CDANA Connection Spring 2024

WELCOME TO NASHVILLE!

Dear CDANA Members & Convention 2024 Attendees:

For those of you who are attending the 2024 CDANA Convention & Product Fair, welcome to Nashville, Tennessee, a.k.a. “The Music City”! As of this writing, we are looking forward to greeting 600+ Culligan men and women, and are sure to have a very big time in this bustling city! For those of you who were unable to attend, you will be missed.

Before I take you through what is included in this issue of Connection, I want to extend my heartfelt condolences to Robert (Bob) Ruhstorfer’s family, friends, and colleagues. Bob was not only an integral member of our CDANA Dealer System, but he was also our First Past CDANA President, and an Executive Committee member. Bob has always been humble and willing to lend his time and talents to our system and he leaves a memorable mark on all of us. He will be greatly missed. Please read more about Bob on pages 8 and 9 inside.

This issue, Bryan Trilli, Optimized Marketing, provides a snippet of how AI can benefit the dealers and what to look for in the AI space in the future. I know many of us have our hopes for AI, and maybe some have concerns as well. Shifting to Leadership, we have an informational article from our upcoming Keynote Speaker, Eric Lopez, Arrowhead Leadership & Consulting, discussing Leader Development: Whose Responsibility Is It? Eric parlays the key issues of communication and planning into leadership training. I am really looking forward to learning more from Eric on the main stage and in our breakout sessions. I hope you are too. We have included another compelling article about the importance of having a mentor program in place for your business.

Speaking about Mentor programs, CDANA’s Next Generation Committee is working on a new CDANA Mentor/Mentee program for all of us, and this article will explain why. Please inquire for more information at the CDANA Next Generation Tabletop Booth #30 during the CDANA Product Fair.

The convention is here, we have a fantastic attendance, a sold-out Product Fair, and an outstanding education program. We have a whole host of award winners in our presence, and a few surprises along the way. I want to personally thank the CDANA Convention Committee for all their hard work. Finally, I want to thank our Convention Sponsors as you are a huge help in making the whole convention come together!

Let’s get ready to boot, scoot, and boogie!

Warm Regards,

Steve Gibson CDANA President

“CDANA’s Next Generation Committee is working on a new Mentor/Mentee program for all of us, and the article inside will explain why. Please inquire for more information at the CDANA Next Generation Tabletop Booth #30 during the Product Fair.”

• Scalable for all dealers

• Robust reporting features

• GPS truck tracking

• Rugged handheld solution

• Integrated point of sale

• Routing and service scheduling

• Integrated AP, GL, and inventory

• Web payment online

• Email billing

• Paper processing fee

• Direct withdrawal ACH and credit cards

• Cloud hosting services

• Serial number tracking

• Integrates with MS Office Dealership Management System

• DI tank tracking

• Integrated lead tracking with mobile access

Kourtney Tarvin Erbes

Culligan Water, Bloomington IL

Kourtney Tarvin Erbes is the President and General Manager of the Culligan Water Dealership in Bloomington, IL. In 2020 she purchased her second dealership in Champaign, IL. Kourtney is a proud 3rd generation Culligan Woman following in the footsteps of her father, John Tarvin, and Grandfather Richard Tarvin. She started working in the business in 2003 before graduating from Illinois State University with a BS degree. Kourtney returned to her family business in 2012 in a management role. She is a member of the Marketing Subcommittee, CDANA Board of Directors, CDANA Next Generation Committee, Convention Committee, Chairwoman for the Communications and Membership Committee, recently Co-founded the CDANA Women’s Group, and served on the Brand Oversight Board for 6 years. Kourtney also enjoys being a member of the NCM 20 groups. “Take care of your people and they will take care of you.”

Robert Boerner

Culligan Southwest, Inc.

Bob Boerner, President of Culligan Southwest, Inc., coowns and operates with his sister, Kristi Stanford, four Culligan dealerships in Texas. He has been involved with Culligan since 1977, learning the business from his father, Gib Boerner, and helping to carry on the Culligan tradition from its first dealer, his grandfather Wilbur L. Walton. Bob has been involved in the Texas WQA for many years, serving as President in 1996-97 and currently serving as Legislative Co-Chair. He served on the WQA Board of Directors for 9 years and continues his involvement in various capacities.

Kristi (Boerner) Stanford Culligan Southwest, Inc.

Kristi (Boerner) Stanford, Vice President of Culligan Southwest, Inc., co-owns four Texas Culligan dealerships in Texas with her brother, Bob Boerner. She officially started her career after college at the Culligan of San Antonio office in 1986, having grown up working in the business during high school and college during summer breaks from Southwestern University. She has served as TWQA Treasurer and has led the Publications Committee for many years. She is a 28-year member of downtown SA Rotary Club. Kristi and her husband Blake have two kids.

CDANA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

president Steve Gibson 6/24 260.347.0758 sgibson@heywaterman.com

vice Cameron Karger 6/26 president 419.522.0442 ckarger@allthingswater.com

treasurer RJ Easton 6/27 408.855.7940 rjeaston@uswatercompany.com

first past Bob Boerner 6/25 president 210.226.5344 rboerner@CulliganSA.com

directors Camren Fleck, 6/26 902.527.6607 cfleck@eastlink.ca

CR Hall 6/25 316.293.2202 chall@hallswater.com

Christopher Lane 6/27 843.681.3333 chris@culliganhhi.com

David Miller 6/25 989.635.7585 david.miller@culliganmarlette.com

Don Meredith 6/26 262.878.1161 donm@meredithculliganwater.com

Justin Rupert 6/24 517.425.0328 justingr0404@gmail.com

Kourtney Tarvin Erbes 6/24 309.663.4400 ktarvinerbes@ culliganbloomington.com

legal Pete Singler counsel 707.823.8719 pas@singler-law.com

executive Jennifer Gibson Hebert director 512.894.4106 jennifer@jsjproductionsinc.com

JSJ Productions, Inc. 625 West Market Street Salinas, CA 93901 512.894.4106 Fax: 512.858.0486 publisher & Susan Gibson editor susan@jsjproductionsinc.com art director Anya Wilcox awilcox@designintersection.com

Tim Bushman

Tim Bushman grew up in his family’s water conditioning business in Canton, Ohio and has been active in all facets of the water conditioning business for over 38 years. After relocating to California in 1996 to work with Mike Hebert and the Culligan QWE team, he has concentrated on the design and sales of systems for the commercial, small community and agricultural markets. Tim is a WQA Certified Master Water Specialist as well as a Certified Installer. He can be reached at timb@CulliganQWE.com

Colonel (Retired) Eric Lopez

Colonel (Retired) Eric Lopez graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1996. He served as an infantry officer in the Army for 25 years with assignments in many historic units. Eric served seven combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and was awarded four Bronze Star medals for his combat deployments. Eric’s final command assignment was serving as the brigade commander for the US Army 3rd Recruiting Brigade where he led over 2,000 soldiers and civilians across all or part of 16 Midwest states.

