AWPA e-Newsletter: May 2026

2026 AWPA Annual Meeting

We'd like to extend a huge Thank You to the over 277 attendees and guests who made our 122nd Annual Meeting such a success. Participants, speakers, meeting arrangments volunteers--everyone worked so hard to make sure that all enjoyed their time in Asheville, and were provided with excellent technical discussions. You can still visit the meeting webpage for a view of all the different sessions, and the proceedings will be published, including the technical papers, as a formal record of the meeting.

A special thanks goes out to our Annual Meeting sponsor companies-they helped to ensure we had afternoon snacks, a lovely Women of AWPA Luncheon, and well-attended receptions, with gorgeous mountain views where all were able to catch up over a beverage and snacks.

Michelle and I are already looking forward to the 123rd Annual Meeting, and we'd welcome your thoughts and feedback as we prepare. We did send out a brief survey, but please also feel free to share your thoughts with us directly at email@awpa.com.

Thank you all again,

Nicole

2026/2027 General Election Results

Thank you to the members who participated in the recent general election ballot conducted by Association Elections, which closed on April 3, 2026.

The Officers and Executive Committee Members for 2026/2027 are as follows:

-President: David Jones

-1st Vice President: Bill Buczek

-2nd Vice President: Grant Kirker

-3rd Vice President: Kyle Cassidy

-Past President: Paul Merrick

-Three-Year Term Executive Committee Members: Chris Barber, Kevin Brown, Connor Burke, Min Chen, Doug Herdman, Beth Stokes

-Treasurer: Jonathan Moyes

-Executive Vice President and Secretary: Nicole Butler

The Nominating Committee for 2026 (nominating for the 2027/2028 elections) are as follows:

-Chair: Kevin Archer

-Senior Vice Chair: Andy Kudick

-Junior Vice Chair: Vacant

-Members: Lili Cai, Stacey Carr, Alaina Clark, Todd Greer, Jeff Thomas, Mia Vertudez

Current Standards Activity

All 2025 promulgated revisions and reaffirmations are published in the 2026 AWPA Book of Standards. Registration for the Fall meeting will open in late May or early June. For more information and to review the public listing of all submitted proposals, visit the Standards Activity Page on our website.

Note: The deadline for Fall 2026 Standardization Proposals is June 30, 2026, and the Fall Technical Committee Meetings will take place September 13-17, 2026 in Orlando, Florida.

STANDARDS SCHEDULED FOR AUTOMATIC WITHDRAWAL

All AWPA Preservative/Protectant standards must be reaffirmed within five years of the latest adoption or reaffirmation year. The following AWPA “P” standards will be automatically withdrawn if not reaffirmed this year: P20, P52, P53, P58, P48, P49, P50. Note that reaffirmation of “P” standards requires submission of performance data – please consult Guidance Document I for additional information.

All other classes of standards must be revised or, if no revisions are needed, reaffirmed within five years of the latest adoption, revision, or reaffirmation year. The following standards will be automatically withdrawn if not revised or reaffirmed this year: A9, A17, A40, A49, A64, A65, M1, M13, M20, M24, E4, E5, E7, E8, E9, E13, E17, E20, E24, E25, E26, E27, E29, E34, E35

2026 AWPA Book of Standards

The 2026 Book of Standards was released on April 27, 2026!

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.

Digital Access:

We are thrilled to announce we are partnering with a new digital media company to provide access to a beautifully designed digital streaming version of the 2026 Book Of Standards. Stop by the Annual Meeting registration desk for a peek at how the new platform looks and performs. For a limited time after launch, the digital version will be available for the same price as the print version. We are excited for this new partnership, and look forward to talking about it more in Asheville!

Introducing Get More Brain: The Modern Way to Engage with AWPA Standards — Built for how, when and where users access standards. Whether you're on the plant floor, at a treatment facility, or inspecting in a remote location, AWPA's new digital platform partnership puts easy and intuitive access to the Book of Standards at your fingertips.

✅ Instant search and cross-referencing — find chemical names, use categories, and retention requirements in seconds

✅ Active tables — digitized tables let you look up specifications without flipping through pages

✅ Mobile-first design — access standards from your phone or tablet, whether in the office or on-site

✅ Always current and Easy to Read— Avoid version confusion or difficulty with searches on the production floor or in the field

✅ Collaboration tools — instant messenger, content sharing and other features

Get More Brain consolidates everything into a single, intelligent solution designed for how you actually work.

New AWPA Members

Congratulations and a Warm Welcome to AWPA's Newest Members:

Brian Stroud, GeoForce Utility Technologies

Mike Baughman, Smart Green Utility Pole/ Alliance Pole Supply & Transportation

Angie Schewe, Valudor Products, LLC

Upcoming AWPA Meetings

Summer 2026 Executive Committee Meeting

August 6, 2026

Madison, Wisconsin, hosted by Forest Products Laboratory

SAVE THE DATE:

2026 Technical Committee Meeting

Orlando, Florida / September 13-17, 2026