By / Tristan Bertram,TIAC’s Technical Initiatives and Strategic Relationship Coordinator
With great anticipation, I sincerely look forward to welcoming each of you as we arrive in Whistler for TIAC’s 61st Annual Conference. But first, did you hear about the insulation shortage? Don’t worry! They are doing Asbestos they can to fix it…
As we approach the conference, I cannot help but feel the excitement of gathering our community in a setting as beautiful as Whistler. This August is a unique opportunity for us to unite as a community, amplify our collective voice, and drive positive change toward a greener, more sustainable future. We have the opportunity to connect, share insights, and collaborate on initiatives that will help shape the trajectory of our industry. It’s a chance to develop lasting relationships, build a robust support system, and have a lot of fun too!
In anticipation of the conference, I have asked myself a few questions. I thought it would be a good idea to ask our members the same:
#1. What do you hope to accomplish at the conference? Or What do you hope to leave with?
#2. How can you make the most of your time during the conference?
#3. What are our industry’s greatest strengths, and how can we improve them together during the conference?
For me, I hope to leave the conference with a greater sense of purpose and direction for our association and industry. I hope to facilitate a greater sense of community and shared objectives. I intend to make the most of my time at the conference by meeting, reconnecting, and sharing a laugh with as many people as possible. I encourage you to come find me at the conference and tell me your best insulation joke (I know they are hard to come by). After all, I need to get my material from somewhere! Finally, I believe our greatest strengths are our ability to make Canada a greener place and the solidity of our community itself. At the conference, we have the opportunity to sharpen our industry’s message and deepen our community’s collective power. This requires attendance and a willingness to contribute. I ask that you come to the conference prepared to share your insights, challenges, and your ideas to improve our industry. Bug your peers, and encourage them to attend this fantastic event—the ability to improve lies within the participation of our members!
Besides preparing for the conference and connecting with our membership, I also had the opportunity to attend the Midwest Insulation Contractors Association (MICA) conference in Colorado Springs, CO. Thanks to MICA and their insulation professionals; we have the North American Commercial and Industrial Insulation Standards Manual (NACIIS 9th Edition). I now sit on the MICA Manual Committee alongside my good friend James Low, who will remain on the committee as a representative from Ideal Products. On TIAC’s behalf, James has done an excellent job in the past representing the Canadian insulation industry in the Manual Committee. Together, James and I will do our best to ensure that future editions of the NACIIS Manual include Canadian content and help establish a better way to quote and execute jobs. If there is anything you would like to see in the manual, please don’t hesitate to let me know. I am happy to hear your suggestions and will gladly take them to the committee. If you are unfamiliar with the NACIIS Manual, please check it out. As a TIAC member, you get a copy for free! Please let me know if you need yours, and I will get it to you as soon as possible.
I look forward to seeing you all in Whistler. Please don’t hesitate to call on me if you need anything. I am happy to help in any way I can. ■
