Black Tie HVACR

Posted on March 8, 2010

Sure, they came donned in suits, tuxedos and evening gowns, but that doesn’t mean the Chairman’s Banquet ended up being a stuffy event. Far from it! Attendees of the 42nd Annual Conference and Indoor Air Expo gathered tonight for the traditional Chairman’s Banquet—an evening filled with good food, lots of networking, and more than a few laughs.

The banquet is a celebration of ACCA’s leadership that’s always full of surprises. This year featured plenty of fun videos displayed on the big screen, along with a pirate presentation from a rowdy MIX group.

Outgoing Chairman Stan Johnson delivered a touching speech, which included an update on his grandson who was born prematurely during last year’s Chairman’s Banquet. He thanked the ACCA family for their continued well wishes and said young Zane is a healthy, nearly 20 pound one-year-old.

He thanked his officers and ACCA staff, and encouraged members to continue the hard-fought political battle he waged during his tenure. “We can’t stop now,” he said. “We must make our voice heard in Washington. We’re not going to stop everything bad from happening, but we won’t stop anything if we sit on the sidelines.”

Johnson handed the reins tonight to incoming Chairman John Sedine. “The transition will be easy this year as Stan and I are on the same page about most things,” he said during his speech. “We share the same vision of our industry’s future and the same passion for ACCA.”

He too encouraged members to stay involved in the association’s technical and governmental efforts. “It’s tempting to go back home to our own companies in our own towns and focus on the day-to-day, and think that someone else must have all this other stuff covered,” he said. “Well guess what? There is no someone else and they don’t have it covered. You are the only someone else.”

ACCA’s 42nd Annual Conference and Indoor Air Expo continues tomorrow with a full day of workshops, general sessions and networking events. Read all of our blogs and news updates from the event at www.accaconference.com, or from your mobile phone at www.acca10.com.