Association News

Annual Meeting: Sandler Celebrated, New VMA Leaders Announced

Bill Sandler spent much of the 81st VMA/VRC annual meeting being surprised and honored for his 42 years of service to the association and the valve industry. The retiring Sandler, who served as president of the association for half of those 42 years, was honored in several ways during the meeting Sept. 25-27, 2019 at The Breakers, Palm Beach, FL. The recognition became when Sandler, the board, his family and friends were on-hand at a surprise party and roast held after the chairmen’s reception the night before the meeting started.

VMA President Bill Sandler Announces Retirement

After more than four decades as a VMA staff member and more than two as its leader, VMA President This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. announced he will retire at the end of 2019. He made the announcement during a VMA board of directors meeting Wednesday, March 27.

Sandler has the longest-running tenure of any employee at the association ever and is second only to founding leader George Cooper as far as how many years he’s been president. He is only the sixth person to serve in that slot in the association’s 80-year history.

National Compassion Fund and Mueller Create Aurora/Pratt Survivors’ Fund

On Feb. 25, 2019, the National Compassion Fund and Mueller Water Products announced creation of the Aurora/Pratt Survivors’ Fund to aid families of victims and employees physically injured or traumatized by their presence at the February 15 shooting in Aurora, IL, at Henry Pratt Company, a Mueller subsidiary.

Five Henry Pratt employees lost their lives that day.

2019 VMA Knowledge Forum Tackles Broad Range of Issues

When VMA first combined three meetings into one—the Valve Industry Knowledge Forum—it did so with the idea that attendees would have a much more varied range of topics from which to choose as well as an opportunity to mingle and exchange information with peers in positions that are different from their day-to-day jobs. That exchange will occur this year at the second annual VMA Industry Knowledge Forum on April 9-11 at the Doubletree Hotel Perimeter Park, Birmingham, AL. “Attendees from the first combined meeting in 2018 extolled the value of an agenda with educational tracks that were both specific to what they do and cross into new areas for them. We believe by doing this, we’ve created a more meaningful exchange of dialogue and ideas,” says VMA President Bill Sandler.

VMA’s New Chair Cites Deep Need for Technical Know-How

hughes at podium Ask David Hughes, the new chairman of the Valve Manufacturers Association of America (VMA), what he sees as the most significant pressure the valve industry of today faces and he’ll point to the need to find new ways to offer and create expertise.

Hughes, who is director of Global Accounts-Final Control, Emerson Automation Solutions, took over as VMA’s top leader in September at the organization’s annual meeting.