119th Annual Meeting
April 3-5, 2023 at the Loews Ventana Canyon Hotel in Tucson, Arizona USA
Join us in scenic Tucson, Arizona for AWPA's 119th Annual Meeting at the Loews Ventana Canyon Hotel, located in the foothills of the Santa Catalina mountains. Foodies rejoice! Tucson is one of 50 places designated as a City of Gastronomy in the world, and one of only two in the United States. There's so much to see and do in this unique area - we can't wait to see you there!
AWPA Meeting Registration
On-site registration is available now through April 5, both online and at the AWPA desk in Tucson.
Early Registration: Until February 24, 2023 (Members $645, Non-members $915)
Pre-Registration: February 25 to March 17, 2023 (Members $720, Non-members $990)
On-site registration: April 2-5, 2023 (Members $795, Non-members $1065)
Click here to download a printable registration form
Getting to Tucson
Tucson International Airport is served by all major US airlines and the hotel is located 19 miles from the airport. Rental cars are available at the airport and at the hotel. The hotel offers complimentary self-parking for AWPA guests, and valet parking is available for a nightly charge.
Hotel Reservations
The meeting will take place at the Loews Ventana Canyon Hotel at 7000 North Resort Drive in Tucson, Arizona. The deadline for hotel reservations at the group rate of USD $239 plus tax was March 17, 2023., but rooms may still be available at the hotel's regular rates. For online reservations, please click the link below or you may call 800-234-5117 to reserve by telephone.
CLICK HERE FOR HOTEL RESERVATIONS
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. This includes the receptions, but also includes a fun and exciting tour of Rooster Cogburn's Ostrich Farm, an off-road adventure around Picacho Peak, lunch by a James Beard award-winning chef, and a behind-the-scenes tour of Biosphere 2.
The 2023 Hacker's Classic Golf Tournament
Tucson is a golfer's dream, and this year's Hacker's Classic will be on the award-winning Mountain Course at the Ventana Canyon Golf Club, most recently receiving the 2021 Golf Digest Editors' Choice Award. This course was designed by Tom Fazio and is one of Arizona's top resort courses. The 6,902-yard, par-72 course boasts the most photographed hole west of the Mississippi: #3, a 107-yard par 3 that plays across a plunging ravine to a granite-encased green. Click here for an overview of the course.
Pickler's Prance 5K Fun Run/Walk
The 2023 Pickler’s Prance 5K Fun Run/Walk is a great way to start the day! The run/walk provides breathtaking views of the flora and fauna of the desert landscape. The deadline for registration was March 17.
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. The deadline to register for a display table was March 17.
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 2023 Scholarship Fund thus far are (arranged by amount of contribution, highest to lowest):
Michael Von Pinnon
Hexion, Inc
Jim Healey
Craig McIntyre
Chris Birchfield
Gord Gilmet
Tom Kyzer
Paul Mather
Greg Traczek
Navnit Upadhyay
Brian Stults
Bill Abbott
Matt Anderson
Kyle Cassidy
Mark Clark
Will Cox
Shane Kitchens
Kim Klatt
Paul Merrick
Tim Rushenberg
Juliet Tang
Dave Webb
Ken Edscorn
Stacey McKinney
Ken Grace
(list will be updated as new donations are received)
Things to See and Do in Tucson
The official website of the Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau has so much information on all there is to see and do while in town. Visit their site now to begin planning your trip:
119th Annual Meeting Schedule of Events
Meeting General Chair: Gerald Presley
General Vice Chair: Jeff Morrell
Program Chair: Andy Kudick
Sunday, April 2, 2023
1:00 pm to 5:00 pm - Executive Committee Meeting Executive Boardroom
Monday, April 3, 2023
7:00 am - Hacker's Classic Golf Tournament Meet in the staging area below the Flying V Restaurant
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 Tortolita Room in the Grand BAllroom Foyer
