CALENDAR
2011-2012
VMA NEWS
OCTOBER
26-27
Valve Basics Seminar
& Exhibition
Rosemont (Chicago), IL
www.vma.org
NOVEMBER
1-3
The Chem Show
New York
www.chemshow.com
VMA Membership Continues to Grow in 2011
Since our last new member update in the summer issue of Valve Magazine, three more companies
have been added to the VMA roster, bringing the total for new members this year to 11.
Hemiwedge Valve, a division of Chromatic Industries, Inc., is located in Conroe, TX. The
company makes cartridge valves for the refining, mining, power, pipeline and petrochemical
industries. Learn about the company at www.hemiwedge.com.
Victaulic, based in Easton, PA, specializes in grooved and plain-end mechanical pipe joining
systems. For additional information, go to www.victaulic.com.
A. W. Chesterton Company of Groveland, MA is VMA’s newest associate member. The
company specializes in valve and pump packing, mechanical seals, polymer seals, epoxy coatings
and maintenance lubrications. Find out more at www.chesterton.com.
DECEMBER
13-15
POWER-GEN
International
Las Vegas
www.power-gen.com
Plans Underway for Online ‘Basics’ Training Tool
JANUARY
16-17
Valve Industry
Leadership Forum*
Sarasota, FL
www.vma.org
23-25
AHR (Air Conditioning,
Heating, Refrigeration)
Exposition
Chicago
www.ahrexpo.com
MARCH
6-7
VMA Valve Basics
Seminar & Exhibition
Houston
www.vma.org
8-9
VMA Technical Seminar
& Exhibition
Houston
www.vma.org
APRIL
18–20
VMA Manufacturers
Workshop & Tour*
Houston
www.vma.org
26-27
VMA Finance Leaders
Seminar*
Arlington, VA
www.vma.org
*These meetings are open only to
VMA/VRC members. For more
information, go to VMA.org >
Events.
By spring of 2012, there will be a new addition to the
Valve Ed family—an online, self-conducted training
program. While VMA’s highly successful Valves &
Actuators 101 programs will continue to be held at a
rate of two per year, many individuals in need of training
aren’t able to travel to an out-of-town location for
budgetary reasons, or don’t have the time to be out of
the office or plant for 2 days.
“We’ve known all along that to reach the maximum
number of people, we would need to provide alternate methods
of delivering our training program,” said Greg Johnson,
president of United Valve and chairman of VMA’s Education & Training program.
“Now that our Valves & Actuators 101 course content has been fine-tuned, the time has come
for us to take the next step.”
Judy Tibbs, VMA director of education, explains how the online program will work: “The
course will be divided into seven different modules, similar to the seven lessons that make up the
current course. Those who wish to sign up for the course will first pay a fee in The VMA Store,
then be given a code that allows them to enter a special website. Next, an audio narrative will
guide students through each slide in the lesson. At the end of each lesson, participants will take
a short quiz; once the questions have been answered correctly, access will be granted to the next
lesson, until all seven lessons have been completed.”
Once the student has successfully completed the program, a certificate of completion and
continuing education units will be awarded by the Valve Manufacturers Association.
The online course is expected to launch in the second quarter of 2012.
Meanwhile, VMA will continue holding the Valve Basics Seminar & Exhibits, which includes
the Valves & Actuators 101 course, valve petting zoo and a tabletop exhibition. The 2012
events will take place in Houston, March 6-7, at the Hilton Houston NASA Clear Lake, and
Oct. 10-11 in the Denver area.
VMA also offers an onsite training program—Valve Basics in a Box—which supplies all the
materials needed for someone knowledgeable in the valve industry to use for training a group of
individuals at a company’s plant or facility. A slimmed-down version of this program, Valve
Basics in a Manual—designed for an individual that wishes to independently review and learn
the course content—will be offered by early 2012.
We asked Greg Johnson what else VMA has in store for its Valve Ed program: “We’re
looking at adding some ‘201’-level short courses. Right now the plan is to offer an optional
seminar following the one-and-a-half day 101 course.”
All VMA products can be purchased in The VMA Store on VMA.org. For additional
information, contact Judy Tibbs at jtibbs@vma.org.
