Executive Director’s Message

Welcome to 2022!

Life as we know it has changed, but we must continue to do business, pay the bills, put food on the table, and find a way to adapt and grow business. I want to kick this year off by listing some upcoming events which will enhance your business and outlook for the future. The month of January has an important in-person event in Texas:

Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week (HDAW) – January 24-27, 2022 at Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine

If your business is in the heavy duty truck market and the power generation markets, this is a must-attend event. It is not too late to sign up to make sure you keep up with new developments and future forecasts for this market.

NARSA/IDEA is also planning our next conference in Houston, Texas May 5-6. Mark your calendars, and reserve these dates so you can take advantage of the wealth of information that can be tapped into at an in-person meeting. We will be releasing more information about programming in the next few weeks. The NARSA/IDEA staff and Board of Directors wish everyone a Happy and prosperous New Year. Start off 2022 by making an investment in your business by attending events that will help you chart a course for your company’s success.



Happy New Year,

Mark Taylor
mtaylor@narsa.org
(410) 320-5119

Radiator Service Co. Transitions to Radiator Services of Houma

We are happy to announce that Radiator Service Co., Inc has now changed to Radiator Services of Houma, LLC. and has new ownership under Herbert “Herb” and Debbie Cressoine. “I want to congratulate David Bienvenu for his accomplishments over the last 27 years,” said Cressoine. “David took over this business in 1994, and he will remain an integral part of operations at Radiator Services of Houma, LLC over the next few years. We also want to let our vendors, our customers, and the NARSA/IDEA community know that although the name of the business has changed, our quality services will remain the same.”

Herb and Debbie Cressoine with Jeanne and David Bienvenu
 
“I’m very excited to hand over the reins to Herb Cressoine,” said David Bienvenu. “In my new role, I will be able to focus more on what I love to do including mentoring and special projects. I also want to let all NARSA/IDEA members know I am still very much involved in the radiator business, so your phone calls and emails will still get answered. Those calls just might be answered from the south Louisiana marsh or while playing with my toys or grandchildren more often.”

Radiator Services of Houma, LLC based in Houma, Louisiana provides a number of services for cooling systems including radiators, tube and shell heat exchangers, plate and frame heat exchangers, marine box coolers and keel coolers. For more information, visit http://www.radiatorservices.com/ or call 985-868-5076. david@radiatorservices.com or herb@radiatorservcies.com

NARSA/IDEA Members Help Tornado Victims

Photo Courtesy: National Weather Service
 
NARSA/IDEA member Roppel Industries stepped up to help neighbors in need after an EF-4 tornado swept through Western Kentucky in December 2021. The Roppel family along with their employees, friends, and neighbors helped collect six pallets filled with bottled water, new clothing, canned food, diapers, children’s toys, pillows, bedding, air mattress, and toiletries. Those supplies were then taken to a donation center in Mayfield for storm victims.

Roppel Industries employees collected six pallets of donations for the tornado victims in Kentucky
 
“We got hit with storms up here in Louisville, but nothing like they did down in Mayfield,” said Ryan Roppel, Roppel Industries Vice President. “My brothers, my dad, we all got together. And we decided we needed to do something for them. The state of Kentucky is really great about supporting each other. It’s the least we can do.”

NARSA/IDEA member Northern Radiator also had customers directly impacted in the devastating storms. “Besides the monetary donation made to the Western Kentucky Relief fund, Northern is working directly with those customers to help in any way we can,” said Hope Thompson, Northern Radiator President. “We know how devastating these things can be, and we always want to see businesses rise from the ruble and continue their mission. We are grateful that we have the ability to assist where we can and humbled to serve others in their time of need.”

If you would like to donate to the Western Kentucky Relief fund, please visit
http://TeamWKYReliefFund.ky.gov

Welcome New Member

NARSA/IDEA wishes to welcome the newest member to our association, RINTUSAC!

Want to join NARSA/IDEA and connect with hundreds of radiator shops and manufacturers from across the world?

