Inspector's Annual Luncheon

From a number of retirees, a full house of members and inspectors, the Director of the Construction Code Commission to our Lobbyist from Michigan MCA were the necessary ingredients for a remarkable holiday party. The Greater Michigan PMC held its Annual Inspector's Luncheon and a great time was had by all!

The luncheon provides an ideal opportunity for contractors and their employees to meet with local and state inspectors and officials in an informal setting to discuss items of mutual concern. It also gives all in attendance the opportunity to hear what is coming from each of the departments in the New Year.

L. to R. -Above Left - PM Retiree, Howard McMullen and UA 190 Business Manager, Ron House- Right - Mary Jean Zill -

    

Above Left - Gary Mayer, John E. Green Company, John Stalker, UM Inspector, Frank Johnson, John E. Green Company - Above right- Inspector Carl DeConick and Wife, - left- UA 190 Training Coordinator, Scott Klapper and Ann Arbor Township Inspector, Gary Dresselhouse

    

Above Left - Ivory Sims, City of Ann Arbor Inspector, UA 190 Business Representative, Bryce Mitchell, PMC Retiree, Bill Romelhardt, UA 190 Gas Distribution Business Representative, Steve Fountain - Above right- Linda and Newt Squires, McGovern Plumbing & Heating, -Left- Bill Shirley and Henry Haley, Haley Mechanical

PMC Chairman Lloyd Zill (left) emceed the event. Henry Green, Director of the Construction Code Commission, (below right) spoke on the single state code making installation and code interpretations less complicated. Both Robert Konyndyk, Chief of the Michigan State Plumbing Division and Tennison Barry, Chief of the Michigan Mechanical Division spoke about the various programs in their departments. Walt Maner, Executive Director for the Michigan MCA and Industry Lobbyist, spoke on the latest Michigan legislative occurrences that can affect our industry. Ron House, UA Local 190 Business Manager, spoke about the good working relationship between the Union and Association, and discussed the prosperity of the union, and what he felt would be a good upcoming year.

Pictured below - L. to R. Bob Konyndyk, Tennison Barry, Walt Maner

  

  
Left - Ron House, - right- Hutzel Plumbing & Heating's Retirees Club Membership Committee - Bill Romehardt, Bernie Jubin, and Lloyd Zlll

Left - Mark Darr, John Darr Mechanical, Nick Newman, Boone & Darr, Jack Winchester, Altech Mechanical

Right - Howard and Nettie McMullen, Linda Squires, Lloyd Zill, Bill Romelhardt, Sitting, Mary Jean Zill and Newt Squires

Professor Fremont Lobbestael Graduates to the Highest Level

Fremont Lobbestael, Hutzel Plumbing & Heating Company recently passed away. Fremont was 81 years old and had spent more than half of that time as a boiler and steam expert, including time in the US Navy. He worked for many years at the old Gallup Silkworth Company and came to Hutzel's when they purchased the company in the 80's. Active in the Old Apostolic Lutheran Church, he was still teaching Sunday School and Confirmation Classes. Fremont was a tremendously unique individual, as we have discussed in articles recognizing him through the years.

Fremont had been an active member of our Industry for more years than we think he would cared to admit. He was an instructor at the Washtenaw County Plumber/Fitter Training School after having received his UA Certified Instructor Certificate at Purdue University. He had forgotten more about the heating business than many will ever know. It's always encouraging to see people who have been successful in our Industry receiving recognition of their work and time and knowledge. A small portion of this knowledge was featured in the book "The Lost Art of Steam Heating", by Dan Holohan, a nationally known magazine columnist and author, who repeated some of that wisdom in quoting from a telephone call he had with Fremont on how to know if the water in a steam boiler is dirty or clean . . .

"Here's what you do. Build up some steam pressure, just a couple of pounds is fine. Then close the bottom valve on the gauge glass. This will isolate the bottom of the glass from the boiler. Now open up the pet cock at the bottom of the glass, but be careful! If the boiler water is clean you'll flash down steam through the top of the gauge glass. That happens because you're suddenly letting in the atmosphere. The steaming rate picks up quite a bit all of a sudden, and the steam blows right out the gauge glass. But if the water's dirty, you'll prime water right over the top of the glass when you open the pet cock. You won't get much steam. Just water. Then you know you have to clean the system. It works every time, kid. Try it."

Mr. Holohan tried it and stated in his book "It works every time. Therefore, I shall hereinafter refer to this as the Lobbestael Method of Steam-Boiler Water-Quality Inspection after that seasoned old-timer Fremont Lobbestael of Ann Arbor, Michigan."

Mr. Holohan had stated in a previous article: " … he's the youngest man I know in the business. He's young because he has an attitude that says, "We can do this! All we have to do is think hard and use what we've learned over the years." Professor Lobbestael has taught me many valuable lessons - about heating, about business, and most important, about life. He is, to me and many others, a genuine treasure. He's made a difference in people's lives." That says it all.

His wife Alice preceded him in death almost 10 years before, and even with his church, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren to keep him busy, Fremont at 81 years old, still wanted to be part of the Industry. Along with honoring Fremont, this article would be incomplete without mentioning the Cummins family at Hutzel Plumbing, the late Gene Cummins, Scott, Nancy and Linda. He was employed by Hutzel Plumbing, until the time he died, which is a testament to Fremont, but also to the Cummins family. They made sure that a valued member of the industry, always had a place to go to continue working in the trade that he loved so.