Eric has a Bachelor of Arts in History from the United States Military Academy. He also has master’s degree in Military Studies from Marine Corps University and a master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the US Army War College.

Eric is the Founder and CEO of Arrowhead Leadership Consulting which helps businesses develop their leaders to improve workplace efficiency and grow profitability. Eric also speaks to a variety of audiences across the country about innovation, emotional intelligence, and leadership.

Dr. Tracy Brower, PhD, MM, MCRW Dr. Tracy Brower is a PhD sociologist studying work-life fulfillment and happiness. She is the author of The Secrets to Happiness at Work (to be rereleased in paperback May 2024) and Bring Work to Life. She is the Vice President Of Workplace Insights with Steelcase and a senior contributor to Forbes and Fast Company. Her work has been translated into 22 languages, and you can find her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, or at tracybrower.com.

Gene Marks

A past columnist for both The New York Times and The Washington Post, Gene now writes regularly for The Hill, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Forbes, Entrepreneur, The Washington Times, and The Guardian. Gene is a bestselling author and has written 5 books on business management, specifically geared towards small and medium sized companies. His most recent is Want More Cash? 100+ Ideas and Strategies for Increasing Your Company’s Cash Flow This Year.

Nationally, Gene appears regularly on Fox Business, MSNBC, as well as CBS Eye on the World with John Batchelor and SiriusXM’s Wharton Business Channel where he talks about the financial, economic and technology issues that affect business leaders today.

Through his keynotes and breakout sessions, Gene helps business owners, executives and managers understand the political, economic and technological trends that will affect their companies and—most importantly—the actions they can take to continue to grow and profit.

Gene owns and operates the Marks Group PC, a highly successful ten-person firm that provides technology and consulting services to small and medium sized businesses.

Robert “Bob” Ruhstorfer II

March 29, 1952 - April 3, 2024

In Memoriam: Robert “Bob” Ruhstorfer II –Family Patriarch and Business Pioneer

Robert “Bob” Ruhstorfer II, a visionary in the water softener and filtration industry and cherished family man, passed away at the age of 72, leaving behind a legacy of innovation, love, and unwavering dedication. Born March 29, 1952 to Robert Ruhstorfer Sr. and Jean Marie Beech in Bay City, MI, Bob departed from this world on April 3, 2024 in St. Charles, Illinois.

Bob’s extraordinary business acumen, entrepreneurial spirit, creativity, and unyielding determination propelled him to the forefront of the water industry. He was an influential member for many years, serving terms as President of the Water Quality Association, Culligan Dealers Association of North America, as well as serving on the board of the Water Quality Research Foundation, leaving an indelible mark that will be felt for generations to come. For his career, he received the WQA’s Regents Award, International Award of Merit, and Lifetime Membership Award.

Beyond his countless professional accomplishments and accolades, Bob was a man of diverse interests and passions. His love for classic cars, particularly Corvettes, was matched only by his enthusiasm for the timeless melodies of the Beatles. Yet, his greatest joy was found on the Great Lakes and the tranquil waters of Lake

Charlevoix where he spent countless treasured moments boating with his beloved family.

Bob’s devotion to family was unparalleled. He shared 40 years of marriage with his caring wife, Joannie, and together they raised five children: Tracey (John) Anargyros, Rebecca Ruhstorfer, Arianne (Russell) Smith, Robert (Cynthia) Ruhstorfer III, and Richard

R-L Bob Ruhstorfer, Scott Clawson, Bret Tangley, Judd Larned, Bob Boerner, and Chris Lane

Bob’s love for classic cars

(Kelsey) Ruhstorfer. His adoration extended to his 11 grandchildren: Mackenzie A., Mackenzie Z., Hailey, Jake, Lilyana, Preston, Elizabeth, Madelyn, Byron, Brooklyn, and Brielle, who will forever cherish their “Papa”. His legacy will continue to grow with another grandson this Spring.

In addition to his immediate family, Bob is survived by his siblings Carolyn, Sandy, Mike, and Ken. He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Ruhstorfer Sr. and Jean Marie Beech, and siblings Jerry, Tim, and Brother-in-Law Onslow “Rudy” Rudolph.

Bob’s presence will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him. His wisdom, kindness, and tremendous love have left an enduring legacy that will continue to inspire and uplift those whose lives he touched.

Services to honor and celebrate the life of Robert “Bob” Ruhstorfer II were held on Thursday April 11, 2024 at Yurs Funeral Home (405 E Main St, St. Charles, IL 60174). Additional memorial services will be held in Michigan and Texas which will be announced shortly, providing an opportunity for family and friends to come together and pay their respects to a remarkable man who left an immeasurable imprint in the hearts and lives of so many.

May Bob’s soul find eternal peace, and may his memory continue to shine brightly in the hearts of all who knew and loved him.

Donations can be made in Bob’s memory to Shriners Hospitals for Children (lovetotherescue.org) and sent to Shriners Children’s, PO Box 947765, Atlanta, GA30394

“I have known Bob Ruhstorfer for over 40 years; he was my mentor and friend. Anyone who knew Bob can tell you that he never did anything halfway. He committed himself 150% to his causes whether it be business, family, or friends. Most anyone in the Water Treatment industry worldwide knew Bob’s name as he loved to share his knowledge and gave freely of his time to all that asked. He was one-of-a-kind man, who touched and improved so many lives while he was with us. As a friend of his, I knew he loved fast cars and boats, as well as hunting, and he knew his wines. Not many people could tell you how to treat problem water and the best wine to pair with a meal.

Bob taught all of us around him that we should always work to improve lives by improving the water for people and their families. Bob changed my life, and I am willing to bet he changed the lives of many of you reading this short note for the better as well. Bob, you did make a difference in this world and there is no better compliment that a man can hear. I will miss you, my friend.

— RICK KECK

Bob’s Friend & Culligan of Irvine, TX

“This is tough, alright. Besides being business associates, Bob and I had become good friends as well. I almost got out on Lake Michigan with him on his boat in Kenosha, WI last August but for the 7 “Seas”.

I did, however, get to serendipitously join him in Dallas in February at his Million Dollar Sales Awards Dinner and he was so proud of his Team...rightfully so.

Bob was a Great Guy with a wonderful family. He had a good business mind as well. I am so sorry to see him go.

We’ll have to see him down the line in that Great Lake in the Sky, I guess. God Bless Joannie and the rest of his family.”

— BOB BOERNER

Culligan of San Antonio, TX

Bob’s love for boating

The New Salt Free Water Conditioners

Advances provide a real and proven alternative - with Template Assisted Technology (TAC).

Over the years, conventional ion exchange water softeners have become more and more efficient in terms of water and salt usages. Culligan dealers have been able to enjoy market advantages when it comes to efficiency by incorporating Smart Controls, Aquasensors, Upflow Brining, and Brine Reclaim.

