WASDA Annual Meeting 2024

Your Voice of the Industry

 

The WASDA Annual Meeting took place from February 17 – 21, 2024. The Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf & Beach Resort was a lush destination, nestled in paradise full of lacid charm of beachfront, sapphire seas, and the natural beauty of El Yunque rainforest.

Watch the below video to learn what happened at the Annual Meeting in 2024!
 
 
 

About the Event

The WASDA Annual Meeting (February 17 – 21, 2024) is the perfect platform for professionals in the water and sewer industries to gather for networking, learn about trends and challenges in the industry, and celebrate our community. Spouses and Guests are invited to attend alongside the industry attendee but are also required to register for badges.

 

Schedule

Here’s what happened in 2024! For a quick Snapshot, note the following:

Saturday, February 17th

 

Arrivals

        

Sunday, February 18th

 

Board of Directors Meeting & Working Lunch

 

Committee Forums:

Program (PDC)

Membership & Marketing

Associate Member

Education, Industry & PR

 

Distributor-only pre-Reception* (60 minutes)

Welcome Reception & Dinner Party

    
Monday, February 19th

 

Scholarship Fund Board of Directors Meeting

 

Distributor-only Breakfast*

Associate-only Breakfast

General Business Session

 

 Education:

U.S. Policy Update for Waterworks &

Roundtables – Industry Relations

with Zack Perconti, WASDA Director of Government Affairs 

 

Future Leaders Council (FLC) Meet-up

All attendees are welcome!

 

Networking Reception

 
Tuesday, February 20th

 

The Bernie M. Pipan Memorial 5K Walk/Run

 

Education:

Economic Update with

Christopher Kuehl, PhD, Armada Corporate Intelligence

 

Annual Golf Tournament 

 

Networking Reception

 

 

 
Wednesday, February 21st

 

Board of Directors Meeting & Breakfast

 

 

      

 

 The schedule is subject to change. For a complete Schedule of Events, click below.

Complete Schedule of Events

 

Education

What would an Annual Meeting be without some critical content for running your business and managing your company’s bottom line? There were two key content areas that align with WASDA’s Strategic Planning Initiatives – Government Affairs and Economics. 

Check out the below presenters, hand-picked by the WASDA Professional Development Committee (PDC) and the WASDA Education Committee.

Government Affairs

U.S. Policy Update for Waterworks

Presenter: Zack Perconti, Principal, Government Affairs Solutions, LLC and WASDA Director of Government Affairs

Join us for this update on what is happening on The Hill in Washington, DC! It’s a New Year with a new U.S. Congress in session. A review of current regulatory activity and the impact of U.S. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act on the waterworks industry will be addressed.  

About the Presenter:

Zack Perconti

Zack Perconti, a graduate of the College of William & Mary and the Schar School of Policy and Government at George Mason University, has worked on infrastructure and labor issues since 2016. He has deep knowledge of U.S. legislative, budgetary, and regulatory processes and is an expert on grassroots communication. This has translated into high effectiveness in achieving clients’ government-relations objectives. Zack is an accomplished home chef, and he enjoys hiking with his wife, Ariela, and their dog, Sadie.

     

Economics

Economic Update: A Year in Review

Presenter: Chris Kuehl, Ph.D., Armada Corporate Intelligence

A WASDA Favorite is back. You heard Dr. Kuehl offer an industry-tailored assessment of issues, challenges, and strategies to grow your business in Tucson, Arizona last February. He’s back in 2024 to review what has happened in the U.S. during the past 10 to 12 months and how it may impact your business.  

About the Presenter: 

Dr. Christopher Kuehl (PhD)

Chris Kuehl, PhD is a Managing Director of Armada Corporate Intelligence and one of the co-founders of the company in 1999. He has been Armada’s economic analyst and has worked with a wide variety of private clients and professional associations in the last ten years. He is the Chief Economist for the National Association for Credit Management and is on the Board of Advisors for their global division – Finance, Credit and International Business. He prepares NACM’s monthly Credit Managers Index. He is the Economic Analyst for the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association and writes their bi-weekly publication, Fabrinomics, which details the impact of economic trends on the manufacturer. 

Chris is the chief editor for the Business Intelligence Briefs, distributed all over the world by business organizations and he is one of the primary writers (with Keith Prather) for the Executive Intelligence Briefs. He also makes close to a hundred presentations each year to business and industry associations in the US and overseas. He is on the Board of the Business Information Industry Association in Hong Kong and serves as a resource for the media and for many trade publications.

