2017 RETA Breeze Nov-Dec

From the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

I am writing this column after another successful RETA National Conference. Our intention was to connect and educate great minds from across all levels in the refrigeration industry. This commitment was born from the thoughts and recommendations of the Conference Manager, Assistant Conference Manager, and the Conference Committee. Their message was to create a Conference for all of those in the profession – a Conference that would be more than an event – an experience intended to carry beyond 2017. We were inspired by the energy, dedication, and innovation we saw at the Conference. We collaborated, networked, and grew as an Association. The collective drive we witnessed holds us steadfast in our mission to enhance the professional development of industrial refrigeration operating and technical engineers. Over 1,000 participants took advantage of the offerings over four days. Corey Rosenbusch, President and CEO of Global Cold Chain Alliance (GCCA), energized the crowd with his opening keynote address. We’re eager to build off of the foundation that was laid at this year’s Conference and keep the momentum going. That’s why we’ve already begun planning for the 2018 National Conference to be held in Dallas, Texas, November 6-9. Next year’s Conference will once again bring together those in the industry for an experience that reflects what the future looks like: collaborative, innovative, educational, and constantly moving forward. It will be a Conference unlike any other – and we look forward to seeing you there. Updates and registration information will be posted on the RETA Events website: www.reta-events.com. As we wrap up Conference, the holidays are upon us once again and we all have so much to be thankful for. We have

our family, we have our jobs, we have food to eat and hopefully we have our health. Our family is what drives us to be the best that we can be, to be loved, to be cared about, and to comfort, console and cherish each other. We so often take this for granted and forget to tell

RETA Executive Director Jim Barron

each other how we feel. So, I ask each one of you to reach out to your family and tell them that they are loved, and that you care, and that you are thankful they are your family. We also have our RETA Family that I am personally so thankful for. I want to thank all of my RETA family for being RETA and for sharing in our RETA experiences such as Conference, education, and certification. I want to thank our Board of Directors for stepping up and taking on the responsibility in running this great Association. I would also like to thank our RETA staff for helping to make it all possible. Our jobs are so important to us. Our jobs allow us the luxuries of being able to purchase our homes, cars, and provide for our families. I am so thankful for our refrigeration industry that provides so many jobs to so many of us. Processors, educators, contractors, operators, technicians, managers, restaurants, chefs, engineers and manufacturers and so on. I was thankful for the opportunity to sit down at Thanksgiving dinner with my family knowing that our refrigeration industry has put safe food on everyone’s table. We are so blessed. So, after all that I wish y’all a very Merry Christmas. God Bless, ~ Jim Barron

6 RETA.com