121st Annual Meeting

March 30 to April 3, 2025

Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country

Santa Rosa, California, USA

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Join us for AWPA's 121st Annual Meeting taking place in stunning Santa Rosa, California March 30-April 3, 2025.

AWPA is pleased to announce the meeting will be at the lovely Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country. This impressive hotel is in a gorgeous location with easy access to hundreds of wineries and it’s just off of Historic Railroad Square, a charming downtown area with museums, fine dining, and shopping. This is a unique location for wine lovers, those looking for a local craft beer, a great cup of coffee, or a chance to enjoy some Charlie Brown-style whimsy.

AWPA Meeting Registration

Meeting registration Available Now!

Downloadable Registration Form

Early Registration: Until February 14, 2025 (Members $750, Non-members $1050)

Pre-Registration: February 15 to March 11, 2025 (Members $800, Non-members $1100)

On-site registration: March 30-April 2, 2025 (Members $850, Non-members $1150)

Hotel Reservations

The meeting will take place at the Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country at 170 Railroad Street in Santa Rosa, California.

The deadline for hotel reservations at the group rate of USD $199 plus tax is March 7, 2025. For online reservations, please click the link below or you may call 800-233-1234 to reserve by telephone. 

*Room Reservations Open*

Getting to Santa Rosa

Skip the Bay Area traffic and fly into Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport, served by most major US airlines and located 8 miles/12 minutes from the hotel.

San Francisco International Airport and Oakland International Airport are both 65 miles and approx. 1 hour and 20 min away.

Car rentals are available at all airports. The hotel is offering discounted self-parking for AWPA guests for $9 per night. Valet parking is also available for $30 per night.

Sonoma County also offers some wonderful advice for reaching our destination: How to Get to Sonoma County - Sonoma County Tourism

 

Spouse/Guest Registration

Each person accompanying a registered attendee (a spouse or any guests) must be registered to attend the receptions. A badge is required for entry to all AWPA events. There are two options for spouse/guest registration:

1. A Receptions/Hospitality option. This is for those who only wish to take part in the social events at the hotel.

2. A Tour and Receptions/Hospitality option. In addition to attending receptions, we are really excited about this year's guest outing--It begins with a private tour of the Charles Schulz Museum for a glimpse into the innocence, joy, and history of Charlie Brown, Lucy and Snoopy. This will be followed by a private tour of the Korbel Winery with a delightful picnic lunch and a bubbly wine sample to enjoy. This is designed to be a relaxed tour--a chance to enjoy the local scenery and catch up with friends. Meet in the hotel lobby at 10:00 am!

The 2025 Hacker's Classic Golf Tournament

The AWPA Golf Committee is very excited to present the Santa Rosa Golf & Country Club as this year’s location for the Hacker’s Classic.  Santa Rosa Golf & Country Club is one of the most beautiful private golf courses in northern California. Hackers will enjoy an immaculately groomed and challenging 18-hole golf course in a beautiful park-like setting.  Your registration fee will include access to practice range, 18 holes of golf with cart, lunch, and golf polo.

Thank you to our 2025 Golf Sponsors thus far:

Koppers Performance Chemicals
Nisus
Arxada
Koppers Carbon Materials & Chemicals

Osmose
Viance

Copper Care Wood Preservatives
Genics
Intec
Kop-Coat
Louisiana-Pacific Corporation
Southern Pine Inspection Bureau
Stella-Jones

Pickler's Prance 5K Fun Run/Walk

The 2025 Pickler’s Prance 5K Fun Run/Walk is a great way to start the day! The run/walk provides a great opportunity to appreciate the valley views and purple mountains majesty of gorgeous Sonoma Valley, California.
**The Pickler's Prance is free of charge, but if you feel like walk/running for a good cause, California Firefighters would welcome your donation through the California Fire Foundation: https://cpf.salsalabs.org/cff-donation/index.html Should you choose to donate, please let us know (email@awpa.com) so we can keep a tally of the money raised. The deadline for registration is March 11.

Display Table Add-on

Would you like a table to display your company's literature, samples, or a tabletop exhibit? If so, please register for the Display Table Add-on which includes a six-foot table, two chairs, and a standard 120 volt outlet. The tables will be arranged in the same area as the coffee breaks for maximum exposure to meeting attendees. We will also be offering an option for a half table which offers enough space for a stand alone poster and other small items. Please reach out to us with any questions. There is limited space available so please register early for table space--the deadline will be March 11 or when space has run out.