1:00 pm to 2:30 pm - Railway Tie Association R&D Committee Meeting Salon J - Catalina Ballroom
3:00 pm to 5:00 pm - Task Group Meetings Salon J - Catalina Ballroom
- 3:00 pm to 3:30 pm - P-5 Standard Reference Materials Task Group
- 3:30 pm to 4:00 pm - T-7 Standard M22 Task Group
- 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm - P-5 Standard A21 Precision & Bias Task Group
3:00 pm to 5:30 pm - Treated Wood Council Government Affairs Meeting (TWC members only, please) Salon L - Catalina Ballroom
5:30 pm to 6:00 pm - New Member Reception (by invitation only) Bill's Grill
6:00 pm to 10:00 pm - President's Welcome Reception/Dinner Bill's Grill
Tuesday, April 4, 2023
8:00 am to 4:00 pm - Registration Desk Open Tortolita Room in the Grand Ballroom Foyer
8:00 am to 10:30 am - Combined Opening Session and Business Session Grand Ballroom
- Welcome and recognition of sponsors and guests
- Keynote Address: Copper: More Than Just a Red Metal. Dr. J. Brent Hiskey, Professor Emeritus of Mining and Geological Engineering, University of Arizona
- Golf and 5K Run/Walk Results
- Presentation of the 2023 AWPA Award of Merit to Bob Baeppler
- Protectant General Committee Report: Grant Kirker, USDA Forest Products Laboratory
- Treatments General Committee Report: Bill Buczek, UFP Industries
- Vice President's Address: Andy Kudick, Intec Services
- President's Address: Kevin Archer, Viance
- Business Session
8:45 am to 4:00 pm - Spouse/Guest Tour (for those registered for the tour option) Meet at the hotel lobby entrance to board motorcoach for tours and lunch.
10:30 am to 10:45 am - Break Grand Ballroom Foyer
10:45 am to 12:00 noon - Technical Session 1: Education and Student Fellowship Presentations Grand Ballroom
Session Coordinator: Allison DeFord, North American Forest Foundation (Contribute here!)
Click here to view abstracts
- The Secret to Creating a Healthier Future—For the Next Generation, Our Industry, and Planet. Allison DeFord, North American Forest Foundation
- Expanding the Market for Timber Industrial Mats Manufactured from Hardwood Cross-Laminated Timber. Mercy Ogunruku, Mississippi State University
- Antifungal Properties and Fire Resistance of Phytic Acid Treated Wood. Liang Liang, University of Idaho
- Development of Preservative-Treated Cross-Laminated Timber: Effects of Panel Layup and Thickness on Bonding Performance. Franklin Quin, Mississippi State University
12:00 noon to 1:30 pm - Lunch (on your own)
1:30 pm to 3:15 pm - Technical Session 2: Colley/Hartford Memorial Lecture and Research Symposium Grand Ballroom
Session Coordinator: Beth Stokes, Mississippi State University
Click here to view abstracts
- The 2023 Colley/Hartford Memorial Lecture will be presented by Laura Hasburgh of the USDA Forest Products Laboratory. The title of the Lecture is, "Fire Protection Research at the Forest Products Laboratory"
Research Symposium Presentations are as follows:
- Assessment of Incipient Decay in Wood Structures. Tamara França, Mississippi State University
- Machine Vision for Determining Penetration with Fluorescent Surrogates. Andy Zahora, Viance
- Developing Quality Control Methodologies for Thermally Modified Wood that Predict Performance. Gerald Presley, Oregon State University
- Utility Pole Assessment. Fred França, Mississippi State University
- Performance of SmartFume Internal Remedial Treatment in Douglas-fir Utility Poles. Gerald Presley, Oregon State University
- Efficacy of a Non-pressure Wood Protection System in an Above Ground Protected Field Test. Mark Mankowski, USDA Forest Products Laboratory
3:15 pm to 3:30 pm - Break Grand Ballroom Foyer
3:30 pm to 5:10 pm - Technical Session 3: Environmental and Regulatory Considerations Grand Ballroom
Session Coordinator: Amy Bauer, EHS Support
Click here to view abstracts
- Get Out From Underneath the Spreadsheets! Let's Streamline EHS Management, Digitize EHS Processes, and Build Customized Collaborative EHS Apps. Justin Vanderpool, EHS Support
- Environmental Justice Concepts and Recent Developments. Nick Skoulis, Creosote Council
