People in the News

The plumbing manufacturer welcomed members of its award-winning Ambassador Program to its global headquarters for a two-day immersive event, featuring hands-on training, installation competitions, product ideation and more.

Oatey Co., a leading manufacturer in the plumbing industry since 1916, hosted its third annual Ambassador Fest plumbing influencer event last week in Cleveland, Ohio. A key perk of its award-winning social media Ambassador Program, Ambassador Fest is two-day immersive event for Oatey Ambassadors, focused on providing Ambassadors with robust training and hands-on experiences to enhance and expand their skills as tradespeople and digital content creators.

This year’s Ambassador Fest attendees included Evan Berns, Colin Luttrell, Nick Parlet, Jeff Keller, Nick Meritt, Justin Noftle, Jesharelah (Shay) Lorette, Danielle Browne, Thomas Young, Robert Broccolo, and Germaine Nelson, collectively representing a diverse range of plumbing and building expertise from across North America.

Ambassador Fest, which took place June 8-9 at the Oatey University training facility, featured opportunities for participants to learn about Oatey’s company and products, as well as to share their perspectives and insights from the field. Among the training experiences provided were solvent welding training, an in-depth product expo with Oatey product managers, and tours of Oatey’s manufacturing and distribution facilities. Ambassadors also participated in product feedback discussions, a product ideation competition and the first-ever Ambassador Olympics event, a hands-on application competition. At a meet-and-greet at the company’s headquarters, Ambassadors were spotlighted in a panel discussion and enjoyed networking conversations with Oatey associates. The Ambassadors also helped cheer the Cleveland Guardians to victory on Thursday evening.

Colin Luttrell, sole proprietor of ColinThePlumberLLC in Rochester, N.Y., joined Oatey’s Ambassador Program in January after following other Ambassadors on social media for years. During his first-ever visit to Cleveland, he says he was blown away by the Ambassador Fest experience. “Oatey’s Ambassador Fest is a once-in-a-lifetime trip,” said Luttrell. “After watching all these wonderful people online for years, being able to meet them in person and experience Oatey University first-hand was something I’ll never forget. I can’t say enough about the Oatey staff – their passion for what they do is what makes it so awesome.”

In contrast, this was the third Ambassador Fest for Danielle Browne, a 17-year industry veteran from St. Johns, Newfoundland in Canada, who is better known as “Twig” or “the littlest plumber” within the plumbing social media community. According to Browne, who was a member of Oatey’s inaugural class of Ambassadors, this year’s event was the most robust and engaging yet. “I have been honored to attend Ambassador Fest every year since 2021, and each year I learn more, build more meaningful connections and leave more inspired than ever about my craft. I’ve never encountered a brand more committed than Oatey to supporting the trades, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to represent them as an Ambassador.”

For the Oatey team, the feeling is mutual. “It was our privilege to host our Ambassadors in Cleveland for Ambassador Fest,” said Katherine Lehtinen, Senior Vice President, Brand and Digital Marketing at Oatey. “Oatey is committed to supporting our end users and the skilled trades, and it is our hope that Ambassador Fest and our overall Ambassador Program help our Ambassadors continue to grow, advance and find opportunities, just as they help us to do so.”

For additional information about Oatey’s Ambassador Program, visit oatey.com.

HBI President and CEO Ed Brady

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) inducted Ed Brady, President and CEO of Home Builders Institute (HBI), and 2016 NAHB Chairman, into its National Housing Hall of Fame during the association’s spring leadership meeting this week.

The National Housing Hall of Fame recognizes individuals whose spirit, ingenuity and determination have changed the nation’s housing for the better, making the United States one of the best housed nations in the world.

“Ed has dedicated much of his life to making lasting and meaningful contributions to the housing industry, and he continues to make an impact with helping grow the next generation of the building industry,” said NAHB Chairman Alicia Huey, a custom home builder and developer from Birmingham, Ala. “It is an honor to induct him into the National Housing Hall of Fame for his leadership and irreplaceable contributions to our industry.”

Since 2018, Brady has led HBI, a national nonprofit that trains diverse populations, including veterans, transitioning military, high school students and justice-involved youth and adults, and displaced and upskilled adults for careers in the building industry.

