Exhibitors and attendees alike noted the excitement on the show floor as well as the ample opportunities for networking and education that took place during the show.

The energy and enthusiasm experienced at the 2016 ASPE Convention & Exposition reinforced the show's reputation as the premier professional development event in the plumbing system design industry. More than 4,000 engineers, designers, contractors, wholesalers and others gathered in Phoenix to network with each other and the 305 companies displaying new products.

On Oct. 30, attendees were welcomed with a high-spirited party at the Corona Ranch & Rodeo Grounds to eat, dance and network. The Expo kicked off on Oct. 31 with a keynote address by Steve Garvey, Los Angeles Dodgers baseball legend, National League MVP, and Future MLB Hall of Famer.

The two-day ASPE Expo is designed specifically to help plumbing system design professionals engage face-to-face with manufacturers and learn about the latest water- and energy-saving products. With no selling allowed during the Expo, attendees can earn continuing education units (CEUs) for their time on the show floor. This year, with the addition of the Social Media Lounge, show floor tours, and the New Product Innovation Showcase, attendees were offered even more chances to connect with exhibitors and their products.  

ASPE's Expo offered manufacturers the chance to increase visibility of their products among contractors and wholesalers. One exhibitor, Steve Schmitt, vice president of sales & marketing for GT Water Products Inc., noted, "The 2016 ASPE Expo was a phenomenal success. I hired two new sales agencies, was able to meet with six of my existing agencies, demonstrated my products to some top-quality contractors, and met with several plumbing wholesalers who had not seen our products. Great show!"

Attendees also had numerous opportunities to enhance their technical skills and network with others during the extensive technical education program, which offered 25 professional development sessions focusing on entry-level design, hot topics, codes, and advanced design, as well as the business of plumbing engineering. The program provided industry professionals at all career levels the chance to learn new skills or refresh their design repertoire.

The show concluded with the ASPE Banquet, where the 2016–2018 ASPE board of directors was installed, the 2016 class of ASPE's Kenneth G. Wentink College of Fellows was inducted, and top industry professionals and companies were acknowledged with awards recognizing their service to the plumbing system design industry.

"The 2016 ASPE Convention & Exposition has drawn to a close, and there was so much to take away from the experience," says Andrew Hemmelgarn, CPD, the ASPE Young Professionals Liaison for the Southwestern Ohio Chapter. "From walking the show floor to meeting design professionals from across the country, the amount of knowledge available in one city was simply astounding."

The 2016 ASPE Convention & Exposition would not have been possible without the generous support of sponsors: Viega Group, Copper Development Association Inc., Moen, Zurn Engineered Water Solutions, A. O. Smith Corporation, Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company, ICC-ES, Patterson Pump Company, ASSE International, IAPMO Group, SyncroFlo, Watts Water Technologies Inc., T&S Brass & Bronze Works, Bradford White, Harsco Industrial Patterson-Kelley, IPEX, and HOLDRITE.

ASPE's Convention & Exposition is held biennially, and the next event will be held in Atlanta on Sept. 28 – Oct. 3, 2018. Click here for more information about the ASPE Convention & Exposition.