494 Preparing for AWT 2026: Leadership, Change, and CWT Growth with Matt Coffindaffer, Part 2
Scaling UP! H2O
A strong convention outcome starts before the first session and continues long after the exhibit hall closes. Association of Water Technologies Executive Director Matt Coffindaffer explains how deliberate preparation, wider professional relationships, and volunteer service can turn AWT 2026 into practical value for an industrial water treatment career or business. Find the Right Place to Volunteer AWT offers yearlong committee service, shorter task-force assignments, and opportunities across technical research, marketing, membership, regulatory affairs, business resources, young...
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493 Preparing for AWT 2026: Leadership, Change, and CWT Growth with Matt Coffindaffer, Part 1
Scaling UP! H2O
Strong professional associations do more than provide programs and credentials. They create an environment where members can exchange knowledge, build trusted relationships, and prepare their businesses for what comes next. As the Association of Water Technologies enters a new operational chapter, Executive Director explains how AWT is strengthening that environment without losing the culture that makes it distinctive. From the Arts to Association Leadership Before entering association management, Matt built a career behind the scenes in theater. His...
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492 AI for Water Treaters: A Thought Partner, Not a Replacement
Scaling UP! H2O
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491 Environmental Microbiology and Legionella: Managing Building Water Risks with Dr. Rajiv Sahay
Scaling UP! H2O
Reliable Legionella results begin long before a sample reaches the laboratory. of explains how building conditions, field collection practices, and laboratory methods influence the quality—and usefulness—of the data water professionals receive. Building Water Conditions Shape the Risk Modern buildings rely heavily on controlled mechanical systems, yet water can remain an overlooked part of the indoor environment. Stagnation, low flow, dead legs, temperature, pH, disinfectant residuals, corrosion, and accumulated organic material can all influence biofilm development and microbial...
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490 From Plans to Prevention: Water Management Insights with Dr. Abe Cullom
Scaling UP! H2O
A water management plan protects people only when the facility uses it to guide decisions. Dr. Abe Cullom, Director of Water Safety & Management at Pace Analytical, joins Trace Blackmore, CWT, to examine why Legionella programs break down—and how testing, communication, and consistent implementation can strengthen them. Implementation Is the Bottleneck Five decades after Legionella was identified, researchers understand much more about the organism, its ecology, the conditions that support its growth, and the interventions available to control it. However, Dr....
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489 Copper-Silver Ionization Technology and Legionella Control with Tory Schira
Scaling UP! H2O
Copper-silver ionization offers building operators a persistent approach to Legionella control—one designed to carry an active disinfectant residual throughout complex plumbing infrastructure. LiquiTech CEO Tory Schira explains how the technology works, what operating data matters, and why successful implementation requires more than installing equipment. How Copper-Silver Ionization Works Copper and silver ions are introduced through a flow chamber containing sacrificial electrodes. A controlled electrical charge releases the positively...
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488 Managing Legionella with confidence: A Conversation with Patsy Root
Scaling UP! H2O
“Our goal is not zero Legionella pneumophila bacteria. Our goal is zero cases.” – Patsy Root Legionella risk becomes harder to manage when building teams treat every detection as equivalent—or collect samples without first deciding what a positive result will trigger. , Senior Manager of Government Affairs at , explains how a clear water management program can replace uncertainty with defined responsibilities, routine monitoring, and proportionate action. Focus Testing on the Organism of Concern Patsy distinguishes between the broader...
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487 The 60‑Minute CFO: Tracy Bech on Making Business Finance Less Scary
Scaling UP! H2O
“Our gross profit margin is truly the battle we have to win in order to win all of the downstream wars.” - Tracy Bech Financial statements become useful when leaders can translate the numbers into decisions. , founder and author of , explains how business owners, managers, salespeople, and field professionals can develop financial fluency without becoming accountants. Turn Financial Data into a Meaningful Scorecard Tracy teaches finance through stories and relationships rather than isolated numbers. Revenue alone does not reveal whether a company is...
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486 Meter Optimization: Air in the water with Anthony Giudice
Scaling UP! H2O
Water meters register the volume passing through them, but what happens when that volume contains both water and entrained air? Anthony Giudice, president of AquaFlow, explains how turbulent flow can influence meter readings and how AquaFlow’s calibrated valve is designed to help meters reflect what he describes as true water consumption. Why Flow Conditions Matter at the Meter Anthony connects entrained air to the pressure required to move municipal water and the turbulence created as water travels through piping, changes...
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485 Questions from the Nation Around the World with Trace Blackmore, CWT
Scaling UP! H2O
Ten questions from water professionals around the world become a practical decision-making session with Trace Blackmore, CWT. Drawing on earlier Scaling UP! H2O conversations, Trace explains how to evaluate treatment changes, use emerging tools responsibly, begin water reuse projects, strengthen teams, and continue growing professionally. Evaluate the Entire System A proposed treatment change should be evaluated by more than its purchase price. When comparing chlorine dioxide with traditional chlorine, Trace recommends examining biocide consumption, chemical storage,...
