The American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) is excited for the next generation of industry talent. So excited that the society developed ASPE Young Professionals (AYP), a special interest group designed for hopefuls looking to meet with peers to share experiences, exchange ideas about plumbing design, and network with other ASPE chapters. 

The focus of AYP is to help young engineering and design professionals in the plumbing world establish contacts and further the mission of the society, "the advancement of the science of plumbing engineering, to the professional growth and advancement of its members and the health, welfare and safety of the public."
Since its inception, the group has:

 

• Provided educational offerings for young engineers and designers
• Partnered with other associations
• Formed a liaison relationship with the national board of directors
• Engaged local members on the chapter level
• Developed new marketing materials
• Hosted social functions exclusively for young engineers 

Last year, AYP hosted networking events across the country, including at the 2014 ASPE Convention & Exposition in Chicago. The group also hosted its first professional development webinar for young professionals, which was well received. This year, AYP is expanding its role at the 2015 ASPE Technical Symposium taking place in St. Louis, Mo. In support of this increased presence, Plumbing Engineer is presenting a "Who's Who" of AYPs!

As you get to know the AYPs we are spotlighting, we also encourage you to either get involved yourself or find a young person who is up to the challenge. The AYP committee is looking for help in recruiting a volunteer from each ASPE chapter to be the AYP liaison. Liaisons will help the group with the goals set forth by its leaders. The ideal volunteer should meet the AYP criteria and be a current member of the society.

Liaison responsibilities include: reaching out to current members and potential engineers and designers; facilitating discussions about the industry as a young engineer, designer or affiliate; greeting and networking with AYP members at chapter functions ; targeting colleges in the area to inquire about starting an ASPE student chapter; and providing updates to the local chapter board on AYP activities. All inquiries can be directed to Pam Rosenberg at prosenberg@aspe.org or 224-217-9016.

Lindy Damato

Lindy Damato has been an ASPE member, on and off, for about 10 years in both New York City and San Francisco. Since relocating to San Francisco, Damato has found ASPE to be a good way to more quickly acquaint herself with the local plumbing community. While attending a meeting, she was asked for input regarding attracting younger engineers and eventually Damato parlayed that into becoming the AYP liaison for the San Francisco chapter. 

Damato is currently a senior associate at WSP, a global consulting firm, and was recently promoted to head of the Plumbing and Fire Protection Department in the San Francisco office.  On the design side, Damato mostly focuses on high-rise and what she calls "super tall" buildings. In addition, she also does mixed-use and high-end residential work. As department head, she is responsible for profits and losses, staff training, and quality control. 

"ASPE has been advantageous for many reasons. It is an opportunity to connect with new colleagues, learn from seasoned veterans, and mentor up-and-coming young members," Damato said. "It also gave me the chance to go to the expo, where I met many great engineers from around the U.S. These connections have led to speaking engagements, synergies in business opportunities, and genuine friends." 

Damato added, "I hope to continue to work with ASPE to open our chapter to a new generation and share our experiences." 

Mark Girgenti 

Mark Girgenti is the lead sales and design engineer at Burt Process Equipment. The company is an environmental process equipment manufacturing firm. Girgenti has spearheaded the design, integration, project management, and construction of water treatment equipment for wastewater, rain harvesting, gray water, and high purity water systems in the government, institutional, semiconductor, and pharmaceutical industries in the U.S. and abroad. 

Girgenti has been a member in good standing of the New York City ASPE chapter for over five years. Since joining ASPE, he has been active in the educational aspects of society. Girgenti has been a speaker at numerous ASPE green building and plumbing technical symposiums throughout North America, including the Boston Green Table Discussion; Chicago, Boston and Houston ASPE Symposiums; ASPE National Technical Symposium in 2011 and 2013; ASPE Expos in 2012 and 2014; and the 2013 ASPE Webinar Series. 

