HISTORY OF THE DALLAS/FT. WORTH ASPE CHAPTER

Originally Complied by:      Richard Ellis, CET, CPD, FASPE – Chapter Historian 2000-2002

Expanded and Edited by:    James Vertz, CET, FASPE – Chapter Historian, 2024

Building on over four decades of leadership, education, and service, the Dallas/Ft. Worth Chapter of the American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) is an integral part of the plumbing industry in Texas and the nation as a whole.

Before 1968, Dallas/Ft. Worth members of ASPE had been assigned to the “Member-At-Large” category.  In 1971 these members decided it was time to create a Dallas/Ft. Worth (DFW) chapter of ASPE.  The first pre-organization meeting was held November 2, 1971 at the Cibola Inn in Arlington, Texas with 44 persons in attendance.  Don Dickerson from the California ASPE chapter spoke on forming a new chapter.  Immediately after the meeting a steering committee was organized to begin the formation of a local ASPE chapter.  After several committee and organizational meetings the Interim Board of Directors were elected consisting of:

On June 27, 1972, the chapter was officially chartered by then National ASPE President, Mr. Ed Saltzberg officiating with 50 persons in attendance.  The Dallas/Ft. Worth chapter became the second chapter in Texas and the twelfth in the Society.

Original Charter Members

Richard Ellis, CET                  James L. Balliet, CET            Ruebin E. Harle            Jarrett Michael

Mickey Hearne                       Ernest G. Michael                  Eugene G. Dickens       Robert J. Kinkel

Bill F. Helena, P.E.                  Claude Cheatheam               A. Roy Whitelock           Edwin D. Pair

Lewis E. Crow                        Joseph C. Griffith                   George T. Sullivan        Cecil S. Johnston

Ellis K. Chadick                      Robert L. Hinshaw                 A.W. Hiller II                  Charlie J. Hall

Paul E. Chaney, P.E.              John A. Ray                           Boyd T. Keith                 Eugene Riordan

Benjamin B. Floyd                  Daniel T. Hancock                 Erven Rovinsky             Len Williams

Jerry Echols                           George Daunis                      Henry F. Wood               William E. Walker

Gordon S. Dailey                    Eugene W. Hall                     Jesse E. Whitaker         John Whitham

Arthur R. Hundley                   Harvey H. Guice                   Fred B. Deere                Jerry M. Barker

Dick Watkins                           James Stroud                         

Local decisions and activities kept the DFW chapter busy during these first eventful years.  Under then chapter president Richard Ellis, CPD, FASPE, the chapter christened the monthly newsletter, “ASPE NEWS” and began teaching the Plumbing Design Course on February 6, 1973 at El Centro College in Dallas.  The course was also given at the Dallas County Community College in Dallas and at the Northeast campus of Tarrant County Junior College in Ft. Worth.  Richard represented the chapter at the society’s 1972 Bi-annual meeting in Atlanta, Georgia.

The first elected Dallas/Ft. Worth Board of Directors were:

The 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, brought the DFW chapter significant growth in the areas of membership, scope, reputation, participation in Region 3 and later in Region 5 after the Society increased the number of regions.  Past Presidents have garnered awards of excellence, membership awards, and education awards as evidenced by the abundance of awards plaques and certificates in the DFW library.  

In September 1975, the Dallas/Ft. Worth chapter took the “bull by the horns” and decided to pull the Plumbing Design Course away from the Junior College District and start teaching the course at TD Industries Training Center in Dallas.  The course followed the same class schedule of a one-semester course (16 sixteen weeks, two hours per week for 32 hours) as was at the Junior College.  In 1997, Julius (Bud) Miller, CET was able to rewrite the 16 week course down to three eight hour sessions on consecutive days.  In 1998, Richard Ellis and Bud Miller decided to offer the Basic Plumbing Design I Course consisting of 24 hours on three consecutive Saturdays.  The Basic Plumbing Design I Course was modified again by Larry Bartlett and Michael Danielson and is currently offered over a two-day period.  A Basic Plumbing Design II Course and Advanced Plumbing Design Courses were added by Larry Bartlett and Michael Danielson to the DFW chapter’s education program.  On June 1, 1979 the chapter hosted the Region 3 meeting held at the Airport Marina Hotel.

In October 1981 the DFW chapter hosted its’ first Region 5 Seminar at the Dallas Anatole Hotel.

