RPA Elects New Board Members
The Radiant Panel Association of Loveland, Colo., said recently Grundfos Pumps’ business development manager Kirk Vigil was newly elected to serve on the trade association’s board. Joining Vigil on the board are re-elected incumbents Dan Perfitt of Launstein Hardwood Flooring and Dorothy Biggs of Viega LLC. Each will serve a four-year term.

New Franchisor in Town
1-800-PLUMBER, a Houston-based, newly launched franchiser, said it is now accepting applications for a “limited number” of franchises. 1-800-PLUMBER was developed by president and CEO James Pierce who comes from the retailing world, and Keith Glass, the company’s director of training and technical services, who most recently was Southwest Florida operations manager for Mr. Rooter. To learn more visit the Web site or call Milton Dunlop at (800) 758-6273.

Cyclone Xi Tops 2008 Products
The Cyclone Xi commercial water heater from Ashland City, Tenn.’s A.O. Smith has been named the Top Product of 2008 by the readers of Reeves Journal sister BNP Media publication PME. The Cyclone Xi features up to 96 percent thermal efficiency and inputs up to 500,000 BTU and intelligent controls and an LCD screen. making it the “smartest” water heater in the industry. The advanced controls with LCD screen—an exclusive A. O. Smith design— provide detailed status information, allow precise temperature control, and include built-in diagnostics.

American Standard Site Earns ‘Webbys’
American Standard Brands’ flagship Web site was recently honored with a coveted Webby Award in the “Best Navigation and Site Structure” category. This year’s competition received more than 9,000 entries from all 50 states and over 60 countries worldwide. The Webby award winners are chosen by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences. American Standard Brands launched the latest version of AmericanStandard.com in December 2008 with the goal of providing surfers with an easy-to-navigate experience.

Ben Franklin Named Top Franchiser
Clockwork Home Services, Inc. said AllBusiness.com, a subsidiary of Dun & Bradstreet, ranked Benjamin Franklin Plumbing No. 130 among the nation’s top 300 franchise opportunities. Criteria for the rankings were franchise unit growth rate, financial strength, system size, years in business, years franchising, availability of financing, and Web (brand) visibility. Clockwork’s other home services franchises also made the list: One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning ranked No. 101 and Mister Sparky America’s On-time Electrician ranked No. 160.

PMI Debuts President’s Award
The Plumbing Manufacturers Institute recently presented its inaugural President’s Award to two of its member-volunteers: Sally Remedios of Delta Faucet Co. and Shabbir Rawalpindiwala of the Kohler Co. PMI president Walter Strader made the presentation during the group’s 2009 Spring Meeting, held Apr. 5-8 in Asheville, N.C. The two were recognized for their outstanding service to PMI, as well as their lifetime achievements within the plumbing industry. Remedios works as manager of product compliance for Delta, while Rawalpindiwala serves as manager of codes and standards at Kohler.

Updated Cyber-Look for Chicago
Comprehensive information about its entire line of commercial faucets, including expanded specification sheets with detailed product overviews, are just part of the happenings on the World Wide Web home of Chicago Faucets. The site features technical support, details of the Chicago Faucets ECAST low-lead initiative, information on distribution partners, technical support and the CFNow! program, which ships orders within five days. It also offers a comprehensive price list, the new Chicago Faucets Conservation and Sustainability brochure and a survey that offers visitors the opportunity to share ideas regarding The Chicago Faucet Company.

Elkay Recognizes Reps
Braswell & Associates of Farmers Branch, Texas, for the third time captured the title of 2008 Rep [Agency] of the Year from Elkay Manufacturing Co., of Oak Brook, Ill. Braswell & Associates were previously Reps of the Year in 1996 and 1999. The Braswell agency represents 21 different plumbing brands in their southwest regional territory.

WQA Calls Aquatech a Success
Despite an overall decline in attendance from 2008, WQA Aquatech USA held its own during the recession and brought in large numbers of attendees from the Midwest, eastern U.S., and Europe, final tallies show. Attendance at the Mar. 17-21 event in Rosemont, Ill., fell by 22 percent from last year, less than many trade shows this year, said WQA executive director Peter Censky, who added many shows have seen drops of more than 60 percent. The next Aquatech USA event is scheduled for Mar. 9-12, 2010 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando.

State Teams with NASCAR’s Burton
State Water Heaters has signed on with former Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton to roll out a racing program to drive sales in 2009. State Water Heaters was looking for ways to maximize its involvement in NASCAR and deepen its ties to the sport, which is popular among its customer base. The company decided to leverage the historical partnership with former NASCAR driver Ward Burton in an effort to generate excitement off the track. Under terms of the deal, Burton will serve as an official spokesperson for State Water Heaters in 2009 and host numerous private events at NASCAR venues around the country for the company’s customers and prospects.