1. Government Affairs

2. Transition

3. Retirement

4. Education Foundation

I and others are in Washington, D.C., today and tomorrow attending a Department of Energy (DOE) hearing to fight for industry interests as the DOE pushes to gain additional energy efficiency from ceiling fans and ceiling fan light kits.

ALA has been coordinating the ceiling fan industry efforts on this challenge for nearly 20 months. To their credit, even though they are, of course, highly competitive, our ceiling fan manufacturers have worked together effectively to develop a unified response to avoid costly requirements that would negatively impact the industry and consumers.

With me in Washington are: Clark Linstone, chair of the ALA Government Affairs Committee and the ALA Board of Governors, Michael Weems, ALA VP of government affairs, Terry McGowan, ALA director of engineering and technology, and 13 industry representatives.

After this week's hearing, we will follow up with written testimony to reinforce industry arguments. 

Michael Weems (right) and I meeting with John  Cymbals (center), program head of appliance efficiency at  the DOE, today in Washington.

First, Eric Jacobson and I continue to have a positive and productive time in preparing for him to take on the responsibilities of becoming ALA's new president in 2015.

Additionally, the Executive Committee held its Annual Planning Retreat last week where they finalized the 2015 

Action Agenda and approved all of the new year's committee chairs.

After serving ALA for 21 years, it gives me great satisfaction to see our industry leaders continuing to be fully engaged and your new leadership team prepared to keep the association moving forward. 

As reported, I will continue to play a modest role for ALA during the next 2 years, serving as the Treasurer of the ALA Political Action Committee (PAC) and President of the ALA Education Foundation.

I am pleased to have been asked to help ALA and believe I can be useful to both the PAC and Foundation. It will also allow me to stay active and retire in stages, which I believe will be positive for me. 

I encourage you, when paying your 2015 Membership Dues, to remember to please make a contribution to ALA's Education Foundation and support its important mission. Thank you.

Happy Thanksgiving to you, your family 

and your employees.