Even so, there are still some applications where even the highest efficiency salt based automatic water softener systems are not an option. The increasing instances of water usage and discharge restrictions, as well as dealing with locations without drains or electrical facilities, space limitations, etc., can pose challenges to applying salt based water softeners.

In residential and small commercial settings, portable exchange can be a great option however, in larger commercial and industrial applications high water consumption rates can render the portable exchange softening option not so cost effective.

Finally, there are the customers that want to deal with their hard water but simply don’t care for softened water. Whether it is because of how soft water feels, the idea of using salt, or the use of water required for regeneration, these age-old concerns prompt some customers to opt for some “black box” water conditioner or they just put up with the hard water.

In recent years there have been advancements made in salt free water conditioners that can provide a real and proven alternative to conventional salt based water softening. These system’s use technology called Template Assisted Technology or “TAC”.

These TAC systems are available on CPort and even though they can never replace salt based water softeners, they can be a valuable tool in many situations.

TIM BUSHMAN, CULLIGAN OF SALINAS, CA

The Evolution of the Technology

In the 1990’s, systems were developed using similar principles originating in Austria. These systems use electrical current and polarity changes as a means to create and release the Nanocrystals using specialized electrodes. The Nanocrystals grow until the electrical polarity is reversed, which forces them back into the water. The crystals remain in solution and will not attach to surfaces or create a scale. This process is known as “Di-Polar” technology.

The DI-Polar electrodes need to be replaced every 100,000 gallons and the system’s electronics must be precise enough to allow the crystals to grow, but not grow to the extent

“The

Nanocrystals

grow until the electrical polarity is reversed.”

that they precipitate out of solution as sediment.

In the late 1990s the technology was introduced to the U.S. When applied correctly the systems perform well however, they

remained a niche product and never really became a mainstream option in this country. In the early 2,000’s they were pulled from the U.S. market although they are still available in Europe.

Around the time that the Di-Polar systems were leaving the U.S. market, a new treatment media was introduced that accomplished the Nanocrystal effect without using electricity. This next generation version of the technology was termed Template Assisted Crystallization or “TAC”.

How TAC Works

TAC systems utilize a specially treated media that consists of beads closely resembling ion exchange media. It is designed to prevent the scaling produced by hard water minerals. The process doesn’t require electricity and doesn’t need a drain.

The TAC beads have nucleation sites that attract calcium and magnesium ions which then combine to grow the “Nanocrystals”. As the Nanocrystals grow, they get large enough to break away from the media beads and re-enter the water. As with DI-Polar, the microscopic TAC Nanocrystals stay in solution and won’t produce a scale.

Numerous third party performance tests have consistently shown a 96% + effectiveness for the prevention of scale formation when TAC is properly applied. This is close

to the results one would expect from a salt based water softener. Because TAC doesn’t remove, but rather alters hardness minerals, the Nanocrystals will be left behind as a residue as the treated water is left to evaporate. To this end, salt based softening is typically still a better choice for applications such as dishwashing, clothes washing, and car washing.

The TAC Nanocrystal does produce less spotting and proves easier to clean. Also it is less reactive to soaps than normal hard water minerals would be. The extent of these attributes are somewhat dependent on the feed water chemistry and can vary from installation to installation.

Where TAC shines is in protecting equipment (i.e., boilers, tankless and tank hot water heaters, appliances, etc.) from hard water scaling.

To illustrate this, the images here are from a study conducted by the Water Reuse Foundation, “ The Evaluation of Alternatives to Domestic Ion Exchange” which is available on line at: (https://www. waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/ programs/grants_loans/water_ recycling/resear ch/ion_exchange_ water_softeners.pdf )

The images show accumulated scale formation between heating elements operated on untreated water and TAC treated water*.

TAC systems are designed to operate in an up-flow manner which eliminates the need for backwashing. A relatively small amount of media on the scale of 1 liter of TAC media for about each 4 gpm flow is all that is required for effective results.

The media will eventually foul and begin losing effectiveness. It is recommended that the treatment

media be replaced every 36-60 months. The cost of the media is relatively expensive, however it is comparable to the cost of operating a salt based water softener for the same time period.

A friendly PM reminder sent to customers after every 3 years of service can provide an ongoing income stream and also help to ensure uninterrupted treated water for the customer.

Feed Water Quality Limitations

For successful results it is essential that the following feed water guidelines be followed:

• Lowest recommended operating temperature 41° f

• Max temperature (through water heater) 176° f

• Ph range 6.5 - 8.5 Max hardness (gpg)

• 75 Max iron (ppm)

• 0.3 Max manganese (ppm) 0.05

• Max free chlorine (ppm) 3

• Max copper (ppm) 1.3 Oil

• Clear (non-turbid) water supplies (less than 5 NTU)

• None hydrogen sulfide

Descaling

It is worth noting that a side effect that could be realized after

installing a TAC system is that the Nanocrystals will tend to dissolve existing scale as the treated water flows through the pipes. As this happens, the Nanocrystals will continue growing to the point where they can precipitate as a sediment and possibly clog faucet aerators, etc., while the pipes are being cleaned out. This is usually only an issue within the first week of operation or so. The extent of

the phenomena varies with water chemistry and the amount and composition of the scale in the pipes.

Installation Guidelines

Installation consists of simple in and out connections. The Culligan systems include a bypass valve which provides for easy servicing of the system when it’s time to replace the media.

Because the systems are designed to operate in an upflow manner and water enters at the bottom of the distributor, it is essential that a prefilter be used to prevent sediment from accumulating in the bottom of the distributor basket. Feed water sediment which could limit both flow and pressure through

The water supply was Tempe AZ. City water which measured 180 mg/l calcium and 479 mg/l TDS.

the system. At the very minimum, a 50 micron cartridge filter should be used prior to the TAC system.

Maintenance

Aside from servicing the pre-filter, changing the TAC media every 3-5 years is typically the only maintenance required. Customers will typically notice a decrease in water quality when the media needs to be replaced.

Things I Learned About Selling TAC Systems

Over the years, I have been involved in over one hundred successful installations of TAC-based systems resulting in happy customers. During that time, I have also learned of the potential issues that can arise by not properly applying the systems or failing to accurately present to customers what TAC systems will and will not do.

1. First of all, the systems do not soften water and should not be sold or applied as a softener. TAC is primarily a scale prevention technology. It is very effective at reducing the detrimental scaling effects of hard water on equipment, appliances, and fixtures. TAC can provide additional benefits such as removing existing scale, reduced spotting, and easier cleaning, but these additional benefits are largely dependent on individual water chemistries and can’t be guaranteed. If these are critical issues, a water softener should be recommended.

2. Because of the tendency of the treated water to remove existing pipe scale, the treated water may get worse for a short time after

starting the system as these minerals are reintroduced back into the water. This process can vary in severity and duration but typically customers will soon begin noticing improving results within a week or so depending how bad the pipes were scaled up. Although this may be somewhat inconvenient, the end result is cleaner pipes.