During chapter years 1990-1992, under the able leadership of President James Vertz, CET, FASPE, the chapter began holding lunch time technical meetings in both Dallas and Ft. Worth on the 4^th Tuesday and the 4^th Wednesday of each month.  This change was in response to a continued reduction in attendance at the once a month evening meetings in Arlington, Texas.  This successful format of two meetings per month continues to this day.

In 1996 the DFW chapter under then chapter President James Vertz, CET, FASPE, and ASPE local Lubbock member Parry Hatfield, preparation began in Lubbock, Texas with support from local ASPE members to form a satellite chapter.  The Lubbock ASPE membership began holding monthly meetings arranging their own technical speakers.  These meetings, with support from Kevin Willis and Nancy Walker as chapter presidents, continued for several years until the meeting schedule overwhelmed the local membership.  

In 2002 the DFW chapter was the guest host chapter for the Bi-Annual ASPE Convention and Plumbing Product Expo held in Ft. Worth, Texas with James Vertz, CET, FASPE serving as DFW chapter Host Chairman and Richard Ellis, CPE, FASPE serving as Co-Host Chairman.  The chapter received two awards, one for chapter growth of 10% or more (11.65%) for Region 5 and one for overall chapter growth from all regions.  In June 2002 the chapter also received a commemorative patch for their banner celebrating their 30 year anniversary. 

During the term of Kelvin Kennedy, CPD, GPD, C.D., FASPE, the chapter continued to experience more than 10 percent in membership growth.  Kelvin was instrumental in establishing the Chapter’s “Sponsorship Program”, which offered manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, and engineering firms the opportunity to participate in various chapter activities while supporting the chapter financially.  The program has gone through many updates over the years and is still in place today.  The chapter has shared this program format with other chapters in the Region and throughout the ASPE chapter network.  Kelvin’s administration saw the formation of the Tulsa, Oklahoma satellite chapter, the creation of the Dallas/Ft. Worth website, and the end to direct mailed ASPE Newsletters.

In 2007 Bryan Hutton, CPD was elected President and went on to serve for four years during which in spite of a depressed economy, saw a growth in chapter membership and an increase in the chapters’ financial status due largely in part to the ongoing Sponsorship Program.   

In 2010 under the direction of James Vertz, CET, FASPE, Lubbock Ambassador, the DFW chapter wanting to offer the advantages of local technical programing for the ASPE membership in the area, began supporting the renewed meeting effort by arranging programs, speakers, meeting venues, and keeping all members and guests aware of these meetings.  Technical programs averaging four to five per year continue to this day.  Each year one of the technical ASPE meetings is shared with the local American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) chapter.  At the 2010 Bi-annual ASPE convention in Philadelphia, Richard Ellis was elected into the Kenneth G. Wentink College of Fellows. 

In 2011 Larry Bartlett was elected President of the chapter and was the first design-build contractor to serve as President.  Larry served for four years during which the chapter observed its’ 40^th anniversary and dedicated its’ scholarship fund in the name of the late Richard Ellis. Larry’s administration saw the formation of the Oklahoma City, Oklahoma satellite chapter. The chapter’s website, DFWASPE.org, was revamped due to the hard work of Vice President, Technical Gwynne Morrison, CPD, LEED AP.

In 2014 Gwynne Morrison, CPD, LEED AP was elected President and continued to support various ASPE sponsored activities including a night out at the Rangers ballpark and horse racing at Lone Star Park all to fund the Richard Ellis Scholarship.  Gwynne served the chapter holding various board positions for eleven years which two were as the chapters President.  James Vertz and Kelvin Kennedy were elected into the Kenneth G. Wentink College of Fellows at the 2014 Bi-annual ASPE convention in Chicago.

In 2017 Luke Martin President, began a complete rebuilding of the chapter’s website in conjunction with Renn Burling, Corresponding Secretary.  The website was outsourced to provide a more interactive document for all members.  In 2017 the chapter hosted the Region 5 Presidents’ meeting followed by a night at Rangers ballpark.

In 2018 James Walls was elected as chapter President.  His administration began with the Lubbock ASPE membership officially submitted a request for formal satellite chapter status which culminated in official recognition on November 15, 2018 with the formal signing of the chapter’s charter as the Lubbock High Plains Satellite Chapter.  Present to conduct the charter ceremony were ASPE Executive Director/CEO, Mr. Billy Smith; ASPE President, Ms. Carol Johnson; ASPE Director of Membership and Meetings, Ms. Stacy Kidd; and ASPE Region 5 Director, Mr. Bryan Hutton.

