measured on consistent year-over-year sales growth, product knowledge, product conversions, promotional and merchandising execution.

“We are relentlessly committed to serving the PHVAC industry by delivering disruptive solutions that drive best-in-class performance and enhanced productivity and safety for plumbers and mechanical users,” said Nick Mathiowdis, national sales manager for plumbing and HVAC channels at Milwaukee Tool. “We are proud to partner with manufacturer reps that clearly understand and share our vision.”

Milwaukee Tool also congratulated the following award-winners this year:  

Agency of the Year: Preferred Sales Inc.; covering western PA and OH

Power Tool Accessory / Hand Tool Agency of the Year: Snider Inc.; covering NC and SC

Sales Person of the Year: Jessica Gibson-Thomas, Preferred Sales Inc.; covering western PA and OH

Power Tool Accessory / Hand Tool Salesperson of the Year: Paul Grothaus, Rich-Tomkins, Inc.; covering eastern PA and DE

Inside Salesperson of the Year: Bev Howell, Preferred Sales Inc.; covering western PA and OH.