Girgenti was also a speaker at the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating (CIPH) 2014 Expo. He has written several journal articles on water treatment technologies, which were published in Plumbing Engineer, as well as served as a contributing author to the "Plumbing Engineering Design Handbook, Vol. 2." Girgenti  is currently a member of the AYP National Board as well as vice president of the ASPE National Research Foundation. In addition, he is a member of the ASPE Education Committee. 

"I always enjoyed ASPE as an institution dedicated to sharing ideas and innovations in the plumbing industry, and as place to meet my peers across the country," Girgenti said. "As a member of AYP since its inception, I am very impressed with the progress the group has made over the years in bringing a younger element into the plumbing industry."

Cory Powers

Cory Powers was first introduced to ASPE in 2008, and has been involved with ASPE on various levels ever since. Powers was previously president of the ASPE Wisconsin Chapter, and currently serves on the ASPE National Board as the AYP Chair. 

Powers is an engineer at HGA Architects & Engineers' Milwaukee office. HGA is a top 10 national health care design firm with other practices including corporate, arts, higher education and engineering infrastructure projects. He is a licensed Master Plumber in the State of Wisconsin and a CPD through ASPE. Getting involved with engineering project management is next on Powers' to-do list, as he is confident that the skills he has an will continue to learn through ASPE will serve him well.

“I think being involved with societies like ASPE promotes growth in our engineers from the technical side to the networking side," Powers said. "I’ve learned how to manage people, projects, and a budget, which is all critical to being a sound engineer.” 

Christopher Phillips

Christopher Phillips is the lead plumbing designer at Jacobs Global Buildings Division' s San Antonio, Texas and Austin, Texas offices. The division focuses on professional design and construction services, offering quality technical skill and diverse experience to plan, design, and execute an array of architecture projects.

Phillips has been a member of the ASPE Central Texas Chapter since 2008. He served on the Central Texas board as vice president of Membership from 2009-2013, and currently serves as president, a role he took on in 2013. As a part of the Central Texas board, Phillips has won four Awards of Merit, three Membership Retention Awards, two Membership Growth Awards, and one Director’s Award. Also, in 2014, Phillips began serving on the National Education Committee. 

"The educational opportunities within ASPE have certainly been instrumental in my career development, and the networking has been priceless," Phillips said. "Being an active member on the Central Texas board has really helped to put my name out there and make me a well-known professional in the industry. My involvement coupled with my CPD and GPD credentials have opened many doors for me, including terrific job offers, higher salaries, and involvement in code review sub-committees for the City of San Antonio. I am extremely grateful to be a part of this society, and that I have a tremendous organization like Jacobs supporting me in my endeavors." 

Find AYPs at the 2015 ASPE Technical Symposium!

AYP Leadership Conference / Thursday, October 1, 7:30am-5:00pm

Join ASPE Young Professionals for the inaugural AYP Leadership Conference. Participate in this exclusive training to gain an edge in your career while hearing from industry peers who once were in your shoes. 

• 7:15a.m. - Check-in begins
• 7:45–8:45a.m. - Breakfast with ASPE’s Board of Directors
• 9:15–10:30a.m. - “Leadership” by J. Joe Scott II, CPD, LEED AP, FASPE
• 10:45a.m.–12:00p.m. - “Ethics for Plumbing Engineers and Designers” by Mark Tanner, CPD
• 12:00–1:15 p.m. - Lunch
• 1:30–2:45 p.m. - “Being a Young Professional” by Cory Powers, CPD
• 3:00–4:15 p.m. - “Project Management for the Young Professional” by Peter Kraut, PE

The exclusive full-day training is only open to ASPE members 35 years and younger attending the symposium. Breakfast and lunch are included. The conference awards 0.6 CEUs for attending in addition to the invaluable resources and tools to take back to the workplace. 

AYP Networking Social / Saturday, October 3, 6:30pm-8:30pm
 
ASPE’s St. Louis Chapter is inviting ASPE young professionals to attend this exciting event at the Flying Saucer Draught Emporium. Attendees will have the chance to enjoy a chain of spacious taprooms serving hundreds of different varieties of beer! 

Pre-registration is required to attend the event.