December 2, 2020

Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI) announced the election of Todd Teter as president of the 2021 PMI Board of Directors during PMI’s 66^th Annual Meeting of the Membership. The senior vice president and general manager of the House of Rohl North America, a division of Moen Inc., Teter succeeds Joel Smith, the director of faucets product engineering at Kohler Co.

In his acceptance remarks, Teter outlined three goals for the coming year: accelerating PMI member value, increasing engagement and leveraging diversity and exploring the art of the possible. He encouraged PMI members to be bold and courageous during these difficult times and thanked Smith for his contribution as the 2020 PMI board president. Relating the expectations of medical experts, Teter said a COVID-19 vaccine will make the 67^th Annual Meeting of the Membership an event members and guests will be able to attend in person, as part of the PMI21 Manufacturing Success Conference at Paradise Point in San Diego, Nov. 15-18, 2021.

Other members of the 2021 board will be Smith, immediate past president; Martin Knieps, Viega LLC, vice president; Sal Gattone, LIXIL, secretary/treasurer; and at-large directors Daniel Gleiberman, Sloan Valve Co.; Fernando Fernandez, TOTO USA; Bob Neff, Delta Faucet Company; and Chip Way, Lavelle Industries.

Other highlights of the virtual meeting:

• PMI members voted to approve the board’s recommendation to have no dues increase in 2021, in an acknowledgment of the difficult business environment created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

• Smith recognized Jerry Desmond, PMI’s California government affairs consultant, with the 2020 PMI President’s Award.

• Receiving 2020 PMI Ambassador Awards were Troy Benavidez, LIXIL, co-chair of the PMI Advocacy/Government Affairs Committee, and John Bertrand, formerly of Moen, Inc.

In remarks summing up 2020, Smith said his tenure as board president was more “exciting and complex than I ever imagined.” He called PMI a “healthy, dynamic and forward-looking organization” and thanked those who shared their time, despite having to deal with challenges posed by the pandemic.

In his state of the association address, PMI CEO/Executive Director Kerry Stackpole contrasted the highs of the bullish pre-COVID-19 economy with the lows of the pandemic. Still, he said, PMI and its members rose to the occasion by achieving essential business designations in the United States, Canada and Mexico; developing and participating in virtual professional development offerings; and contributing to pandemic relief by keeping water flowing and manufacturing personal protective equipment (PPE) and innovative products, such as touchless fixtures that aid infection control.

PMI’s membership meeting was held a week after the conclusion of the virtual PMI20 Manufacturing Success Conference, held from Nov. 10-12. PMI20 was attended by 76 PMI member executives and 20 first-time attendees. Those who registered for the conference can view recorded sessions on-demand. PMI members who did not attend the conference can purchase access to recordings of the meeting’s sessions.