Learn more about our membership benefits by visiting our website http://narsa-idea.org/join

Retirement Announcements

Mike Talbot

Johnson Mfg Co. would like to announce the retirement of Mike Talbot on Friday, December 31, 2021. Mike has served as the Production Foreman/Supervisor for the manufacturing facility in Princeton, Iowa for 37 years. He has overseen the expansion of the casting area, the introduction of the ISO9001 system, and introduction of the LB Allen, AACCO, SA Day, and Deoxaluminite Product lines. The team at Johnson will miss Mike and wish him good luck as he now has more time for fishing!

Helen Cobb
 
Diesel USA Group would like to recognize and congratulate Helen Cobb on her recent retirement. Helen has worked with Diesel USA for over 33 years and is well-known throughout our industry and peers as a helpful member of the Distribution Customer Service team. Helen began her career in 1988 with Diesel Injection, using the only computer in the company– a mainframe computer (Systems 36). Each night, Helen was responsible for the backup and safety of the company’s information. When the mainframe computer was phased out, Helen changed roles to Customer Service Representative, where she thrived for the rest of her career. Helen is a fun-loving individual, great to be around, and very knowledgeable, she will be missed. We wish her a wonderful retirement!

John Herbert
 
John Hebert retired from Radiator Service Co., Inc on December 31, 2021 after 10 years of service. John enjoys having fun and always has a home project going on in his shop. He’s a hunter, fisherman and family man.

“When I started working as a diesel mechanic in Houma 44 years ago I was John’s helper,” said David Bienvenu. “We have been friends ever since. We worked together for 18 years until I went into the radiator business. John possesses the ability to intuitively know how to quickly handle shop situations that baffle most people.”

November/December 2021 Cooling Journal
 

Just in case you missed it, here’s the latest issue of The Cooling Journal:

New Year, New Advertising Opportunities



NARSA/IDEA’s publications reach thousands in the cooling systems and diesel emissions industries around the world! Expand your business’ footprint in 2022 by advertising in our publications.

For pricing or advertising questions, visit our website or please contact Mary Margaret Miller at marymargaret@narsa.org.

u003cstrongu003eSolder u0026amp; Soot Podcastu003c/strongu003e



The New Year brings a new season of Solder & Soot: a NARSA/IDEA Podcast! We started this series a year ago hoping to record NARSA/IDEA history, connect members across the world, and discuss the big issues in our industry. At one point, “Solder & Soot” was one of the highest ranking business podcasts in Guyana! How amazing is that?

Hosts Mark Taylor and Bobby Duran and producer Linda Skoglund always have a blast recording each episode and look forward to another fantastic season. We want to thank all of our listeners who support our show!

Latest Episodes:

Episode 13 – Frank Finger (Part 1)

We are kicking off Season 2 of “Solder & Soot: A NARSA/IDEA Podcast” with a pioneer in the cooling systems world: Frank Finger, whose career spans nearly 80 years. Mr. Frank is not only a dear friend to both Bobby Duran and Mark Taylor, but he’s also a wealth of information to everyone in NARSA/IDEA. In Part 1 of this interview, we learn about the early days of NARSA/IDEA in the 1950s, how the radiator industry has changed over time, and the piece of business advice that Frank’s father taught him that he will never forget.


Episode 12 – Empire Radiator Service

In this episode of “Solder & Soot,” we sit down with three generations of Schelkuns (Mike, Jim, and Andrew) who run Empire Radiator Service. We dive into the past, present, and future plans of the Rochester, New York-based company and dig into what it’s really like working with your family.

You can find “Solder & Soot” on iTunes, Spotify, Anchor.fm as well as http://narsa-idea.org/podcast.

NARSA/IDEA 2022 Photo Calendar Available



NARSA/IDEA’s Official 2022 Members Photo Calendar is NOW AVAILABLE for a $25 donation. To order a calendar, please email staylor@narsa.org.

**Additional international shipping charges may apply.

Upcoming Events

Heavy Duty Aftermarket Week (HDAW)
January 24-27, 2022
Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center
Grapevine, Texas

NARSA/IDEA Conference
May 5-6, 2022
Houston, Texas
Details TBD

PowerGen International
May 23-25, 2022
Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center
Dallas, Texas