Establishing the Irrigation Association as a resource for regulators, continuing to professionalize the industry and enhancing the value of IA membership are among priorities of candidates for the board of directors and executive committee.
HARCO Fittings President Mike Harrington is nominated to the executive committee of the IA board of directors. Valmont Irrigation Vice President Jim Brown; The Toro Co. Vice President and General Manager of Irrigation Business, Phil Burkart; and Smith Turf and Irrigation Co. Virginia General Manager Chris Keating are nominated as directors. New board members take office at the 27th International Irrigation Show.
Harrington, who is completing a three-year board term, wants to make the IA a positive resource for policymakers. Harrington earned a degree in civil engineering from Virginia Tech in 1972. He worked in the construction industry before joining HARCO in 1977.
Brown, who serves on the Irrigation Association Government Affairs Committee, said he wants to continue to work to make federal and state lawmakers aware of the benefits of irrigation and the water-saving advances in irrigation technology. Brown has been in the irrigation industry since 1977. His started at Valmont in 1988 and was appointed vice president, North American sales, in 2005.
Burkart wants to continue the strategic planning and strong leadership provided by the IA board in recent years in terms of professionalizing irrigation contracting and providing leadership in water management. He has been with Toro for 21 years.
Keating, who was an irrigation contractor for 15 years, wants to enhance the value of IA membership. He serves on the IA Membership Committee. He is past president of the Irrigation Association of New Jersey and a founder of the Virginia Irrigation Association.
Mike Clark, of Johnson Associates Consulting Inc., will join the board for a year as the Certification Board representative. Clark, CID, CIC, CLIA, CGIA, served on the Certification Board since 1996 and became chairman in 2005. Clark has been in the industry for 26 years with a background including design build and construction, irrigation services, sales, specification and consulting.
Continuing board members are John Roberts, who becomes president Nov. 6; Doug York, president-elect; Stephen Smith, vice president; Ken Mills, past-president; Jeff Carowitz; Bob Dobson; Mike Grundvig; Mark Huntley; Reid Nelson, and Ed Underhill. Retiring board members are Mark Hewitt, Karen Moore and Rick Parod.