If you've been meaning to brush up on your professional development, stop pondering and start packing for ISH North America, our industry's largest and most comprehensive seminar program and product exposition, which takes place Oct. 12-16 in Boston. Most events will take place in the new Boston Convention Center.

This third installment of ISH North America is the most expansive yet, with 70 seminars, dozens of association-sponsored classes, and several technical certification courses available throughout the week. Seven distinct seminar tracks are offered through the ISH seminar program: Hydronics, Radiant Heating, Plumbing, Kitchen & Bath, HVAC, Environmental Systems, and Business Management and Marketing.

If tools, software, products or equipment are your priority, the ISH North America Expo will captivate you as more than 500 exhibitors display their newest offerings during the three Expo days (Thursday, Oct. 14 thru Saturday, Oct. 16). New pavilions and on-floor demonstrations will make this year's show floor more engaging. Expo entrance is free to seminar registrants.

Perhaps you are looking to network with other pros? Three ISH North America partner associations - the American Supply Association, the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors-National Association, and the Radiant Panel Association - will hold its annual convention during the week. ISH NA partner Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating will host a reception. And at least 20 other endorsing organizations will participate in ISH North America with seminars, courses and booths in the Expo hall.

As a bonus, historic Boston provides endless opportunities to sightsee, shop, dine, attend sporting or musical events, and enjoy ocean views and vibrant nightlife.

Education Abounds

Contractors, wholesalers, designers, engineers and reps will find multiple seminars to help improve their knowledge and skills.

The ISH NA seminar program kicks off at 8 a.m. Thursday morning, Oct. 14, with a keynote address by hydronics expert Dan Holohan, followed by 11 concurrent seminars at 9 a.m. and nine concurrent seminars at 3 p.m. On Friday, 36 seminars will be presented over the course of three time slots: 8 a.m., 9:45 a.m. and 3 p.m. On Saturday, another 12 concurrent seminars will be presented during one time slot at 9 a.m. Most seminars run 1 1/2 hours.

The Hydronics Institute Division of GAMA will present a two-day I=B=R School Oct. 12-13 in Room 103 of the Boston Convention Center. The course will cover hydronic heating system design and installation, heat loss calculations, boiler sizing, pipe sizing, zoning, wiring, circulation selection, and much more. Cost for the school is $395 and includes lunch both days, beverage service, two illustrated textbooks, and certificate of completion. Contact Keri Wrobel of BNP Media (I=B=R School manager) at 888/530-6714 or register online at www.bnpmedia.com/conferences.

RPA will present three specialized educational opportunities: "Radiant Basics" runs Thursday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.; the RPA Certification Exam is offered Friday at 9 a.m.; and "Radiant Precision" runs Saturday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Preregistration is required; visit www.RPAconferences.com.

A special-event luncheon featuring David Kohler of Kohler Co. will take place Thursday at noon. Kohler will speak on "The Future of the Industry." The cost is $35 and advance registration is suggested. Visit www.ish-na.com.

The PHCC Educational Foundation is sponsoring a free NATE Review Course to help prepare technicians for taking the NATE core exam. The review session will be held Friday from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Preregistration is not required and you can sign up on-site.

The first-ever Product Demonstrations will be offered on the show floor during the three days of the Expo. These manufacturer-sponsored sessions will provide hands-on demonstrations for the design, installation, maintenance or use of products, tools and services. At least a dozen product demos were scheduled as of Aug. 5.

Your Company Makes That?

From access doors to zone controls, you will see every type of product, tool, software and related equipment and services at the ISH North America Expo. With 500+ exhibitors coming from the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, China, Taiwan, Turkey, Hong Kong, Peru, South Korea, Switzerland, Ireland, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic, you will discover new and never-before-seen products.

Several pavilions will showcase products and ideas. The New Product Showcase returns, along with PHCC's on-site Apprenticeship Contest. The cutting-edge Smart House and the Technology Pavilion will bring the latest and greatest electronics and software to your fingertips.

RPA will present the first-ever Radiant House spotlighting product installations directly on the show floor in a 16-sq.-ft area.

Expo attendees also can check out the co-located Boston Plant Engineering & Facilities Management Show because your ISH North America floor pass allows free entrance to both shows.

There Must Be Others Like Me ...

The week of ISH North America presents one of the best-ever opportunities to network with other industry professionals. Whether you are a contractor, wholesaler, distributor, manufacturers rep, engineer, architect or educator, there are several groups ready to encourage, train and support your professional development.

The American Supply Association's 35th Annual Convention, "Energize Your Mind," kicks off Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 12, at the Boston Marriott Copley Place Hotel. For details or to register, visit www.asa.net or call 312/464-0090.

The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors-National Association's Annual Convention, "Revolutionize Your Business," begins Tuesday afternoon at the Sheraton Boston Hotel. For details, visit www.phccweb.org or call 703/2237-8100.

The Radiant Panel Association's Annual Conference takes place Oct. 13-16 in the Boston Convention Center. Registration opens 7 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 13. For details, visit www.rpaconference.com or call 970/613-0100.

The Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating also will participate in ISH North America and many of its members will be attending. For details on connecting with CIPH, visit www.ciph.com or call 416/695-0447.

Additional organizations participating in ISH North America include those listed below.

The American Backflow Prevention Association www.abpa.org

American Society of Sanitary Engineering www.asse-plumbing.org

Association of Industry Manufacturers'/Representatives Inc. www.aimr.net

Canadian Association of Pump Manufacturers mccullough@ciph.org (e-mail)

Canadian Water Quality Association www.cwqa.com

Construction Contractors Alliance www.phccweb.org/servicegroups

Gas Appliance Manufacturers Association www.gamanet.org

International Association of Plumbing & Mech. Officials www.iapmo.org

Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada www.mcaa.ca

New England Fuel Institute www.nefi.com

PHCC-NA Educational Foundation www.phccweb.org

The PVF Roundtable www.pvf.org

Quality Service Contractors www.qsc-phcc.org

Refrigeration Service Engineers Society www.rses.org

Union Affiliated Contractors www.uac-contractors.org

The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing, Pipefitting, Sprinkler Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada www.ua.org

Water Quality Association www.wqa.org

World Plumbing Conference www.worldplumbing.org

Sightseeing, Hotels & Travel

Getting to and from Boston and the Convention Center is easy, assuming you do a little advance planning. Boston's Logan Airport handles 1,300 daily flights from 55 carriers. Several hotels are designated for ISH North America attendees, including the Hilton Back Bay, the Wyndam Tremont, Boston Sheraton, Boston Marriott Copley and the Hyatt Harborside, although room availability may be limited. Visit www.ish-na.com to see the most up-to-date hotel costs and options.

Some Boston events are seasonal and it pays to investigate options for tickets and sightseeing tours before you arrive. Contact the Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau at www.bostonusa.com, or call 617/867-8277 or 888/777-2678.

Editor's note: On behalf of our publication and staff, we look forward to seeing you in Boston. Please stop by our Booth #939 and tell us how we can better serve you.

ISH NA Expo Hours At
The Boston Convention & Exhibition Center

Thursday: 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Friday: 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Saturday: 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

How To Register For ISH North America Seminars & Expo

To register for ISH North America seminars, visit www.ish-na.com; or find the ISH North America Seminar brochure registration form (page 15) inserted into your July issue and fax it to ARsystems at 416/756-4242. For assistance, call Show Manager Messe Frankfurt at 866/984-8016.