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Boiler performance rarely depends on a single decision. It depends on design, controls, maintenance, workforce capability, and, as this conversation makes clear, the quality of water treatment. Scott Lynch and Shaunica Jayson explain how American Boiler Manufacturers Association (ABMA) is addressing those realities by connecting manufacturers, representatives, suppliers, and field stakeholders around education and practical guidance.
Why ABMA still matters in a changing boiler market
ABMA has been in place since 1888, but this discussion is not about preserving old structures for their own sake. Scott and Shaunica describe an association that has expanded beyond traditional manufacturer membership into a broader supply-chain view of the boiler room. That includes boiler, burner, deaerator, and economizer manufacturers, component suppliers, service providers, consultants, and manufacturer representatives.
That broader view matters because boiler performance does not begin and end with the vessel itself. Decisions made across installation, controls, service, and water treatment shape efficiency, reliability, and long-term asset life.
Education that reaches the people actually running boiler rooms
A strong theme throughout the conversation is education. ABMA is reaching beyond its own meetings to speak with healthcare engineers, food processors, facility engineers, and other sectors that rely on boilers every day. Scott outlines the practical angle of that work: what operators should be doing on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis to keep boiler rooms safe and efficient.
Shaunica adds that ABMA is building toward a larger resource center, on-demand materials, and expanded access to white papers and best-practice guidance. They also discuss partnerships with trade schools and Maritime Academies as part of a larger workforce strategy. For water professionals, that matters because better-informed boiler operators create better conditions for treatment programs to succeed.
Water treatment is not a side issue
One of the clearest takeaways is that water treatment remains central to boiler performance. ABMA’s work with the Association of Water Technologies is helping align deaeration and chemical treatment perspectives into a single, co-branded guidance document. That effort is meant to reduce finger-pointing, improve technical clarity, and give end users a more unified message.
Scott is direct about the operational stakes: poor water treatment drives scaling, damages equipment, and undermines efficiency. The discussion also pushes back on outdated assumptions about boiler rooms, highlighting gains in efficiency, modern controls, remote monitoring, retrofit options, and emerging technologies such as hydrogen, dual-fuel, and hybrid systems.
Boiler systems may be longstanding infrastructure, but the thinking around them cannot stay static. Listen to the full conversation above. Explore related episodes below. Stay engaged, keep learning, and continue scaling up your knowledge!
Timestamps
01:18 - Trace introduces ABMA, explains its relevance to water treaters, and previews the upcoming ABMA Expo
03:11 - Trace gives a concise history of boilers, from early steam vessels to modern high-efficiency systems
07:36 - Scott Lynch and Shaunica Jayson join the show and introduce themselves and their roles at ABMA
08:18 - Scott explains how ABMA has evolved from a manufacturer-focused association into a broader industry organization spanning the full boiler supply chain
10:27 - Shaunica outlines ABMA’s four membership categories, including manufacturers, associate members, consultants, and manufacturer reps
33:18 - The discussion shifts to the ABMA–AWT partnership and the co-branded water treatment guideline
34:58 - Scott explains why deaeration and water treatment need to be addressed together to produce useful technical guidance
36:31 - Shaunica shares what ABMA learned from attending the AWT conference and why the partnership helps reduce finger-pointing between disciplines
38:19 - The conversation moves to Boiler Expo, including why ABMA launched it and how it is designed to serve the full boiler community
40:49 - Shaunica explains the co-location with the Biomass Conference & Expo and highlights ABMA’s BUILT and WIBI communities
45:18 - Scott and Shaunica close with their key takeaways: the boiler industry is evolving, and ABMA is a resource for the field
53:50 - Words of Water with James
Connect with Shaunica Jayson
Email: Shaunica@abma.com
Website: American Boiler Manufacturers Association (ABMA)
LinkedIn: Shaunica Jayson | LinkedIn
Connect with Scott Lynch
Email: scott@abma.com
Website: American Boiler Manufacturers Association (ABMA)
LinkedIn: Scott Lynch, CAE | LinkedIn
Quotes
“Our official mission is to lead, advance and provide solutions to the boiler industry.”
“Our vision is boilers are recognized for advancing energy sustainability and powering people's lives.”
“The boiler industry continues to evolve and innovate.”
“We love our members. We love our operators. We love our water treaters.”
Guest Resources Mentioned
The Association of Facilities Engineering (AFE)
The ABMA Boiler Expo Registration
ABMA – Free Boiler Maintenance Schedule
ABMA Boiler Expo 2026 Pre Conference (Boiler Water Treatment Workshops)
ABMA - Boiler Industry Leaders of Tomorrow (BILT)
Women in the Boiler Industry (WIBI) Professional Community
Scaling UP! H2O Resources Mentioned
AWT (Association of Water Technologies)
Scaling UP! H2O Academy video courses
Words of Water with James McDonald
Today's definition is a salt solution, generally sodium chloride, used during the regeneration process in ion exchange. Can you guess the word?
2026 Events for Water Professionals
Check out our Scaling UP! H2O Events Calendar where we’ve listed every event Water Treaters should be aware of by clicking HERE.