3. The minerals left behind after treatment may still react with soaps and create spots to some degree. This makes a conventional water softener a better way to go for many applications like dish, clothes, and car washing, etc. While TAC may provide an improvement over untreated water in these applications, it’s hard to guarantee to what extent due to the variables in feed water chemistry.

not adequate flow to completely fluidize the media.

4. Dissolved copper in the water can foul the TAC media. The dissolved copper content of the feed water should be below the 1.3 ppm mcl. Because of this, it is advised to wait for at least 6 weeks before putting a system in service when installed in new construction.

5. The upflow design allows the media to fluidize within the tank. It should be noted that less than optimal results can occur if the system is oversized and there is

6. Always use at least a 50 micron pre-filter to prevent the system’s distributor from plugging. The residential systems on CPort as listed include a sediment pre-filter or whole home carbon pre-filter. A pre-filter will need to be added when ordering the commercial system on CPort.

Conclusion

TAC can provide a valuable resource in many situations and definitely has its place in modern water treatment. Like any legitimate treatment technology, care should be taken to conform with the operating guidelines and recognize the limits of what TAC will achieve.

225 GPM TAC System with CTM Carbon Prefilters at an apartment complex

On Technology: The Achilles Heel of AI

That No One Is Talking About

GENE MARKS, MARKS GROUP

You can’t visit a tech website nowadays without the words “AI” all over the place and I’m as guilty of this as anyone else (see my headline above).

AI is the tech buzzword of 2023, even though it’s not really

a word. A year or two ago it was the metaverse. Before that it was a myriad of tech terms and acronyms ranging from IoT and AR/VR to robotics, 3D Printing, autonomous vehicles, machine learning, and Web3 as the tech industry

desperately worked towards the next iPhone or big thing from which to re-invent itself. Maybe AI is the next second coming, or maybe it’s over-hyped, or will be replaced by the “next big thing” in a year or two. Regardless of the hype, AI does

“AI IS CREATING A MASS GIDDINESS ACROSS ALL SOFTWARE SECTORS.”

have a lot of potential and it’s spawning countless startups and billions from investors, VC firms, and software providers to realize that potential. We’re just at the beginning of this phenomenon. Over the next few years, every company that has anything to do with technology will be rolling out their next generation of products that is “leveraging AI.” It’s good marketing.

Except for one problem: AI has a big Achilles heel and unfortunately no one seems to be talking about it. The problem isn’t with the technology. It’s with what the technology relies on: data.

For AI to do its job it needs to use data. For AutoGPT, the likely next generation of ChatGPT that promises to automatically perform tasks without conversation, it will have to leverage the information available in a database – or multiple databases - to perform those tasks. For Google’s Bard to create email campaigns or productivity tasks based on Gmail or Google Docs, it will be reliant on the information in those sources. Salesforce’s Einstein needs good customer relationship management data to track sentiment and opportunities.

I write a lot about CRM because my company implements CRM systems. Many people in my industry are excited by all the new AI-based automations coming from the software vendors in this industry. Salesforce is already way ahead of the curve with recent announcements touting their AI offerings. Other big technology companies like Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, and many CRM software providers that cater to smaller companies like Hubspot, Zoho, and Pipedrive are announcing rollouts of their new features that

are using AI. I’m just naming a few. AI is creating mass giddiness across all software sectors, from CRM to accounting to HR, not only because of it’s promise, but because it’s a shiny new buzzword that can be used to excite customers and, most importantly, keep them paying their monthly fees. But, like cars that need roads, all of this software needs data to do its job. And unfortunately the data at most businesses, big and small, kind of... well...sucks. Don’t believe me? Just talk to a few of my clients and they’ll openly admit this.

Even at my largest clients, data is everywhere - spreadsheets, emails, document management storage sites, CRM systems, accounting systems, HR systems, inventory systems, order systems, and even manual files. Matching orders received with invoices often spits out errors. Building email campaigns is a crapshoot. Automating things like sending out overdue notices or confirming orders received oftentimes confirms with the wrong recipients. Even doing a simple thing like creating a list of customers to send a Christmas or birthday card takes a mass investigative effort.

Did we really just wish that guy a happy birthday? Didn’t he die last year? Did we just send our big client a Christmas card? But they’re a Jewish deli! You get the point. Every company I visit I find that their data is anywhere between “not great” to a “total mess.” Fields are incomplete and haven’t been updated in months. People who changed jobs month before are still listed as working at the former company. Inventory balances lag behind physical counts. Billings are done days after products

are shipped. Monthly cash reconciliations reveal dozens of missed deposits or disbursements. Are we really going to rely on AI tools to “automate” functions when the data is this unreliable?

That’s the problem. Building the iPhone took time. But it couldn’t succeed until networks and an app infrastructure was built around it. Creating all these wonderful AI tools is pointless unless the data they’re leveraging is leveragable, and yes I just made that word up.

Some of this problem can be addressed by future iterations of AI tools that don’t take just one source of data at face value and instead are built to validate the information by checking multiple places. So a person’s birthdate in a CRM system can be validated by

mining an external government system, assuming access is granted. Or before sending out an overdue invoice notice that could upset a good customer who normally pays on time, a payment history at the bank as well as the accounting system can be checked. Are software developers taking these internal controls into consideration as they’re rushing out their latest AI treats to their customers? Are they building in the ability to check multiple data sources before taking action? I’m doubting that.

But ultimately they will. However, it’s going to take some time. Which is why I’m betting that many of the software pundits who are glamorizing AI are going to scratch their heads and wonder why more companies, particularly smaller

companies, are resisting the magic. My clients are no dummies. They’re not going to trust automation just for the sake of it, particularly if it causes more problems than it solves.

There will be solutions to this. And my smartest clients who want to take advantage of these tools so that they can cut overhead and get things done more productively will recognize the importance of a clean and complete dataset and invest the needed resources into making it clean and complete. Hopefully they’ll be doing some of the things I suggested in a previous article I wrote. I’m optimistic about this. But I’m also cautious that in the meantime the Achilles Heel of AI isn’t getting the attention it deserves.

Water Treatment

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HOW TO HIRE

AI TEAM MEMBERS

FOR YOUR CULLIGAN DEALERSHIP

magine for a moment what your perfect employee would be like. Similar to how you start a new job description, you first consider which department, and then for which job you’d like them to be responsible.

However, instead of describing the skills, experience, and characteristics your ideal new hire should have, your description is actually used to create the perfect new hire.

You don’t have to go through interviews and trial periods. You just have to describe exactly what you want. If your description is great, you’ll have a great new employee. If your description is vague, you’ll get an employee you’ll likely want to fire.

Of course, if you create that vague employee, once you realize it, you can update the description and “fix” the employee. Like Neo in The Matrix movie having Kung Fu downloaded into his brain, you simply tell your employee what knowledge they should have, and in a few seconds, it’s immediately downloaded into your new team member’s brain. Character traits, speaking style, and temperament are all things you can describe for this perfect employee.

