RETA is a training, education, and certification organization for industrial refrigeration technicians and engineers. RSES is a training, education, and certification organization for professional HVACR technicians and contractors.

After nearly three years of discussion and planning, the memberships of both RETA and RSES approved a merger during their respective annual business meetings in November. The merger is intended to strengthen the two nonprofit sister associations under one management model, a press release from RSES said. Jim Barron, who has worked with the boards of both organizations throughout the planning process, will serve as the executive director of the combined organization.

“There is much work that still needs to be done,” said Barron, “and both boards and HQ staffs are well-positioned to take on this task over this next year. We have already done a lot of work in both associations in order to prepare for the changes we plan to make, and everyone is looking forward to working together to make this happen. We will continue to do the right things for the right reasons, for our memberships and the industry at large.”

The slogan “Better Together” was coined nearly three years ago by the exploratory committee tasked with coming up with a blueprint for a merger. It has now become the tagline that is bringing the groups together. Combined, the two organizations will provide training, testing, and certification for technicians and engineers in both refrigeration and HVAC.

“I feel blessed to be serving as International RSES president during this time,” said 2023–2024 RSES international president Jerry Clark. “The fact that RETA’s conference for next year had been predestined to be held in my beloved Southwest region during my tenure as international RSES president is almost overwhelming! I look forward to the future and seeing RETA and RSES members learning alongside each other in the coming year.”

“I’m honored to be serving as the RETA president during this historic moment as we are bringing our organizations back together, as they once were,” said 2024 RETA president Mike Hawkins. “Both facets of the refrigeration industry have been changing over the years and the merger puts both organizations in a terrific position to continue training and certifying the operators and technicians.”