SAN ANTONIO - Combatants spent 13 days in 1836 battling at the Alamo. The Refrigeration Service Engineers Society’s (RSES’s) 70th Annual Conference attendees will spend three days exploring the Alamo and determining some of the more effective troubleshooting techniques in refrigeration. The San Antonio Chapter of the RSES and the Crowne Plaza Hotel on the San Antonio Riverwalk will host participants, Sept. 11-15, in a combination of business, education, and entertainment at the ‘Trouble “Shooting” at the Alamo.’

BUSINESS MATTERS

The association’s annual business meeting will be held on Friday, Sept. 14. According to RSES, chapter delegates, representing the current paid members of their chapter at the Annual Business Meeting, will consider issues such as election of international officers, bylaw revisions, changes in annual dues, and other matters.

Many additional business meetings will be held during the RSES conference as members convene to discuss the issues and trends facing the industry. The board of directors will hold a pre- and post-conference meeting. Two caucus sessions will also be held along with two auxiliary board meetings and an auxiliary installation breakfast. The educational and examining board will meet and the Manufacturers Services Advisory Counsel (MSAC) will hold its fall meeting on Thursday during the conference.

The counsel will have representatives from various companies such as Zero Zone Inc., Emerson Climate Technologies, A.O. Smith, and others. Following the MSAC meeting, attendees will participate in an MSAC “Ask the Experts” session. This two-hour session allows attendees to fill out an MSAC hotline form and bring it to the conference for an answer from the industries’ finest, said the association.

During last year’s annual conference, Hussman Corp. won the Most Educational Exhibit award at the HVACR Technology Expo. Celebrating the award are (from left) members of the Exhibit Committee, including Robert Sherman, CM, Region 15 director; James Byrd, CMS, Region 1 director; and Leonard Holst, CM, Region 13 director. Representing Hussman are Victor Dennis, technician recruiter; Frank Metcalfe, field service engineer; Bud Spencer, account manager; and Steve Fogus, parts manager.

EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION

Education, however, is the primary focus of RSES and of its conference. Approximately 23 educational sessions will be offered to attendees covering topics from air-to-air heat pumps to zoning.

Arzel Zoning Technology Inc. will present “Zoning … Bandage or Enhancement”; Bacharach Inc. will present “Combustion System Analysis for Safety, Efficiency, and Opportunity”; and Hoshizaki America Inc. will present “Ice Machine Maintenance and Service.”

Subjects such as energy-efficient design, air treatment, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) 55 and 62 compliance, field controls, wireless monitoring and collection, preventive maintenance techniques, thermal expansion valves, air filtration, and load calculations will be addressed by companies such as Emerson, Danfoss, Field Controls LLC, Fluke Corp., Invensys Controls, Johnson Controls, Kickstart®/OEM Products Inc., Knauf Insulation, Mainstream Engineering Corp., M&M Manufacturing Co., Parker Hannifin Corp., Scotsman Ice Systems, Sporlan Valve Division of Parker Hannifin Corp., Testo Inc., and Zero Zone.

Beyond troubleshooting, maintenance, and technical programs, there will also be some business management programs presented. Glen Gobel of National Sales Co. will present “Working with Difficult People.”

RSES conference participants who attend the educational sessions will be eligible to earn 16 credit hours of North American Technician Excellence (NATE) continuing education units.

In addition to the educational sessions, certification testing will be offered during the course of the conference. There will be opportunities for RSES Certificate Membership (CM), RSES Certificate Membership Specialist (CMS), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Refrigerant Usage, Universal R-410A, and NATE certification testing.

SHOW AND TELL

More than just business and education, the RSES conference will also be featuring a trade show and several tours.

The trade show takes place on Thursday and provides “a quality opportunity to meet industry buyers from near and far, who are looking for new and innovative offerings as well as proven favorites,” said RSES.

Approximately 45-50 representatives from across the HVAC industry will be available in this booth and tabletop display show. During the annual awards luncheon, RSES will present the annual award for the Most Educational Exhibit, an award won by Hussmann Services, Bridgeton, Mo., in 2006.

San Antonio will show off its historical, factory, and architectural offerings with two individual tours offered to attendees. The San Antonio historical tour includes the IMAX theater, a river barge ride, lunch at the historic Menger Hotel, the Alamo, and McNay art museum. The factory and architectural tour includes the SAS Shoe factory, San Fernando Cathedral, Mi Tierra restaurant, and Market Square.

AWARD CEREMONY

During the annual awards luncheon, RSES will give out multiple achievement and educational awards to attendees earning them from diverse categories. Some of the honors are awarded based on a member’s individual achievements or on a chapter’s educational activity levels.

The Paul B. Reed Award recognizes RSES chapters with exceptional educational programs in small, medium, and large chapter size categories. The John Spence Award recognizes RSES member(s) with the highest score on the RSES Certificate Member examination during the past year. The Imperial Award, sponsored by Imperial Tools, a division of Stride Tool, recognizes RSES members with the highest score on each of the eight RSES Certificate Member Specialist examinations during the past year.

The Wayburn Wilson CMS Memorial Award recognizes RSES members who have earned five of the eight RSES Certificate Member Specialist designations.

The To Make Life Worthwhile Award recognizes individuals and groups who provide nonsectarian, nonpolitical community service at the member, chapter, and regional level. It is awarded by the RSES Auxiliary.

The Emil T. Zolo CM Award recognizes an RSES member with the highest score for an RSES headquarters-purchased training course conducted through an RSES chapter during the association’s fiscal year.

Numerous awards that require nomination or application will also be awarded. The conference will end with the president’s reception and closing dinner.

For more information, visit www.rses.org.

Publication date:09/03/2007