BRYANTRILLI

BryanTrillliisarecoveringformerCulligandealer andFounderoftheagency,OptimizedMarketing, whichhasworkedwithover100Culligandealers. TheystartedusingGPTstodramaticallyincrease leadgeneration6yearsbeforeChatGPTwas releasedtothegeneralpublic.He’salsoaleading expertontheintersectionbetweenfaithandAI.

There’s one catch. Your perfect employee can’t do anything in the physical world (yet). So no lugging around bags of salt. In other words, your employee is limited to thinking and communicating.

What you just read is what most Artificial Intelligence experts believe will be possible in the next few years.

If you can write a job description, you can create your near-perfect AI bot to do almost any thinking task you can come up with. There are currently a few notable limitations in areas like mathematics, engineering, and understanding case law however, most of these haven’t been addressed with customtrained AI yet.

To put this in perspective, anyone you know who is younger than a sophomore in college may never get a job in their chosen profession. Doctors, lawyers, accountants, stock brokers, marketers, programmers, and engineers are some of the highest-paid professions, yet, AI is already replacing them. In fact, it doesn’t matter which profession because we’ve built machines that can “think” better than humans

A recent study demonstrated that AI can write legal contracts that are better and 99.97% cheaper than lawyers. To put that into perspective, a contract you would have paid $10,000 for in 2022, will cost you about $3 in 2024. Just don’t hire the AI to defend the contract in

Service businesses, like Culligan dealers, are far from being dramatically overhauled since robots capable of lifting bottles of water, inspecting plumbing, and running pex through a crawl space are far off. Skilled trades are looking like a very safe place to be right now.

Having ideal employees (whether real or artificial) is a huge competitive advantage. How capable of an AI employee can you build in your Culligan dealership today?

4 AI Team Members for Culligan Dealers

ChatGPT is an AI chatbot that has been trained on most of the information on the Internet and then some. Recently, ChatGPT released a feature allowing anyone to build what are called “Custom GPTs”.

A CustomGPT is a chatbot that you create. You tell it “who” it is and its values, called a “prompt”. For instance, you can create a DemocratGPT and debate it. You could also create a RepublicanGPT and then have them debate each other. You can also provide the GPT with your private datasets, like internal training manuals, that aren’t available on the Internet so that it can respond to you based on that private information. That private information is called first-party data.

Everything you’ll learn in this article can cost just $20 per month. By the way, Google recently released its competitor called Gemini Pro, which initial reports suggest may make it even better than ChatGPT so the rate of progress in this field is fierce.

Four departments you’ll upgrade using CustomGPTs.

1. Sales & Marketing

2. Customer Service

3. Service Department

4. Professional Services

Skilled trades are looking like a very safe place to be right now.”

CustomerGPT

Do you know all of those reviews you’ve been gathering through VOC? Create a CustomGPT with a prompt describing your business, the traits, skills, and characteristics just like a job description, and indicate that you’ll provide customer reviews to help you analyze the feedback to determine what your clients love about your company. Then copy and paste those reviews into your CustomerGPT. With that setup, you can now ask your CustomerGPT the top 3 things customers love about your business or the top 3 things they complain about. With that information handy, you can then test those benefits on the copy of your home page. Using this strategy, we’ve found that a high percentage of home pages will increase conversions. However, no marketing strategy works everywhere, so be sure to split-test your new home page because we’ve found a few markets where this didn’t help.

ServiceTechGPT

Have you ever had a service tech call in asking about a commercial unit or how to program an old softener? Now, you can create a GPT with access to your service manuals (even the non-Culligan ones) by uploading the PDFs to your ServiceTechGPT. You can then make that available through the ChatGPT app on your technicians’ cell phones. Ask it any question about any Culligan equipment to get an immediate answer instead of looking it up in the manual.

LegalGPT

A great way to enhance your digital lead generation strategy is by sharing pictures of happy customers on social media. However, did you update your contracts or have a separate agreement signed by those customers giving you permission to use their pictures? You can create a GPT with a prompt that includes your business location, business entity, and that the GPT is an expert in business contract law that will help write and update contracts. Then tell your LegalGPT what legal contract details you need to be written or updated. Updating your commission structure and need to add that to employment or contractor agreements? Feed the relevant paragraph into your LegalGPT, then ask it to be rewritten with your desired changes. Can you replace 90% of the contract work you’d need to ask your lawyer to write up with an AI bot? It’s too early to tell, so put your LegalGPT to the test, have it write a contract, and send it to your lawyer. You might be surprised how few changes your lawyer makes when reviewing your AI-generated contracts. Of course, don’t tell your lawyer where the contract came from. If your lawyer is up-

to-speed, she’s already using AI to help with her contract work.

ILoveCulliganGPT

Every day your team answers customer phone calls, emails, texts, and may even respond to social media comments or customer reviews. Have you ever had a situation where your team’s response could have been worded better? For your ILoveCulliganGPT, you’ll feed in the data from the 3 GPTs above as well as Culligan.com, your local website, your company’s core values, and any written training material you have (including your training on how to answer “how much does a softener cost?”) You’ll want your ILoveCulliganGPT to be aware of why people love your business, what type of products you have, and anything else you’d want a Team Leader to know. Then let it know that it’s an expert in customer service and has a knack for concise, pithy, yet friendly communication that makes people feel valued.

Now you simply ask it for help with any customer communication, including 2-star reviews, negative social media comments, and angry emails. You copy and paste the review, comment, or email into the ILoveCulliganGPT along with any background information and then ask it the best way to respond.

This could be required for your leaders to gather advice before calling back upset customers or dealing with sensitive employee situations.

As a professional marketer who has studied psychology and copywriting, I’m regularly blown away by just how good ChatGPT4 is at communicating when you give it the right prompts. Getting great at using AI is a brand-new skill set that takes time to develop. You may have heard of big mistakes made by AI. These failures don’t prove AI doesn’t work any more than a bad marketing campaign proves all marketing is worthless. When done well, you will be impressed with the empathy and communication skills of the AI.

Yes, empathy. In a 2023 study published in JAMA, doctors found AI chatbot responses to patient questions were of higher quality and empathy than real doctors.

But There’s Something Else You Need to Know

As you consider your business plan for the next decade or generation, consider that all at once every professional service in the world may get 90+% cheaper.

When we went from hunter-gatherers to agrarian, the cost of food went down. The automobile brought the cost of transportation down. The cotton gin brought the cost of clothing down. The Internet brought the cost of information down.

AI has brought down the cost of thinking. And here’s the part that’s different. When the cost of food went down, people ate more. When transportation went down, people traveled more. When clothes got cheaper, people bought more outfits. When the cost of information went down, people consumed more

information. So when the cost of thinking comes down, will we think more? Put another way, if legal costs drop 90%, will we consume 10x more legal services? I hope not. Will we consume 10x more accounting, marketing, engineering, or stock brokering services?