Chris has a doctorate in Political Economics and advanced degrees in Soviet Studies and Asian Studies and was a professor of international economics and finance for over 15 years prior to starting Armada.

     

Annual Golf Tournament

The WASDA Annual Golf Tournament took place at the Rio Mar Country Club on Tuesday, February 20th, 2024.

The Ocean Course was designed by legendary course architects Tom and George Fazio and lies between the mountains of El Yunque rainforest and the shimmering Atlantic Ocean. This 6,716-year course winds among lakes and the natural contours of the land, offering gorgeous and challenging play. Enjoy the magical moment of playing in the ocean breezes with the sound of waves on our signature beachfront par 3, 16th hole. The signature 16th hole, an oceanside par 3, 238 years, always rates among the Caribbean’s best.

 
Golf Hole Sponsorships
Thank you, Sponsors!

There were 18 companies that sponsored the 2024 WASDA Golf Tournament!

  • AA Thread
  • Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc.
  • Clow Valve Company
  • Coburn Supply Company
  • Core & Main
  • Custom Pipe & Fabrication
  • EBAA Iron Sales, Inc.
  • EJ
  • Ferguson 
  • First Supply / First Waterworks
  • Fortiline Waterworks
  • M&H/Kennedy Valve Company
  • Michigan Pipe & Valve - Saginaw
  • SIP Industries/Serampore
  • Star Pipe Products, Ltd.
  • Tyler Union Company, a Division of McWane
  • U.S Pipe
  • Vinyltech PVC Pipe
 All sponsorship proceeds went directly to the WASDA Scholarship Fund!

  

Accommodations

The WASDA Annual Meeting 2024 was held at the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Golf & Beach Resort.

 

Travel Information

The Heart & Soul of the Caribbean

Rich history and culture, exceptional food, pristine beaches majestic mountains, relaxation, adventure – all packed into one sun-kissed Caribbean paradise. Puerto Rico is full of people who are welcoming and buena gente (which is Boricua lingo for kind and friendly). Here, you will feel like you are family. There is a celebration of life, a vibrant cultural experience, food for the soul, and captivating rhythm.

Puerto Rico is a U.S. Territory and a self-governing Commonwealth. The chief of state is the President of the United States of America. The head of government in Puerto Rico is an elected Governor. Puerto Rican institutions control internal affairs unless U.S. law is involved, as in matters of public health and pollution.

Currently, a valid U.S. Driver’s license with photo is sufficient for entering Puerto Rico (and returning main side to North America). For further information on Puerto Rico and its relationship with the U.S., click here.

Note that USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) prohibits or restricts the entry of many agricultural products from Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands into the U.S. mainland, including most fresh fruits and vegetables, certain types of plants and flowers, and certain pork and pork products.

For further information regarding travel to and from Puerto Rico, review the Traveler’s Guide and Discover Puerto Rico.

  

Regions

Did you know that Puerto Rico is comprised of six regions? The Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Puerto Rico Golf & Beach Resort is in the East region that boasts of secluded beaches, tropical cays, and a legendary rainforest – El Yunque. For further information on the East region, click here.

  

Airport

Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (Airport Code: SJU)* is in the Metro region and is approximately 35 to 40 minutes from the resort. Check flight options accordingly. Note that ground travel times will vary pending time of day and traffic patterns between the airport in San Juan and the resort. Please plan accordingly. For a map, click Google Map. *Use Google Translator as required for this Website.

  

Ground Transportation

Visit the Ground Transportation page on the airport website. Here are a few options:

  • Uber operates in Puerto Rico. The estimated fee for one-way rides between SJU and the resort is $75 to $90 US. Advanced reservations with Uber are recommended.
  • The discounted self-parking fee at the resort is $15 / night plus 11 percent tax.
 

Dining Experiences

It is recommended that advanced reservations are made for restaurants at the resort and off-site.

    • Carabalí Bar & Grill                                     2.7 miles
    • Don Pepe                                                    1.9 miles
    • Richie's Restaurant                                    1.3 miles
    • Dos Panza Taqueria y Cantina                  1.8 miles
    • La Parrilla                                                   3.8 miles
    • Terruño                                                       4.8 miles
    • La Estación                                                 at El Conquistador
    • Café Bella Vista                                          at El Conquistador
For additional options in Puerto Rico, click here. For restaurant in the East region, click here.

 

Questions?

If you have any questions, please contact WASDA at [email protected] or 630.672.3670.