The Plumbing Manufacturers Institute elected a new slate of officers for 2006 at its Fall Meeting. Elected were: PMI President Claude Theisen, T and S Brass and Bronze Co.; 1st Vice President Ken Martin, Delta Faucet; 1st Vice President Rod Ward, Speakman Co.; Treasurer Bill Axline, Fluidmaster; Immediate Past President John Lauer, Sloan Valve Co.; Directors at Large: Walt Strader, Price Pfister; Ray Fisher, Fisher Manufacturing; William Ball, WCM, and returning directors Pete DeMarco, American Standard; Tom White, Haws Co.; and Herb Barnhart, Tempress.

The group met Oct. 16-19 in Washington, D.C. The theme of the meeting was “Securing the Future.” Governor Tom Ridge, former Secretary of Homeland Security, was a keynote speaker. One of the highlights was the PMI-hosted Water Conservation Summit panel discussion moderated by Pete DeMarco of American Standard, Shabbir Rawalpindiwala of Kohler Co. and John Watson of Sloan Valve Co. Panelists included: Mary Ann Dickinson of the California Urban Water Conservation Council; Richard Harris of East Bay Municipal Utility District; David Broustis of Seattle Public Utilities; Jim Hanlon, of the Environmental Protection Agency; Stephanie Tanner of EPA for LEED; and Vicki Wardon of The Green Building Initiative. Invited guests included Ed Osann, Potomac Resources; John Koeller, Koeller and Co.; John Flowers, EPA; Christine Reimer, National Ground Water Association; and Pete Censky, Water Quality Association.

“The goal of this summit was to bring closer together PMI and those groups involved with water conservation initiatives,” Barbara C. Higgens, PMI executive director, said in a statement. “By working together earlier in the legislative, regulatory, and product development process, we feel the result is better for all concerned - consumers, conservationists, manufacturers.”

Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) was honored as PMI's Legislator Of The Year for his support of plumbing manufacturing initiatives in 2005.

PMI has scheduled its Spring Meeting for April 9-12, 2006 at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico. For more information, visit www.pmihome.org.