AWPA e-Newsletter: November 2025
Current Standards Activity
During the AWPA Fall Technical Committee Meetings all submitted proposals were considered for letter ballot. Letter ballots were issued to Technical Committees in October 2025, and closed in early November. All voting is being conducted through the Standards Development Platform (member login required). Ballots for all committees closed, with negative votes received on 2 out of 31 proposed ballot items. Negative votes with comments related to the proposal are subject to the Negative Resolution process and Recirculation Ballots (as required) with the one recirculation ballot in T-7 closing on November 21st. The AWPA Executive Committee will perform a procedural and legal review thereafter, taking final action to ratify proposals at their January 2026 meeting.
Membership Renewals
The 2026 AWPA membership renewal period is now open.
2026 Regular membership dues are $310, but if you renew your membership by January 15, 2026, an early Renewal Discount of $50 will be applied at checkout. You may log into the AWPA Member Portal to renew online. Once you're logged in to your personal (not company) profile, you will see a bell with a red circle near the top right corner. Move your mouse over this icon and click the Renew Membership option to start the renewal process. If you prefer to renew by fax or mail, please let us know and we will be glad to send you a printable invoice.
If you're not currently an AWPA member, please consider applying for membership. For more information visit the "Why should I join AWPA?" page on our website.
2026 Sponsorship Opportunities
In addition to membership dues and publication sales, AWPA relies heavily upon voluntary contributions from organizations that support AWPA's mission and goals. Through our Organizational Sponsorship Program, AWPA recognizes its sponsors at meetings, on the website, in publications, and in other printed materials. If your organization is an AWPA Sponsor in 2025, your organization's sponsorship contact person will have already received a renewal notice by email. If your organization did not receive a renewal notice, please let us know and we will send you one. Sponsorships may also be purchased in the AWPA web store. If you are not currently a sponsor and you're able to support AWPA financially, please visit the "become a sponsor" web page.
2025 AWPA Book of Standards
The 2025 AWPA Book of Standards is available for purchase!
As a non-profit standards development organization, the proceeds from Book of Standards sales provide much-needed funding for our standards development process. Every treating plant, laboratory, specifier, and inspector should have a current edition on-hand, so please be sure to purchase updated copies each year to ensure you are following the most up-to-date standards and to help AWPA cover the cost of standards development. Congratulations to Jacob McBrayer (Koppers) for providing the winning cover photo of Yellowstone National Park! The new 2025 edition is available in two versions:
A 698-page printed book which may be purchased online at the AWPA Store, or by mail or fax.
A searchable online version which requires a paid subscription for access. Single-user and multi-user subscriptions are available for purchase through the AWPA store subscription page. After purchase, standards may be accessed online through the AWPA Standards Library.
Nominations: AWPA Award of Merit
AWPA Award of Merit: The deadline for nominations for the 2026 Award of Merit is December 1, 2025. Please consult the Award of Merit Policy and submit your nomination of a worthy individual to AWPA.
Call for Papers: 2026 Annual Meeting
We are thrilled to announce the 2026 AWPA Annual Meeting will be held in the North Carolina mountains in artsy and gorgeous Asheville from April 26-30, 2026! Asheville is the very heartbeat of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It will entrance you with mixture of genres, and a hybrid of styles. Our meeting will be right in the heart of downtown-steps from shopping, dining and drinks, but still just a short hop from the calming mountains and beautiful Biltmore estate. The very first Cradle of Forestry in America can be found here, and it is a perfect opportunity to visit the roots of the very work that makes AWPA so special.
The AWPA Annual Meeting arrangements committee is putting together an excellent technical program and if you would like to present a paper during one of the many Technical Sessions, please submit a working title and a list of authors as soon as possible. Contact AWPA if you have any questions or need additional information. There will be scheduled sessions related to Artificial Intelligence, Treated Wood Resiliency, Current Innovations, and Quality Control.
Registration will open in early January 2026 and full location details will be shared soon!!
Student Spotlight
AWPA is a proud supporter of the up-and-coming members of our industry, and would like to introduce you to some emerging members of the workforce:
Ighoyivwi (Igho) Onakpoma: Igho recently earned a PhD in Wood Science from Oregon State University, where his research explored the chemical characterization of forest residues and the potential application of hyperspectral imaging for evaluating wood properties. His work focused on understanding how environmental factors such as site and altitude influence wood properties, with broader implications for sustainable forest resource utilization and product performance.
During his studies, Igho worked on multiple projects examining how advanced analytical techniques can improve the efficiency and value recovery of forest materials. His research contributes to ongoing efforts to optimize the use of renewable resources and support a more sustainable wood products industry.
Beyond his academic work, Igho has a growing interest in applying scientific insights to industrial innovation, particularly in quality improvement, engineered wood production and protection, and resource optimization. He looks forward to continuing his career in the wood products sector, bridging research and manufacturing to promote sustainable, high-quality materials for the future.
You can reach Igho via Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ighoyivwi-igho-onakpoma-0551a9196/
If there is a student or recent graduate you would like us to spotlight in our newsletter, please reach out: email@awpa.com, it would be helpful if they have a Linked-In profile we could include.
New AWPA Members
If you are not currently a member of AWPA, please consider joining!
Upcoming AWPA Meetings
Winter 2026 Executive Committee Meeting
January 21, 2026
Bartow, Florida, Hosted by ProWood
2026 AWPA Annual Meeting
Embassy Suites/Doubletree in the Heart of Downtown
Asheville, North Carolina / April 26-30, 2026
Spring 2026 Executive Committee Meeting
April 26, 2026
Asheville, North Carolina
SAVE THE DATE:
2026 Technical Committee Meeting
Orlando, Florida / September 13-17, 2026