2023 RETA Breeze Jan-Feb

2022-23 BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIRMAN Keith Harper, CARO Tyson Foods Inc PRESIDENT Bengie Branham, CIRO, RAI SCS Engineers EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Michael Hawkins, CARO Midatlantic Refrigeration, LLC TREASURER David Gulcynski, CIRO Dot Foods Inc. SECOND VICE PRESIDENT Bill Lape, CARO, CIRO, CRST SCS Engineers DIRECTORS Alan Gervais, CARO, CIRO Western Precooling Systems Andrew Palomar, CARO APCCO Barbara Kirkpatrick Mi-Docs Debbie Koske Calibration Technologies, Inc. Edward Johnson, CARO Gordon Rascoe, Jr, CIRO, CRST, RAI ConAgra Brands Jeff Lublin Kolbi Pipe Marker Co. JeremyMurfin AC & R Specialists Jim Kovarik Gamma Graphics Services Melissa Cassell General Refrigeration Company Raymond Urban, CARO Lineage Logistics Victor Dearman, Jr. Peco Foods, Inc COMMITTEE CHAIRS Certification: Lee Pyle, CARO SCS Tracer Environmental Education: Eric Girven, CIRO, CRST, RAI SCS Tracer Environmental Marketing: Dascha Whitmore Stellar Membership: Arlie Farley, CARO, CIRO, CRST Farley’s SRP, Inc National Conference: Jim Kovarik Gamma Graphics Services Publications: Ed Johnson, CARO Executive Director: Jim Barron

FROM THE DESK OF THE PRESIDENT

Several years ago, my wife Nadia and I purchased our forever remodeling home. When we purchased the home, it seemed well built from the curb appeal aspect. After all it was a Brick home, 3 bedroom, 3 bath and has a spacious lot. However, after taking ownership we soon realized all was not what it seemed. Cracks in the drywall soon developed and were diagnosed as being related to founda tional settling and required immediate attention. Hence the phrase “forever remodel” term is appropriately applied!! You are probably wondering what does this have to do with Industrial Refrigera tion training and RETA? Actually, there are a few glaring similarities that I have learned through the process of remodel ing a home and my personal develop ment an Industrial Refrigeration operator/technician. The first similarity is that both must start with a well-designed and constructed foundation. The foundation is what supports all the building components and it anchors the home to a location that must not allow change or movement of the home or the integrity will become unstable and eventually will have to be addressed. When we as operators and technicians embark on our journey to become the best we can be in our roles as operators and service technicians, we typically look for anyway to expedite the learning

Bengie Branham, RETA National President

process. Many times, that means bypassing critical steps in our journey to accelerate this learning process. Through my travels as a RETA RAI, I get to meet extremely talented and wonderful people in our industry that have sadly bypassed those critical steps required to develop a strong foundation of basic refrigeration knowledge and have become settled in mediocrity. Many seasoned operators/technicians have decided that IR 1 is too elementary to them at the stage they are currently at in their development. These individuals have bypassed IR 1 study material and will move directly to IR2 or even IR 3 level and become frustrated because it doesn’t make sense to them. Many have convinced themselves they can pass the CIRO or CRST because of their accelerated path of learning only to fail these certification exams.

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