When AI generates books, movies, and other entertainment indistinguishable from reality, will we watch 10x more movies? If the cost to get highly personalized medical advice based on your biometric data goes down compared to a doctor’s visit, will you spend 50-100x more to visit your doctor? Not likely. Which makes the AI revolution different from anything prior.

• It also took centuries for farmers to urbanize.

• It took decades for every family to have a car.

• It took decades for factory workers to migrate to knowledge work.

• AI will replace jobs at a much faster rate.

How will that affect your Culligan dealership?

That’s extremely hard to predict. The advances in robotics will be a big factor. However, if you think the next decade will be anything like any decade in your business’s history, you are in for surprises. The best advice I can give is to listen to the right people.

The number of people who truly understand AI, the good and the bad, is vanishingly small, so your best bet is to listen to people on various sides of AI and use your judgment to figure out who is right. Don’t blindly listen to those whose opinions you agree with. Most AI leaders I’ve encountered fundamentally misunderstand AI because they misunderstand what makes humans unique.

Having worked with hundreds of Culligan dealers, I know our dealers are family-oriented so I’d be remiss if not pointing out some serious ethical issues around AI. In 2023 a married father of two committed suicide at the encouragement of an AI bot who helped convince him that ending his life was the best strategy for addressing climate change. If you have a young child or grandchild, it’s likely a highly convincing AI bot with a realistic social profile will try to lure them into sex trafficking.

Unfortunately, most AI ethics groups are providing window dressing for these issues. If you’re interested in protecting us from the dark sides of AI so we can focus on the amazing benefits of this technology, check out the author’s book, proposes a proven solution for aligning AI with human values.

If you’d like help creating any of the CustomGPTs mentioned in this article, visit Optimized-Marketing.com/ai to learn more.

A bad day in Nashville is better than a good day anywhere else

CDANA Attendees!

Welcome to the 2024 CDANA Convention & Product Fair in Nashville, Tennessee! Dare we also say....it is CDANA’s 35th Anniversary this year!

What a great way to start an Anniversary year with dealers and vendors from around the country. It is time to socialize, learn how to grow your business, and have a great deal of fun in the mix. We have 600+ folks joining us this year and growing. We have a SOLD-OUT Product Fair, and we have landed in a city where country music and lights never sleep!

Our suggestion to you: unpack; put your boots on; and pull them all the way up! Thank you for being here, for being seen and being in the arena with all of us! Your dedication and support to the Dealer System does not go unnoticed. We stand ready to shake your hand and assist you in every way we can to ensure your time is well spent!

Cue the country songs and the disco lights, please!

Warm regards,

Jennifer Gibson Hebert CDANA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

SUNDAY, APRIL 28, 2024

8:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Summit Foyer/ The 576) Registration & CDANA Swag Store Open

8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Lookout)

2024 CDANA Board of Directors Meeting (Independent Dealer Only)

1:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Summit Ballroom) General Session (Dealer Only)

1:00 PM - 1:10 PM

Welcome to Nashville - Kyle LeMay, Mast Family

Culligan & Steve Gibson, CDANA President

1:10 PM- 1:20 PM

CDANA’s 35th Anniversary

1:20 PM - 2:00 PM

Culligan International Update

• State of Culligan - Scott Clawson, CEO

• Culligan North America UpdateJudd Larned, President Culligan Dealer North America

2:00 PM - 2:15 PM Break

2:15 PM - 2:25 PM

5-15 Year Service Awards

2:25 PM - 3:10 PM

Culligan International Update Cont.

• Culligan Marketing Update - Iqbal Brainch, VP of Marketing, Culligan International

• Culligan Sales Update - John Gallo, Vice President Sales & Market Development

• Culligan Commercial Update - Chris Hampton, Sr. Director & GM, Commercial & Industrial

“City lights got nothin’ on country nights.”

3:10 PM - 3:25 PM Culligan Cares Update

3:25 PM - 3:45 PM CDANA Women’s Group

3:45 PM - 4:00 PM Break

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM (Independent Dealers Only)

CDANA Closed Dealer Discussion

• DAC Update

• CDANA Financial Update

• CDANA Legal Update

• CDANA Q&A

6:00 PM – 7:30 PM (Grand Hall D & E)

Welcome Reception (Cocktails & Hors d’ Oeuvres)

MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2024

8:00 AM - 6:00 PM (Summit Foyer/ The 576)

Registration & CDANA Swag Store Open

8:00 AM - 8:45 AM & 9:00 AM - 9:45 AM

CDANA Breakout Sessions (all breakout sessions repeat one time)

Group 1 (North Coast)

You Said This, I Heard That - PRESENTERS: Becky Rogers & Patricia Pannell, Gotcha Covered Group 2 (Railyard)

Leading Sales Teams Without a Manager -

PRESENTER: Candice Wentling, Certified Action Group 3 (Summit ABC)

PFAS Chemicals – Strategies and Solutions -

PRESENTERS: Doug Anderson & Gary Falkengren, Culligan International Group 4 (Summit DE)

Leading Generation Z: Optimizing Teamwork and Performance in the Workplace - PRESENTER: Eric Lopez, Arrowhead Leadership Consulting, LLC

10:00 AM - 10:45 AM & 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM

CDANA Breakout Sessions

Group 1 (North Coast)

Mental Health Support in the Workplace -

PRESENTERS: Becky Rogers & Patricia Pannell, Gotcha Covered Group 2 (Railyard)

Selling Without Scaring -

PRESENTER: Candice Wentling, Certified Action Group 3 (Summit ABC)

The Value of WQA - PRESENTERS: Irma Bishop, Hall’s Water, RJ Easton, US Culligan Water & Kyle LeMay, Mast Family Culligan Group 4 (Summit DE)

Home Solutions Experience (formerly New HHSales App) - PRESENTERS: Mitch Stone & Peter Myers, Culligan International

“In a Nashville state of mind.”