Annual Meeting Sponsors

If you are interested in an opportunity to sponsor this can't miss event, we invite you to become a corporate sponsor.  We are happy to share our list of sponsors in all of our meeting collateral, and dispay your logos at our events.  Without all of you, this wouldn't be the premium event that it is.  Please reach out to us to discuss Annual Meeting Corporate Sponsor opportunities: email@awpa.com. Our informational flyer is here:
Sponsorship Flyer

Thank you to our 2025 Annual Meeting Sponsors thus far:

Arxada
Koppers
Viance
Allweather Wood

Nisus
Rain Carbon

Kop-Coat
Lanxess
Osmose

Student Travel Fellowship Fund Contributions

Each year, AWPA is able to pay travel costs for several students to attend the meeting and present their current research. Some of these students have been hired by organizations in the industry after graduation. Please help support our students by contributing to the Student Travel Fellowship Fund. You can contact us at +1-205-733-4077 to request an invoice, or you can contribute during the registration process. Organizations and individuals who have contributed to the 2025 Scholarship Fund thus far are:

Craig McIntyre
Beth Stokes
Steve Bryant
Tom Kyzer
Stacey Carr

Colin McCown
Will Cox
Gord Gilmet
Brian Stults
Greg Traczek
Paul Merrick
Matt Anderson
Rodrigo Besnier
Grady Brafford
Nicole Butler
Mark Clark
Goksen Elkas
Jim Healey
Scott Hoffman

John Hussa
Steve Quarles
Navnit Upadhyay

David Wiliams
Larry Lang
Michelle Ciardi
Ken Grace
  

(list will be updated as new donations are received)

Things to See and Do in Sonoma

The official websites of the Sonoma Valley and Sonoma County Visitors Bureau have so much information on all there is to see and do while in town. Visit their sites now to begin planning your trip:

Visit Sonoma Valley

Visit Sonoma County

 

121st Annual Meeting Schedule of Events

Meeting General Chair: Min Chen

General Vice Chair: Glenn Larkin

Program Chair: Paul Merrick

Please Note this is all TENTATIVE and will be updated as it solidifies!

Click here for abstracts (they will be posted as they are received)

Sunday, March 30, 2025

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm - Executive Committee Meeting

Monday, March 31, 2025

7:00 am - Hacker's Classic Golf Tournament

8:00 am - Pickler's Prance 5k Fun Run/Walk Meet in the Hotel Lobby
1:00 pm to 5:00 pm - Registration Desk Open

1:00 pm to 3:00 pm - RTA R&D Meeting

3:00 pm to 5:00 pm - Treated Wood Council Meeting

10:00 am to 11:30 pm - Barrier Protection Task Group

12:30 pm to 2:00 pm - P-9 Thermally Modified Wood Task Group

2:00 pm to 4:00 pm - ANSI ASC O5 (tent.)

4:00 pm to 5:00 pm - AWPA Utility User's Group (tent.)

5:30 pm to 6:00 pm - New Member Reception (by invitation only)

6:00 pm to 8:00 pm - President's Welcome Reception

Tuesday, April 1, 2025

8:00 am to 4:00 pm - Registration Desk Open

8:00 am to 5:00 pm - Exhibitors in the Ballroom Pre-Function Area

8:30 am to 10:00 am - Combined Opening Session and Business Session

10:00 am to 2:00 pm - Spouse/Guest Tour (for those registered for the tour option) Meet in the hotel lobby

10:00 am to 10:15 am - Break

10:15 to 11:45 am Keynote Speakers: John Gross, President of John E. Gross Consulting, Inc. and Tim Strelitz, President of CMX Metals - Copper (Title TBD)

11:45 am to 1:30 pm - Lunch (on your own)

12:00 pm – 1:30 pmWomen of AWPA Luncheon

1:30 pm to 2:30 pm - Colley/Hartford Memorial Lecture: Ryan Pessah, Western Wood Preservers Institute - Government Basics and Advocacy Impacting our Industry

2:30 pm to 2:45 pm - Break

2:45 pm - 5:00 pm - Research Symposium

Tentative List of Speakers and Titles:

  • Matthew Burge, BYK USA - Zeta Potential for Pigment Wetting & Dispersing
  • Alaina Ingram, ICC Evaluation Service - The ICC Code Development Process: A Brief Overview
  • Kevin Ragon, Mississippi State University - Effects of Simulated Checks and Splits on Yellow Pine Fence Post Strength and Stiffness

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

8:00 am to 4:00 pm - Registration Desk Open

8:00 am to 5:00 pm - Exhibitors in the Grand Ballroom Pre-Function Area

8:30 am to 10:30 am Wood Protection That Delivers: There are always recent or pressing matters that are relevant to the AWPA and larger wood protection industry. This symposium is intended to provide a forum to highlight and share these matters with AWPA membership.

