SILVER SPRING, Md. — Patricia (Pat) Lupson, executive director of the Association of Air Conditioning Professionals (AACP) — formerly the Air Conditioning Contractors of America - National Capital Chapter (ACCA-NCC) — announced she will retire on Aug. 31, 2015.

“This association has grown from 36 company members in 1980 to 197 during Lupson’s tenure. We appreciate her dedication to this association and the friendship she has given to all the members,” said Mike Wheat, AACP’s president. “During her time as our executive director Lupson worked closely to develop the association’s Maryland approved and nationally recognized apprenticeship program. She’s ‘mothered’ hundreds through the four-year program and applauded their success at their formal graduations at Montgomery College in Rockville, Maryland. She is well respected nationally by her peers within other local HVACR associations. We wish her much happiness in this new chapter of her life."

Lupson became the executive director while her husband, Warren Lupson, was president of ACCA-NCC. She stepped in to assist him after her predecessor, Elaine (Emil) Knick, passed away in the MGM hotel fire in Las Vegas. After his term ended, Lupson was asked to continue in her position on a permanent basis.

“Warren plans on retiring in December 2015,” said Lupson, “and we look forward to doing some road trips and our love, cruising. Our son and daughter-in-law, Brian and Najia, live in New York City and we totally enjoy visiting them and experiencing what the ‘Big Apple’ has to offer.”

Lupson’s replacement, Tonya Biava, is already onboard learning the ropes. “Biava has a real learning curve before her,” Wheat said. “As a one-person staffed office it’s going to take some time to translate the processes to the new executive director. With the dedication that Lupson has given us over the past three-and-a-half decades we are confident that same dedication will continue through the training process of her successor.”

The Association of Air Conditioning Professionals is a non-profit trade association serving HVACR industry professionals in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia areas.

For more information, visit www.aacpnet.org.

Publication date: 7/28/2015

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