FALLS CHURCH, Va. - Jo Wagner, president of CTO, Harlingen, Texas, was recently elected as president of National Plumbing, Heating, Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC) for 2006-2007. Wagner is the second woman to hold this position since the PHCC’s 1883 inception.

As national president, Wagner’s goals include bringing women, minorities, and young people into associations so they will see the advantages of belonging to a peer group of talented businessmen and women. She also intends to focus on legislative issues.

“We are losing the young and we have to be aware of their needs and future goals so we can develop the right educational programs to get them on the right path,” said Wagner. “Tort reform is costing jobs, wasting time, and boosting insurance costs for owners. We have become a nation of ‘it’s someone else’s fault’; no longer taking responsibility for human error.”

Active on local, state, and national levels, Wagner has served on the Texas state board, is a member of the Texas Legislative and Insurance Committees, and a member of the 181 PAC Club in Texas. On the national level, Wagner has served on the national board, as a member of the Legislative and Apprenticeship Committees, and is a member of the 535 PAC Club.

“I love what I do, and that makes it all worthwhile. It’s my time to give back to an industry that has been very good to me and my family,” said Wagner. “Being a contractor today is tough - you can never stop learning and you must be diligent in every aspect of the industry. I hope to have the opportunity to do what I’ve been trying to do for 34 years - to set an example for women already on the fringes of construction. I look forward to serving.”

Publication date: 12/11/2006