The first Lubbock High Plains Satellite Chapter Board of Directors were:

·         Doyle Fanning, EIT, President/Vice President Legislative

·         Carl Wampler, PE, Vice President Technical/Vice President Membership

·         Robert Gutierrez, Treasurer/Secretary.

James continued to expand the chapter’s operation in conjunction with the chapter Treasurer, Debbie Miller in load shifting selected items of the chapters bookkeeping to an outside source as the numerous chapter activities were taxing the position of Treasurer.  Under James’s leadership he increased the sponsorship program participation while adding value at each level.  He continued his chairmanship of the spring and fall golf outings which are well attend each year.  The chapter held its first election of board officers in the history of the chapter through electronic voting due to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic limiting group participation.  Eric Juarez the chapters’ webmaster coordinated the election and technical meetings through the use of the Zoom format.

In 2020 now under the leadership of Mitchell Burnaugh, the chapter continued chapter meetings through the use of the webinar-based meeting format.  During the COVID-19 pandemic most if not all engineering firms were closed with engineers and designers working from home.  All ASPE activities such as golf outings, product show, and the clay shoot were cancelled.  The DFW ASPE Board of Directors continued to hold monthly meetings through the web and focused on providing technical programing for all ASPE members each month.  In 2021, the chapter once again held the election of officers through the Zoom format with Eric Juarez coordinating.

2021 Saw the chapter move away from the chapter treasurer managing the chapter’s day-to-day financial business to the use of an outside consultant.  The chapters email listing was also converted into a more manageable format through the use of StarChapter which allows emails to be sent to only DFW ASPE members or our entire email list which is over 750 addresses.  As the pandemic continued to subside, under the leadership of Mitchell Burnaugh, the chapter once again began scheduling in-person technical meetings, plumbing design classes, golf outings, and the 2022 Plumbing Product Exhibition.

In 2022 now under the leadership of Brett McQueen, CPD the chapter continued to gain membership and focus was pointed toward involving the younger ASPE members in the operation of the chapter.  Yolanda Mashni acting as liaison, provided events through the AYP and WOA programs and Tim Campbell reworked the entire chapters’ website.  The 2022 ASPE Plumbing Product Expo was well attended with over 52 engineers and designers representing 38 different offices attending.  The Expo floor saw 32 companies displaying their products at the Grapevine Convention Center and four technical classes were offered prior to the opening of the expo.

In 2023 the Plumbing Product Expo was held at the Hurst Conference center with four technical classes offered prior to the opening of the Expo.  With the ASPE National Product Show and Convention being held on even years the Board of Directors decided to schedule future DFW Plumbing Product Expo’s during the odd years as not to complete with the National event.  Through the efforts of the DFW Board of Directors and Keith Davis, VP Membership, the chapter’s membership increased to become the second largest chapter in ASPE.  Tim Campbell, Corresponding Secretary/Web Master, continued to improve and edit the chapters website with Curtis Dady, Newsletter Editor, providing a monthly chapter newsletter to all members.

Chapter Past Presidents

1970-1973       Richard Ellis, CPD, FASPE                    1990-1992       James R. Vertz, CET, FASPE

1973-1974       Eugene G. Dickens                                1992-1994       Julius E. Miller, CET

1974-1975       Ruebin H. Harle                                      1994-1996       Richard D. Harrison, CPD

1975-1976       Donald E. Davis                                      1996-1998       James R. Vertz, CET, FASPE

1976-1977       James L. Balliet, CET                             1998-1999       Paul E. Gonzales

1977-1978       Robert J. Kinkel, CET                             1999-2000       Wesley L. Wolfe

1978                Carlene Lacey                                        2000-2003       Terry L. McDonald

1978-1979       Ellis Chadick                                          2003-2007       Kelvin H. Kennedy,               

1980-1981       William M. Tacker                                                            CPD, GPD, C.D., FASPE

1981-1982       William M. Kanoff                                   2007-2011       Bryan Hutton, CPD

1982-1983       Gary Finney                                           2011-2014       Larry Bartlett, CPD

1983-1984       Graham Moore                                      2014-2016       Gwynne Morrison,                 

1984-1985       Robert J. Kinkel, CET                                                    CPD, LEED AP                     

1985-1986       Tom Heslep                                            2016-2018       Luke Martin

1986-1987       Rick Nelson                                            2018-2020       James Walls

1987-1988       Tom Huntington                                      2020-2022       Mitchell Burnaugh, CPD

1988-1990       Boots Pennington                                   2022-2024       Brett McQueen, CPD

2024-2025       Brittainy Tidwell, P.E, LEED AP, CPD