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Brad Austin has been the Training Coordinator/Instructor for the UA Plumbers & Pipefitters Local Union 262 in Juneau, Alaska since 1999. Before taking on the role as a Training Coordinator/Instructor twenty years ago he starting his plumbing career working in his father’s plumbing and heating business as an apprentice in 1976 and went on to running the business until its closure in 1989. He continued to work as a Journeyman Plumber in Local Union 262. In addition to having an Associate’s Degree in Industrial Training, Brad is a licensed Journeyman Plumber and Mechanical Administrator; is a United Association Certified Training Coordinator and Certified Instructor; is an ASSE Certified Backflow Protection Assembly Tester, ASSE Medical Gas Installed and an ASSE Medical Gas Instructor. Brad also has been a Professor at the University of Alaska Southeast teaching an Intro to Residential Plumbing, was a member of the City and Borough of Juneau’s Building Code Board of Appeals and is currently a member of the State of Alaska Workers Compensation Board. He works closely with State and Local Inspectors on code issues and with legislators on legislation involving the plumbing and mechanical codes. |
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Ben Gorham started plumbing in 1994 and went through HVAC and Plumbing training the first five years, graduating from the San Diego ABC Apprenticeship in 99 as the Plumbing Apprentice of the Year. He was asked by the apprenticeship to become an instructor in 2000. Ben has been a superintendent on large commercial projects including hospitals, prisons, and Pharmaceutical clean rooms. After teaching for 21 years, he chose the path to be a full-time instructor, finding that to be far more rewarding than any field work. Ben moved to East Tennessee to start a training center for Quality Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electrical. He is dedicated to not just training their employees, but also reaching out to the surrounding area schools and promoting the trades. |
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Steve Hart is a Certified Building Official, is the senior plumbing plans examiner with Public Health-Seattle & King County (PHSKC). A licensed journeyman plumber for thirty years, he also holds a degree in business management. Steve is an enrolled tribal member of The Blackfeet Nation, and is one of few Native American certified inspector/plans examiners in the United States, and the only Native American Certified Building Official in Washington State. He strives to share his knowledge with other Native Americans and individuals of color, who face barriers in gaining access to a profession in the trades. Steve is a member of Local 32 Plumbers & Pipefitters, and currently serves as Chair of the Northwest Washington Chapter of International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO). He is an instructor, specializing in plumbing codes, designing and developing Plumbing Systems Illustrated, a program providing instruction in complex plumbing code concepts that engages all learning styles. |
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Austin Jones has been in the mechanical and plumbing trade since 2016. After working in the field for nearly eight years, he transitioned into full time instructing at Local Union 441, teaching HVACR and code related CEU classes. He carries a Mechanical Masters license, Backflow Tester ASSE 5110, and Medical Gas Installer license. When Austin is not at the school teaching, he enjoys golfing and bowling with his wife. |
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Jesse Kealy, has 10 years’ experience in the commercial and mechanical plumbing industry. As a member of the Plumbers & Pipefitters Local Union #441, I completed my 5 year apprenticeship program with multiple certifications. During that time in 2016, I won the opportunity to complete in the UA regional HVAC competition in Ann Arbor, MI. In 2019, I was hired as the full-time HVAC instructor for the Plumbers & Pipefitters Apprenticeship Program. Currently I am holding an EPA Universal license, Plumbing license, Master Mechanical license and R-410 A Universal Certificate. In 2021 I was elected to attend the UA convention as a representative of Local Union 441. |
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Dr. Saum K. Nour Ph.D. BS Mechanical Engineering. BS, MS, and Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering. PE Mechanical, PE Electrical, PE Civil, Certified in Plumbing Design, Certified in Fire Protection Engineering (UCI), LEED AP, AIA Allied, LEED AP has 35 years of Practice as the Principle at Absolute Consulting Engineers. Graduate of University of Oklahoma and University of Illinois- Urbana. Engineer-of-The-Year 2022, Plumbing Mechanical Engineers Magazine, Fellow American Society of Plumbing Engineers. Licensed in 30 States. Lectures for AIA, USC School of Architecture, ASPE, ICC. Blogging at Saum’s Blog @ www.Greenerade.com. Authors of many articles in Plumbing, Mechanical, Electrical, and Structural Engineering. Legal Expert Witness and Forensic Engineering for litigation disputes. |
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Matt Schmidt started his apprenticeship in 2004 at Wellmann Plumbing in Lincoln Ne. He became a Journeyman Plumber in the City of Lincoln in 2008. In 2009 Matthew became a Master Plumber in the City of Lincoln where he worked primarily on commercial jobs such as the Lincoln Airport, grocery stores, memory care facilities and restaurants. In December of 2016 Matthew started working for the City of Lincoln as a Plumbing Inspector and became a licensed Uniform Plumbing Code Residential and Commercial Plumbing Inspector in 2017. In 2017 Matthew joined IAPMO and quickly became involved. In 2019 Matthew was licensed as an ASSE 6020 Inspector. In his spare time Matthew enjoys spending time with family and friends around the grill or on the golf course. |