GALA | Government Affairs Leadership Academy

Being Part of the Solution

By: Debbie Wiedwald, Vice President & Advocacy Committee Chair, National Chimney Sweep Guild; Pat Lopez, Founder, Burnie Fireplace Services, Board Member, Pacific HPBA Affiliate; and Bryan Blasband, Program Manager Supporting Copperfield Academy & Industry Affairs, Copperfield Chimney Supply

Attending the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association’s (HPBA) Government Affairs Leadership Academy (GALA) is a jammed packed course with instruction on legislation, codes and standards, and preparing & giving legislative testimony. HPBA government affairs staff share updates about forced electrification and fuel choice efforts, along with discussions about the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) solid fuel testing of wood stoves. Sessions also include networking and leadership best practices.

Previously, HPBA held the Tom Pugh Government Affairs Academy, which was three days of learning. This is the first year of the revamped GALA, which began March 2024 with an in-person session during the HPBA Expo followed by subsequent monthly Zoom meetings. GALA monthly meetings end December 2024, and the current participants will meet with the next class of GALA participants at the 2025 HPBA Expo. GALA attendees include HPBA affiliate members who represent manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and service companies.

I am honored to be the National Chimney Sweep Guild’s (NCSG) representative to attend GALA. As NCSG’s Advocacy Committee chair, I wanted to expand my knowledge of the legislative process and connect with others interested in government affairs. I appreciate the thorough discussions about how regulations impacts the hearth and chimney service industries.

“I’m on the board of the Pacific HPBA affiliate, which includes California, Nevada, and Hawaii,” said Pat Lopez, GALA participant and founder of Burnie Fireplace Services. “Yes, California and all of its craziness. I started dealing with government affairs issues a year and a half ago in the form of tracking California bills. At the time, I didn’t have much direction but I was tracking them and giving the information to the affiliate board.”

“My position has since changed and our board has decided to pursue government affairs advocacy on a much higher scale,” Pat continued. “John Crouch, HPBA director of public affairs, kind of twisted my arm and told me that I should participate in GALA. Wow! The classes have really opened up my eyes to all the behind the scenes stuff that happens in our state and federal governments.”

“Among many things we’ve covered, we’ve learned how to read and track bills more efficiently,” Pat explained. “We’ve learned how to find resources that are helpful, and we have found a lot of partners to build coalitions with. All of this stuff we are now doing in our affiliate. You can say that we went from zero to 100 by way of advocacy in just six months of participating in GALA.”

Bryan Blasband, program manager supporting Copperfield Academy and industry affairs at Copperfield Chimney Supply, is another GALA participant.

“One of the great things about GALA is being able to get involved in something that means so much to our industry and the people in it,” Bryan said. “I love seeing the other GALA members, hearing their points of view, and coming together to help lead the way for the future of the industry. I’m very thankful to be part of this and couldn’t be prouder to take part. We have many bright people involved. It is one of the great things about our industry – many people from all over the country coming together to ensure that our industry not only survives, but thrives. It means the world to me.”

“So far, one of the most important lessons I’ve learned – and this is very hard for me – is that you must stick to the bases when dealing with legislators,” Bryan said. “You cannot stray from the basic premises that you need to convey. There is no room for your opinion; just present the facts as you have them. I guess you could say, stick to the script. That can be tough to do at times. I’ve learned this in our sessions the hard way. Just ask John Crouch!”

“As I close in on being part of this great industry for 20 years, it’s become a part of me – another family,” Bryan reflected. “And when you feel strongly about something, you want to give back and fight for it. GALA has helped me learn the correct way to deal with the threats that the chimney and hearth industry is facing today and what may be on the horizon. Things that could potentially alter the life and livelihood of thousands. I love being part of the solution. Participating in GALA has afforded me the opportunity to fight for the industry that I love. I could not recommend this more.”

“GALA has been an amazing journey so far,” Bryan said. “I’ve really grown from this experience. I appreciate every lesson learned, especially my GALA colleagues. There are many great minds in this class, and I am truly humbled to be in their presence.”

Pat Lopez concluded by recommending GALA to others in the industry.

“Like it or not, the climate change movement and the government are trying to legislate us out of business,” Pat said.

“If you’re not participating in GALA, you are not aware of the lengths that they are going to force electrification and eliminate natural gas and wood burning –especially here in California. If you care about your industry, you need to fight all of this change.

GALA gives you the tools and the education to get into the fight and be effective. It’s like going to college in that it’s overwhelming at first. But once you start learning the lingo, you start becoming more effective in your area of the fight.” ■

Are you ready to make a difference? Applications for the 2025 GALA are available now. The NCSG would like to see more of our members attend this event. Please look for GALA information in the NCSG’s email newsletter and in the NCSG Members Discussion Facebook group. Please contact me at debbie@blackburnchimney.com if you are interested in participating in the 2025 GALA class.