ARLINGTON, Va. - Since merging the Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association (GAMA) and the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI), change continues within the Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI).

Most recently, the association hired David B. Calabrese to fill the newly created position of vice president, Public Policy. In this role, Calabrese will oversee and provide overall direction for the association’s government relations, regulatory, research, and international affairs activities. Coming from the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, where he has served as vice president of government relations since 2003, Calabrese has over 17 years of government relations experience. He also served as director of government relations for the Electronic Industries Alliance from 1990 to 2000 and as an attorney with the Washington, D.C., law firm of Dewey Ballantine LLP, where he represented association clients on Capitol Hill and in federal agencies.

“We are extremely pleased that someone with Dave’s experience and knowledge will be joining us to help us meet our public policy goals,” said Stephen Yurek, AHRI president. “Part of the impetus for the merger of ARI and GAMA that created AHRI was to strengthen the industry’s voice on Capitol Hill, in the federal agencies, and overseas. Having someone of Dave’s caliber overseeing our efforts will help us achieve influence commensurate with the strength of our membership.”

AHRI is also making a change in its location to accommodate the increased size of its staff resulting from the merger earlier this year. The combined staff is moving Sept. 8 to a new headquarters located at 2111 Wilson Blvd., Suite 500, Arlington, VA 22201-3001. Staff telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, and Website address will remain the same.

The new office is located in a building adjacent to the former GAMA headquarters and just 1.5 miles from the former ARI headquarters in Arlington. The combined staff of the two organizations resulted in the need to relocate to larger office space. The new space is large enough to accommodate not only AHRI’s staff of more than 60 employees, but also the seven-member staff of North American Technician Excellence (NATE).

For more information, visit www.ahrinet.org.

Publication date: 09/08/2008