The International Certification Board

As the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) industry evolves at a lightening pace, ensuring the TABB certification program remains at the highest levels of education, training and field competency is a daunting task. The group charged with this responsibility is the International Certification Board (ICB).

The International Certification Board is comprised of experts from the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA) and the Sheet Metal Workers' International Association (SMWIA). The six ICB members meet regularly with conference calls between meetings to analyze research compiled by the National Energy Management Institute Committee (NEMIC), then apply new knowledge and insights to TABB's rules and regulations.

"TABB's success relies in its ability to guarantee that the people who are certified have a broad knowledge of the HVAC industry and an expertise in testing, adjusting, and balancing calculation and instrumentation," said Mike Mamayek, ICB member and Executive Vice President and HVAC and Process Department Manager at Illingworth Corporation.

Mamayek commends the TABB Task Force for their curriculum. "TABB is unique because it combines all facets of the industry: contractors, technicians, and supervisors. Those who qualify become TABB certified because we know building owners are looking for qualified people who are highly educated in the HVAC industry," said Mamayek.

The ICB has a winter meeting scheduled for early 2002 in Las Vegas. TABB will review its internal operating procedures manual to ensure that it is up to date with current industry trends.

Roy Ringwood, ICB member and Business Manager at newly formed SMWIA Local 105, says there are future certification programs planned for the ICB. "We are currently analyzing a certification program that encompasses the HVAC service sector," says Ringwood.

Ringwood says that this service sector program, while still in its infancy, will be generating more information, which will be available in the very near future. For the time being, the ICB has contributed immensely to the early successes of TABB, and looks forward to its popularity continuing to soar.

Ringwood brings a wealth of knowledge to the ICB as he is a second-generation sheet metal worker. His uncle, Clyde Ringwood, served as Business Manager at Local 304, which merged with other local unions to form Local 108. Ringwood was initiated into the union in 1960 and has served as Local 108's Business Manager since 1996. More recently he followed in his uncle's footsteps and successfully facilitated the merger between Locals 108 and 102.