- Coated and Treated Pilings Mitigate Contamination Concerns from Wood Structures in a Gulf Coast Estuary. Beth Stokes, Mississippi State University
- Product Stewardship Efforts to Assess Risk of DCOI Oil-Type Preservative Uses. Heath Huschak, Koppers, Inc
- Regulatory Aspects Affecting Reuse of Used Treated Timber. Jeff Keller, Western Wood Preservers Institute
Wednesday, April 5, 2023
8:00 am to 4:00 pm - Registration Desk Open Tortolita Room in the Grand Ballroom Foyer
8:00 am to 10:00 am - Technical Session 4: Treated Wood Disposal and Reuse Grand Ballroom
Session Coordinator: Jeff Morrell, National Centre for Timber Durability and Design Life - University of the Sunshine Coast
Click here to view abstracts
- Treated Wood: Reuse/Recycling in a Circular Economy. Jeff Morrell, University of the Sunshine Coast
- Disposal of Copper Nap Treated Materials. Ken Laughlin, Nisus Corporation
- Biochar's Role in Farming and Soil Health. Stephen Smith, Stephen Smith Consulting
- Treated Wood Recycling & Disposal. Curtis Schopp, National Salvage and Service Corporation
- Keeping Wood Greenest - Considerations for End-of-Life Planning. Jeff Lloyd, Nisus Corporation
10:00 am to 10:15 am - Break Grand Ballroom Foyer
10:15 am to 12:00 noon - Technical Session 5: Public Utility Issues Grand Ballroom
Session Coordinator: Andy Kudick, Intec Services
Click here to view abstracts
- Effectiveness of Inspection Techniques in Identifying Conditions Requiring Remediation of In-Service Thick Sapwood Species Utility Poles Located in Eastern, Midwestern, and Southeastern United States. Robert Batchelor, Osmose Utilities Services
- Addressing Public Utility Specifications. Norman Sedillo, Public Service New Mexico
- Maximizing Service Life of Utility Poles. Tim Carey, Carey Timber Protection Consulting LLC
- Fumigant-Based Temporary Reservoir vs Diffusible Borate-Based Expandable Reservoir Strategy for Utility Pole Remediation in Dry Climatic Zones. Brian Flynn, Southern California Edison
- Advantages and Disadvantages of Wood and Steel Utility Poles. Mike Woodward, Arizona Public Service
12:00 noon to 1:30 pm - Lunch (on your own)
1:30 pm to 3:30 pm - Technical Session 6: New and Emerging Wood Treatments and Coatings Grand Ballroom
Session Coordinator: Geoff Webb, National Hardwood Lumber Association
Click here to view abstracts
- Stabilized Copper Ethanolamine Solutions with Improved Penetration and Anti-Leaching Capabilities. Min Chen, Arxada
- Surface Treatments, an Overview. Geoff Webb, National Hardwood Lumber Association
- The Rechargeable Pole Wrap - Update. Bill Abbott, Copper Care Wood Preservatives
- Performance of DCOI Against Decay Fungi in Three Different Solvent Systems: AWPA E10 Soil Bottle Decay Test. Gerald Presley, Oregon State University
- Durability Improvement of Wood Strand-Based Products. Mostafa Mohammadabadi, Mississippi State University
- Field Performance of Thermally Modified Wood in a Severe Test Site. Grant Kirker, USDA Forest Products Laboratory
3:30 pm to 3:45 pm - Break Grand Ballroom Foyer
3:45 pm to 5:00 pm - Technical Session 7: Preservative Performance Grand Ballroom
Session Coordinator: Gerald Presley, Oregon State University
Click here to view abstracts
- Effect of Biodiesel Containing Solvents on the Performance of Copper Naphthenate and Pentachlorophenol: E7 Stake Test 88-Month Assessment. Gerald Presley, Oregon State University
- WITHDRAWN - Durability of Boron Treated Test Structures in Mississippi Part 1: Termite Resistance and Boron Retention. Brianna Duquette, Mississippi State University
- Development of Artificial Intelligence to Monitor Water Ingress into Wood Treated with Coatings and Preservatives: A Focus on Creosote. Kevin Ragon, Mississippi State University
- Dual Boron Rod/Creosote Treatment: Boron Distribution After Prolonged Field Exposure. Mark Mankowski, USDA Forest Products Laboratory
6:00 pm to 10:00 pm - Closing Reception/Dinner Bill's Grill
Thursday, April 6, 2023
No events scheduled for Thursday.