A second-generation home builder from Bloomington, Illinois, Brady learned carpentry from a union master carpenter in college and started building houses in 1988. During Brady’s 30+ years in the industry, he has advocated for and defended the building industry through leadership positions at the local, state and national levels. He has served 14 years as independent director of the Chicago Federal Home Loan Bank, working with leading experts to advance the nation’s housing finance policy. He served as 2016 Chairman of the National Association of Home Builders.

“Advancing the residential building industry and advocating for careers in the trades has been my life’s work. It is an incredible honor to be recognized through this induction into the National Housing Hall of Fame and join the ranks of those before me who have inspired me throughout my career,” says Ed Brady.

After the housing crisis, Brady spent three years on the Bipartisan Policy Center Housing Commission. He has also served on boards for Illinois Habitat for Humanity, and on other economic development and housing-related boards. Currently, Brady serves as a board member for Enterprise Community Partners.

The National Housing Hall of Fame was established in 1976 and honors builders, developers, architects, financiers, land planners and government administrators who have made major contributions to the housing industry. Hall of Fame honorees are selected by the National Housing Center Board of Governors.

Other Housing Hall of Fame inductees this year include Tom Woods, Stillman Knight, Granger MacDonald and Dwight Schar.

Hunt Valley, Md. — NH Yates recently announced that Jim Schnorr has joined the Yates Executive Team as Vice President of Business Development. He will be engaged with each of the Yates companies: NH Yates & Co., Inc.; Hydronic Modules LLC; Yates LLC; and Yates Global LLC.

N.H. Yates & Co. is both a manufacturer’s representative of HVAC, plumbing and hydronic-related products, delivering solutions for clients in the Eastern United States including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Washington D.C., Virginia, and North and South Carolina.

Over the course of Schnorr’s 30-year career at Burnham Holdings, he has held positions in both the wholesale channel and engineered product offerings in the residential, commercial, and industrial segments of the HVAC industry. He has led national and local sales teams of manufacturers reps and direct sales employees for Burnham Corporation, Burnham Hydronics, Burnham Commercial, Bryan Steam, and Thermal Solutions.

According to Jon Thomas, CPMR and President of NH Yates, Schnorr’s additional experience in manufacturing and profit and loss management will also provide immense value to his new team. “Collectively, all these experiences along with his many years of engagement with NH Yates as the Thermal Solutions, Bryan Steam & Burnham Commercial representative, make him an ideal addition to our company and a valuable asset for our manufacturer partners starting on day one” he added.

Uponor North America (Uponor) has been honored again with two Governor’s Safety Awards by the Minnesota Safety Council. In recognition of its exceptional occupational safety and health initiatives throughout 2022, the company’s Apple Valley campus won its fourth Governor’s Safety Award since 2015 and the Uponor Lakeville Distribution Center won its third award.

Left to right: Tom Ryan, supervisor, Warehouse; Jason Vanasek, area lead, Distribution; Nate McIntosh, director, Logistics and Warehousing; Lucas Binger, area lead, Distribution; Jon Sillerud, VP, Integrated Supply Chain; Ryan Fleser, director, Quality and EHS; and Paul Serafini, manager, Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS).

The annual Governor’s Safety Awards, which date back to 1934, measure safety performance against national averages in a company’s respective industry. Nominees complete a Safety Program Evaluation Scorecard, which was developed by a team of experienced safety professionals from organizations that are members of the Minnesota Safety Council. The program recognizes three levels of winners: Meritorious Achievement, Outstanding Achievement, and Award of Honor.

The Uponor Lakeville Distribution Center received an Outstanding Achievement Award for the third consecutive year, while the company’s Apple Valley campus earned a second consecutive Meritorious Achievement award. In total, Uponor has now won seven Governor’s Safety Awards since 2014.

“This recognition by the Minnesota Safety Council is a perfect reflection of our team’s commitment to the safety, health, and wellbeing of our colleagues across the organization,” said Andres Caballero, president, Uponor North America. “As a seven-time recipient of this award, our employees make safety their highest priority, never compromising the health of themselves or their colleagues. It is because of this commitment that Uponor continues to be a shining example of what great safety standards look like in the manufacturing space.”

The Minnesota Safety Council was founded in 1928 and is dedicated to improving the quality of life in Minnesota by preventing unintentional injuries on the road, at work, at home, and in the community. To see a list of all award recipients, visit MinnesotaSafetyCouncil.org.