LOS ANGELES, CA — Picture a sprawling American city seeing dramatic growth. The local port is booming, turning the town into a center for national and international trade. Oil wells and oil refineries are offering good-paying jobs. The growing film industry has made it the capitol of the entertainment world, drawing people from across the nation to pursue their dreams.

That was Los Angeles in 1926, a booming economic hub that had grown from some half a million residents in 1916 to 1.27 million. But that growth came with growing pains, particularly in the city’s plumbing: substandard products and materials, poor stormwater management, overworked wastewater systems, insufficient backflow and cross-contamination control, and, most critically, inadequate, inconsistent, and in some areas non-existent plumbing codes.

The Birth of IAPMO

On May 17, 1926, the organization that would later become IAPMO, the Los Angeles City Plumbing Inspectors Association (LACPIA), was officially formed by 39 plumbing inspectors who came together in response to Los Angelenos becoming ill and dying due to poor plumbing practices.

One of the principal organizers of that first meeting was Stephen Smoot, who would go on to lead IAPMO’s during its formative years, guiding the organization into a respected force for plumbing safety. A former journeyman plumber, plumbing contractor and ultimately Chief Plumbing Inspector for the City of Los Angeles, Smoot served as IAPMO’s secretary or secretary-treasurer for 29 years and president in its 30th year.

Smoot shaped the association’s growth through his leadership, education efforts and prolific writing, producing every edition of the Plumbing Inspectors Review from 1929 to 1957.

A Century Celebration

100 years later, and the association has gone worldwide, offering codes, testing services, educational opportunities, and advocating tirelessly for both the industry and for plumbing and sanitation best practices.

Members gathered in Los Angeles—where it all began—at the Universal Sheraton Hotel. Jeremy Stettler, Coordinator/Inspector, Davis School District, Clearfield, Utah, and Brian Hamner, Senior Plumbing Inspector, city of Des Moines, Iowa, were re-elected President and Vice President, respectively. 

Carlos Flores, Division Manager of Plumbing Inspections for the city of Houston, was appointed Secretary/Treasurer. David Gordon, Senior Plumbing Inspector for the City and County of San Francisco; Armando Pulido, Senior Plumbing Inspector for the City of Los Angeles; S.J. Peters, Executive Director of the Plumbing Contractors Association (PCA) of Greater Chicago; and Samuel Santos, Inspector for the city of Houston, were elected as Directors.

In his opening remarks Settler talked about how the organization has developed. “This centennial celebration has been an especially powerful reminder of just how strong this organization is because of what we have built together,” Stettler said. “I want to thank all those who came before us. Their dedication and hard work gave us the strong foundation we have today, and it is our responsibility to build on that foundation and continue moving IAPMO forward.”

Preston Riehl, CEO of the A&J Training Trust, served as conference host and Laura Ceja, UA National Recruitment and Outreach coordinator, served as conference chair.

In her welcome to the members, Ceja talked about the impact IAPMO had had on her life, recounting her arrival in Los Angeles more than 30 years ago as an 18-year-old, and her journey first as a plumber with Local 761 and then as a plumbing inspector. “It took me more than 30 years to get from there to here,” Ceja said, “and I am proud to be on board for part of this historic 100-year journey.”

The State of IAPMO

Dave Viola, IAPMO CEO, spoke on the state of the association, reflecting on its history and the dramatic growth it has undergone. (For more perspective from Viola, read our exclusive interview in this month’s Forum starting on pg. 18 – Ed.) Viola called 2026, “A centennial year of unprecedented strength,” with $111.2 million in projected revenue. 

He cited some of the drivers of association’s growth, including a new New Jersey laboratory, SCB systems certification, international labs, and the continued success of IAMPO Electrical Gas and Sanitation (ESG), delivering testing, listing, and certification for electrical products.

Viola also celebrated the influx of new members, with membership up 49% since the end of the COVID pandemic. 

Turning to new business, Viola announced a corporate restructuring (pending membership approval) for IAPMO that would reduce complexity and consolidate various business entities such UES, ESG, R&T and R&T Labs into a new, more streamlined organization. (ASSE, ARCSA, IWSH and international legal entities would remain unaffected.) 

Viola concluded saying that while we live in uncertain times, the organization has faced uncertainly before; the association now reaches more than one-third of the world’s population through the services it offers and has a bright future to look forward to. 