11:45 AM - 1:30 PM Lunch Break (On Your Own)

12:00 PM - 1:15 PM (Interchange)

CDANA Women’s Group Lunch (Invitation Only)

12:00 PM - 2:45 PM (Grand Hall)

CDANA Product Fair Set-Up (Vendors Only)

1:15 PM - 2:00 PM & 2:00 PM - 2:45 PM

CDANA Breakout Sessions (all breakout sessions repeat one time)

Group 1 (North Coast)

Self Generating Leads - PRESENTERS: Stephen Gaeta & Lee McKinney, Mast Family Culligan

Group 2 (Summit ABC)

Improve Your Bottom Line with Proven Talent Strategies - PRESENTERS: Jim Stewart, Anne Arza, Frank Mochak, & Eileen Sexton, Culligan International Group 3 (Summit DE)

Optimizing Paid Search for More Effiicient Lead Local Marketing - PRESENTER: Iqbal Brainch, VP of Marketing, Culligan International, Catherine Reich, Matthew Shover and Lauren Walden, Tinuiti

3:00 PM - 6:00 PM (Grand Hall)

2024 CDANA Product Fair (Cocktails & Heavy Hors d’ Oeuvres)

TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 2024

8:00 AM - 6:00 PM (Summit Foyer/ The 576)

Registration & CDANA Swag Store Open

8:00 AM - 8:45 AM & 9:00 AM - 9:45 AM

CDANA Breakout Sessions (all breakout sessions repeat one time)

Group 1 (Railyard)

Employee Onboarding & Retention -

PRESENTER: Julie Hietela, Packard Group Group 2 (Summit ABC)

System Selling - PRESENTER: Charlie Meyer Group 3 (Summit DE)

Success in the Bottleless Cooler Market -

PRESENTERS: Kevin Medaris, Culligan International & Dealer Panel

10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (Summit DE)

General Session

10:00 AM - 10:10 AM 20-40 Year Service Awards

10:10 AM - 10:30 AM

What does the SAC Do and How it Benefits the Dealers? - Adam Johnson, Packard Group

10:30 AM - 11:15 AM

Growth Goals Case Study, Chris & Christopher Lane, Culligan of Hilton Head Island

11:15 AM - 11:45 AM Break

11:45 AM - 1:00 PM

“Fueled by coffee and country music.”

Keynote: The Leadership Pyramid: Developing an Operational Approach to Lead Your Team and Get Results - Eric Lopez, Arrowhead Leadership Consulting LLC

5:30 PM - 6:30 PM (Solstice Pool Event Space)

Culligan International Hall of Fame Winners Cocktail Reception (Invitation Only)

6:30 PM - 10:00 PM (Summit Ballroom)

Culligan International Banquet & Awards Ceremony

What Empowered Customers Say:

This dynamic online addition to your Dealership Management System does the following:

» Allows new prospects to submit requests for products and services directly into the ABS Lead Tracking System

» Provides customers the ability to see upcoming delivery dates and details

» Allows customers to modify products and quantities on their next delivery order

» Enables customers to modify the next scheduled delivery date using the powerful ABS “SuggestA-Route” feature to keep routes organized

JOIN THE LEADER in the PAPERLESS REVOLUTION

Ask how to convert your business to the Unco Digital Network. References available.

Self-service paperless invoices and bills save paper cost and handling, and improves customer satisfaction.

Daily route activities are fully automated with smart-phone technology.

Valuable accounting reports are available after a few clicks and report storage costs are reduced.

Training is provided so route personnel can update deliveries to optimize schedules thereby reducing delivery costs.

Automatic integration with bank accounts and payment processing centers reduces accounting time.

Interfaces with WaterWizzard™ Lead Tracking and customer information database inquiries to enhance sales and marketing effectiveness.

Platinum Sponsor Vendors

Gold Sponsor Vendors

Bronze Sponsor Vendors

Vendors

Dining at the Grand Hyatt

The Nashville Grange

Serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner, The Nashville Grange is located on the Lobby Level and features incredible views of famed Broadway, nearby Union State, and the vibrant surrounding city. A stylish yet casual venue, The Nashville Grange is inspired by the comforts and bounty of the farmstead and agrarian legacy of the region. Our Tennessee to table” menu offers only the highest quality ingredients and allows visitors and locals alike the opportunity to enjoy unique southern flavors with a modern twist. A beautiful dining hall is complemented by a bar and open kitchen concept, all of which combine for a lively and memorable dining experience. The Nashville Grange is accessible from both the hotel Lobby as well as the outdoor boardwalk of the 18-acre Nashville Yards development.

Solstice

Solstice offers indoor and outdoor poolside food and beverage service on the fifth-floor Lifestyle Level. Enjoy a dip in the pool, sip your favorite beer, wine, or cocktail, and enjoy a delicious bite while soaking in the sun and enjoying panoramic views of downtown Nashville.

Bar Continental

James Beard award-winning Chef Sean Brock is thrilled to announce the opening of Bar Continental, a vinyl bar and lounge. Bar Continental’s inspiration is derived from the Japanese “kissa” concept - combining Brocks’s love of music, Japanese culture, and food. “Kissas” are tea lounges found across Japan that gained popularity in the 1950s, where guests could listen to the newest jazz albums, played through extraordinary audiophile systems. These tea lounges eventually morphed into cocktail bars, focusing on simple and perfect drinks with only a few ingredients, and quickly became one of Brocks’s favorite places to visit during his Japan travels. Bar Continental’s bar service and dinner menu offers classic cocktails, a curated wine list, local beer on tap, and a menu of simple dishes.

Hummingbird Coffee Market

Hummingbird Coffee Market is a convenient stop to recharge and refresh. They proudly brew coffee and specialty espresso drinks from a local roaster, Good Citizen Coffee. You can also find delicious grab-n-go items throughout the day along with Nashville themed retail items.

Things To Do In Nashville

Old Time Trolley Tours

Why use Old Town Trolly Tours in Nashville?

• Old town Trolly tours has been entertaining and serving guests since 1980

• Unlimited hop-on & hop-off as often as you like all day long

• All tours are 100% live in real time - no pre-recorded narration

• All tours employ the finest, most highly-trained and knowledgeable guides

Johnny Cash Museum

“Sometimes I am two people. Johnny is the nice one. Cash causes all the trouble. They fight.” - Johnny Cash

The Johnny Cash Museum features the largest and most comprehensive collections of Johnny Cash artifacts and memorabilia in the world. Located in the heart of downtown Nashville, is ranked the #1 Music Museum in the world by Forbes, Conde Naste, and National Geographic, Traveler.

Things to get in Nashville

Fusion Digital communicates and customizes just for you, Fusion Digital communicates and customizes just for you, because we think you’re special. And we are too. because we think you’re special. And we are too.

