Check out the latest appointments, promotions and goings-on in the plumbing and heating industry.

Growing up in West Bloomfield, Michigan, Brianne Hall remembers receiving engineering concept lessons in her father’s car on the way to elementary school. Her dad — who had degrees in both civil and mechanical engineering — handed her a paper clip to explain the concept of failure due to fatigue.

Viega announced new leadership for its sales and marketing operations. Scott Wallace was named chief commercial officer, and Jared Mackrory was named marketing director.

The American Fire Sprinkler Association announced Scott Cox, co-owner and president of Cox Fire Protection, Tampa, Florida, was elected by his peers as the recipient of AFSA's 2021 Young Professional of the Year award for educating, leading, and encouraging the next generation of fire sprinkler industry leaders. 

Brown and Caldwell announced Michael Karl has been recognized by The Smart Water Networks Forum (SWAN) with an outstanding leadership award for his contributions toward advancing digital twin architecture, a breakthrough optimization technology for the water industry.

I’m feeling pretty somber as I sit here writing this month’s column. Latest reports indicate 152 people remain unaccounted for following the partial collapse of a 12-story residential building in Surfside, Florida, on June 24. 

Nearly all systems using cordwood gasification or pellet-fueled boilers perform best when the system includes a thermal storage tank. 

Michael Copp, executive vice president of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors — National Association (PHCC), has formally announced that he will retire from PHCC in December.

School may be out for the summer, but for the facilities themselves, the work is just beginning.