Tentative List of Speakers and Titles:

  • Richard George, Postsaver Europe - The Effectiveness and Impact of Barrier Protection Systems
  • Jeffrey Morrell and Gerald Presley, Oregon State University - Treatability of tanoak (Neolithocarpus densiflorus) (working title)
  • Samuel Barton, Mississippi State University - Fungal Resistance of Citric Acid Crosslinked Chitosan-Treated Wood
  • Abigail Laisa, Mississippi State University - Investigation of Carrier System and Leaching Rate of Guayule Resin as a Natural Wood Preservative
  • Patti Metro, National Rural Electric Cooperatives Association - Trends in Wood Utility Products and Grid Improvements to Address Wildfires


10:30 am to 12:00 pm Burning Issues in Wood Protection: Forrest Gump may have said "fire and wood go together like peas and carrots" and today's reality is that wildfire is an ever-present hazard to wood structures where people choose to live in or near undeveloped places. This is particularly true in California and western North America.

This symposium will focus on the relationship between wood and fire. There will be presentations on how wood burns, how wood structures are tested for resistance to fire, fire prevention (regulations), and fire retardants.

Tentative List of Speakers and Titles:

  • Brian Stults, Flameproof Companies - Commercially Available Flame Retardants (working title)
  • Aynun Farhabi, University of Idaho - In-situ Biomineralization of Metal Phytates in Wood for Improved Bio-durability and Flame Retardancy
  • Shekaib Adab, Genics - Pole Wraps as a Response to Wildfires (working title)
  • Mark Clark, Hexion - Title TBD
  • Bill Abbott, Copper Care Wood Preservatives - A Brief History of Barrier Wraps Used In Decay, Animal, Fire and Corrosion Protection
  • Greg Dupuis, Intertek - Efficacy Testing of Flame Retardants for Wood (working title)
  • Steve Quarles, UC Berkeley Cooperative Extension Advisor Emeritus - Title TBD

12:00 pm to 1:30 pm - Lunch (on your own)

1:30 pm to 3:00 pm Residential Wood Protection: Building a Home for All: This symposium will provide a information on wood biodeterioration of residential structures, its implications in a changing climate, and current protection best practices.

Tentative List of Speakers and Titles:

  • Paul Armstrong, American Wood Council - The Current State of the WUI Code and How FRTW Fits (working title)
  • Jeff Lloyd, Nisus - Topical Applications to Prevent Termites; Pest Control and CLT (working title)
  • Mike Toth, BYK USA - Surface Protection & Enhancement Options for Wood Substrates (i.e. for Mass Timber & Cross Laminated Timber)
  • Bradia Henfield, Mississippi State University - Biological Durability of Hardwood Cross-Laminated Timber
  • Gerald Presley, Oregon State University - The Heat is On: Thermally Modified Wood Cross- Laminated Timber for Residential Structures (working title)


3:00 pm to 4:30 pm Wood as a Green Material: From Sea to Shining Tree: The wood protection industry has an imperative to protect the environment as well as wood. This symposium is intended to address environmental impacts, consequences, regulations and responsibilities, innovations, and solutions relevant to wood protection.

Tentative List of Speakers and Titles:

  • Kyle Cassidy, Stella-Jones - Title TBD
  • Butch Bernhardt, Western Wood Preservers Institute - Changing Opinions on Treated Wood, One Garden Box at a Time
  • Tom Panella, Michigan Technological University - Evaluating Decay Resistance of Domestic Replacements for an Endangered Rainforest Timber Species

4:30 pm to 5:00 pmJeff Miller, Treated Wood Council - Navigating New Agendas: Government Initiatives Impacting the Treated Wood Industry

6:00 pm to 8:00 pm - Closing Reception

Thursday, April 3, 2025

Nothing scheduled at this time.

 

AWPA
2430 U.S. Highway 27, Suite 330-223
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