RETA Breeze Sept/Oct 2025

THE POWER OF PARTICIPATION

Lori Schiavo

H ard to believe it is fall already. Where did the year go? By the time you are reading this issue, and as you likely read in Dave’s and Jim’s columns, the RETA Annual Conference will be in full swing in Spokane, WA. RETA and RSES continue to work together to provide an education track that meets the needs of commercial and residential HVACR professionals. This year, we have several sessions being offered that will appeal to these individu als, and hope to see more and more RSES Members attending the event. This is a great opportunity for RETA and RSES Members to come together to connect. If you see an unfamiliar face, please introduce yourself and welcome them to the show. In addition to its Members and Chapters, RETA-RSES Committees are the lifeblood of our organization. Each committee is comprised of individuals from every facet of the HVACR and industrial industries— from manufacturers, operators and technicians to end users, standards/ regulations professionals and educators— and they are the minds, volunteers and creators of much of the training and certification materials available from our Association. Volunteers of these commit tees steer the direction of each product based on their real-world experience and technical expertise. I bring up this topic for several reasons— first, the future of our industry relies on the passing down of knowledge. Committee work provides a platform to do just that… lend the next generation information that will empower them to be better profes

thrive, and without them, we would not be where we are today.

sionals. Being a part of a committee offers a way to memorialize your contributions to this industry while assisting the next group to enhance theirs. Another reason for this topic is the fact that the Education Committee has just released the first book in a new RSES series titled Introduction to HVACR , a book intended to start individuals on a path into the professional world of HVACR. Were it not for the collective knowledge in the committee meetings, this, and all books, tests, marketing materials, publications and conference activities, would not be possible. We are deeply indebted to each of our committee members who help to propel our industry and Association forward. We are always seeking more individuals to join these committees and round out the products and services we continue to create for field professionals. If you are interested in working on one of the RETA-RSES Committees—Certification, Education, Marketing, Membership or Conference—please know there is always room at the table for you. Contact RETA or RSES HQ to let us know where you are interested in sharing your knowledge and we will connect you with the right individual. Of course, I cannot complete this column on these topics without paying homage to the hard-working staff and Board Members laboring behind the scenes assisting in the fulfillment of our mission statement. Much of the work these individuals perform daily is 100% necessary to help this organization

So, if you happen to find yourself wonder ing how you can give back to the Associa tion that helped you become the profes sional you are today, consider lending your time and experience. I know I won’t be around for the next 100 years of the Association’s existence, but I sure as heck would like to contribute to its strength today to help to keep it going strong far into the future! We are also seeking some influencers, energetic HVACR professionals with solid field experience to help us bring more attention to the value of RSES around the industry. Contact me at lschiavo@rses.org or Terry McIver at tmciver@rses.org. Lori Schiavo, Director of Operations for RETA-RSES, has worked with RSES for more than 18 years in a variety of roles, including Executive Vice President and Publisher/Editor of its flagship publication RSES Journal . She currently oversees functions for the Educa tion, Testing, Marketing, Publishing and Certification departments at RSES, works with several RETA-RSES Committees, and recently started to oversee publication of the RETA Breeze and RETA Technical Report . In addition, she serves as an HVACR industry liaison for several state and federal training programs, trade and sister Association shows. Prior to HVACR, Schiavo has worked in an editorial capacity for the construction, mining and printing industries. She grew up in and worked for her family’s trucking business throughout the years laying the groundwork for her love of the trades.

8 RETA.com

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2025