Keynote Speaker

Judeline Cassidy, Founder of Tools & Tiaras gave the keynote speech at the conference. She shared her story of growing up in Trinadad & Tobago in extreme poverty, but with a love of solving problems, and how that passion led her to the trades, and eventually to opportunities as a plumber in New York City—where she became the first female plumber of Staten Island Local 371. 

Cassidy faced challenges as an immigrant, and as a woman in the trades, but she kept showing up on the job site and kept striving to perfect her craft. She gave thanks to the industry professionals she met along her journey who both drove her to excellence and offered her opportunities. 

In a spirt of “paying it forward” for all the success she had found in the trades, she founded Tools & Tiaras to engage young women to explore the trades and discover the good wages and rewarding careers they can offer. Then Cassidy encouraged the assembled members to pay it forward themselves. 

“You have the power to change someone’s life for the better,” Cassidy said, “and that person can go on the change the industry, or even the world.” 

10 Years of IWSH – IAPMO Gives Back

The second day of the conference concluded with a presentation from Robyn Fischer, Senior Director, North America for the International Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (IWSH) Foundation, IAPMO’s charitable arm. 

2026 marks not only 100 years of IAPMO, but 10 years of IWSH. The Foundation began as an outgrowth of the World Skills competition, where competitors would take what they had learned competing into the wider world to make a difference in people’s lives.  

IWSH rapidly moved beyond the competition model, with projects in India, Nepal, South Africa, Indonesia, the Navajo Nation (US), Alabama (US), the Philippines, Australia, France, Canada, and for IAPMO’s 100th Anniversary, back to where it all began in Los Angeles, CA. 

“The Los Angeles Mission project demonstrates what makes IWSH so unique—the ability to bring the plumbing industry together to use its skills, products, and resources to make a meaningful difference in people’s lives,” said Robyn Fischer. 

The LA Mission serves more than 1,000 people a day with meals, showers and safe water. Many of the people it serves are facing not only poverty and homelessness, but addictions, mental health disorders, and abusive relationships. 

The Mission had not seen serious renovations in decades. UA Locals 78, 230, 398, 484, 582 and 761, with support from SoCal Pipe Trades District Council 16 all donated their time and labor, while manufacturers and suppliers including Kohler, Acorn, LIXIL, Winsupply of LA, Milwaukee Tool, Moen, Symmons, Delta, Caleffi, Sloan, Neoperl, BrassCraft and IRS Demo donated materials and products to make the project a success.

Awards and Presentations

The conference was also time to recognize IAPMO members for their extraordinary work and service. 

IWSH Award: Mike Gordon, UA Director of Canadian Training; Alanna Marklund, UA Canada Special Representative for Youth, Diversity and Indigenous Relations; and Junitha Kgatla, a founding member of WASSUP—the Water and Sanitation Services Upgrade Program—in Diepsloot township, outside Johannesburg, South Africa (posthumously)

Policymaker of the Year: Jess Kramer, Assistant Administrator for the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water

American Flag Award: Jay Chase, Retired President, Muir-Chase Plumbing Co.

President’s Green Oval: Robert “Wayne” Lord, UA Local 68 Business Manager

Joseph Kneidinger Sustainability Professional of the Year: Markus Lenger, CleanBlu Inc. Founder and CEO

Bruce Pfeiffer Committee Member of the Year: Travis Christensen, Senior Building Inspector for Salt Lake City’s Department of Community & Neighborhoods

Government Person of the Year: Osama Younan, LADBS General Manager and Superintendent of Building

George Kauffman Lifetime Achievement Award: Jordan Krahenbuhl, PHCC of Nevada Executive Director

IAPMO Fellows: Dave Bishop, Keith Bonenfant, Ed Bowman, Andy Davie, Fernando Fernandez, Tom McCarthy, Kenneth McCorkle, David Nizborski, Dan Rademacher, Dave Svoboda, Kevin Tindall and Bill Venable

World Plumbing Council Excellence Award: Pete DeMarco, former Executive Vice President of Continuous Improvement

Winners of the 17th IWSH Scholarship Essay Competition: First prize was awarded to Abdallah Mohamed Abd El Hady Hamed, Sharkya STEM School, Egypt; and the three runners-up were Ofentse Percy Mohloke, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Spencer Deprez, University of Alberta, Canada; and Latifat Oyiza Nasiru, Bayero University, Nigeria.