Name

Stewart Gow stewartgow@yahoo.com

Christopher Linstrom topher.linstrom@ culliganwater.com

Raymond Morgan sdtrailtreker@yahoo.com

Brian Faylor brianfaylor1@gmail.com

Tom Herberger tomculliganman@ roadrunner.com

Gabriel Cohen gabriel.cohen@ culliganwater.com

CONGRATS AWARD WINNERS

2023 Top Region Awards

HOUSEHOLD

Alan Waters, Calgary AB

COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL N/A

BOTTLED WATER

Mike Rand, ON

DRINKING WATER N/A

HOUSEHOLD

Tim Keith, ME

COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL

Karl Weber, CT

BOTTLED WATER N/A

DRINKING WATER

Dan Spencer, NY

HOUSEHOLD

Timothy Broy, IL

COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL

Jason Leriche, MO

BOTTLED WATER N/A

DRINKING WATER

Lea Hayes, TN

HOUSEHOLD

Frank Scotti, FL

COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL

Doug Schweitzer, OK

BOTTLED WATER

Ron Jackson, FL

DRINKING WATER

Scott Wilks, AZ

HOUSEHOLD

Craig Prange, MI

COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL

Nitinkumar Chauhan, OH

BOTTLED WATER

Frederick Johnson, OH

DRINKING WATER

Chad Friend, OH

HOUSEHOLD

Patrick Bearden, WI

COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL

Dennis Pittsley, WI

BOTTLED WATER N/A

DRINKING WATER

Ven Eastvold, WI

HOUSEHOLD

Jason Prilling, KS

COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL

Mike Boyd, SD

BOTTLED WATER

Scott Hahn, KS

DRINKING WATER

Tony Reiner, MT

HOUSEHOLD

Gary Schneider, CA

COMMERCIAL/INDUSTRIAL

Moses Martinez, CA

BOTTLED WATER

Rick Pinell, CA

DRINKING WATER

Kurt Newman, CA

CONGRATS AWARD WINNERS

2024 Service Awards

5 Year Award

Steven

Bruce Bursch Bemidji MN

Suzanne & John Brown Greensboro NC

Jason Carter Billings MT

Troy Cockerill Cheyenne WY

Tyler Denson San Marcos TX

Adam

Brian Larson Owatonna MN

Brandon Mathison LaCrosse WI

Kris McCall Jacksonville FL

Mark Mitchell Tucson AZ

Harkoff

Erb Tracy Dover OH

Kyle

“A bad day in Nashville is better than a good day anywhere else.”

15

Steven Carew

20 Year Award

Mason City IA

Josh Easton New Bern NC

AJ Jameson Madison WI

Frank Later Anderson IN

Trent Petro

Shelbyville IN

Dan Sutter Sterling CO

CONGRATS AWARD WINNERS

2024 Service Awards

Justin Hurst Santa Maria CA

Steve Gibson Kendallville IN

Adam Melson Kendallville IN

Steve Wardyn Faribault MN

Michael Smith Sedalia MO

Jerry Corle, Sr. Altoona PA

Richard D. Olstad Hot Springs SD

Curt Plooster Chadron NE

William Young Yarmouth ME

Kevin Beavers Seymour IN

Waunda Bravard Missoula MT

Richard Denker Hastings MI

Rob Kitzman Morro Bay CA

Marlene Krumwiede Blythe CA

Randy Leathers Easley SC

Perry Thomas Missoula MT

Larry & Elizabeth Yarlott Yuma AZ

Chet & Annette Look Stockton KS

Robert P. (Bob) Milbert Inver Grove Heights MN

Eric (Ric) Bloohm No. Fond Du Lac WI

Mr. & Mrs. Phil Moon Kingman AZ

Diane Scheopner Goodland KS

Terry Denison Brownwood TX

Jeff McDermott Ottawa IL

Kevin Schlemme Davenport IA

Rhonda Van Dyke Defiance OH

David A. Walker Grand Island NE

Dale Mast Ft. Myers FL

John Packard Minnetonka MN

Edward W. Young, Jr. Yarmouth ME

Philip Stoner Hagerstown MD

Arby Kitzman Morro Bay CA

Owner Rev Incr

Derek

C.R.

“City lights got nothin’ on country nights.”

Top 25 Award

Large Market (200,000+ SFDs)

City State Rev Incr

Calgary AB

759,668

Tucson AZ 578,465

Cheswold DE 1,179,808

Ocala FL 1,210,480

Fort Walton Beach FL 967,712

Daytona Beach FL 680,301

Baton Rouge LA 1,703,168

Wixom MI 1,295,269

Ramsey MN 1,001,393

Minnetonka MN 895,642

Chesterfield MO 1,108,006

Charlotte NC 784,238

LaVista NE 776,679

12/31/2023

Owner General Manager

Culligan Water of Canada

Bob Bailey

Derek Packard Mark Mitchell

DJ & Cindy Shannahan Kelsey Shannahan Esposito

Consolidated Water Group Bob Spera

Consolidated Water Group Steven Thompson

Consolidated Water Group Josh Berryhill

Dale Limbers, Jr. Trey Eppes

C.R. Hall Kris Koudelka

Derek Packard Bill DeBacker

Derek Packard Elias Naatz

Derek Packard Ray Heuer

Kyle Wilent Ryan Sommer

C.R. Hall

Jeff Wright

Don Fuller & John Capone Greg Fredericks

Don Fuller & John Capone Tahnee Ramirez Newburgh

Jamie Sult Cincinnati OH

Nashville TN

Jeff Meyer

Simon Douville Jerome Guimont

Bob McCollum Drew Kiser

Steve Gibson Steve Huck Houston TX

Bob Ruhstorfer

Robert Ruhstorfer Austin TX 1,122,769

San Antonio TX 992,546

Salt Lake City UT 1,192,836

Colchester VT 1,367,154

Culligan Ultrapure Corey Stidham

Bob Boerner & Kristi Stanford Lupe Ledezma

John Firmage Coleson Firmage

Everett Windover Nichole Halse

CONGRATS AWARD WINNERS

Top 25 Award

Wichita KS 1,391,980

Springfield MO 1,304,172

Chico CA 984,181

Joplin MO 848,683

West Reading PA 682,153

Saskatoon SK 516,806

Eau Claire WI

Lowell AR

483,470

463,532

Loves Park IL 462,028

Elmira NY 454,690

Regina SK 424,229

Fort Wayne IN 412,747

Sauk Centre MN 397,151

Sudbury ON

Panama City FL

Waupaca WI 393,679

St. Catharines ON

Green Bay WI

Columbia MO

Geneva IL

Yakima WA

Inver Grove Hts MN

Brampton ON

Belleville ON

West Bend WI

C.R. Hall

C.R. Hall

William Bocast & Clay Farrell

C.R. Hall

G. David Reynolds, III & Debbie Reynolds McGlynn

Lyndon Lesser & Holly Lesser

Bret Tangley

Kirbe Reidel-Jones

Dave Brewer

William Bocast

Jim Graves

David Reynolds

Michelle Callaghan

David Gilbertson

C.R. Hall Scott Chaney

Randy Easton

Derek Packard

Mike Nihan

Charlie Brundza

Jodee Stewart Carmen Szeles

Culligan Ultrapure

Bret Tangley

Culligan Water of Canada

Consolidated Water Group

Brian O'Rourke

Chad Stanwick

Blaine Farrell

Jay Trumbull Sr.

Bret Tangley Jay Pitt

Stephen Langendoen

Alena Metzner

William Schulz

Stephen Tate

WaterCo

Robert P. Milbert

Culligan Water of Canada

Culligan Water of Canada

Derek Packard

Stephen Langendoen

Jason Miller

Stan Scott

Mike Holmes

Jeff Meyer

William Milbert

Monique Dube

Tony Langevin

Craig Brown

CONGRATS AWARD WINNERS

Top 25 Award

Small Market (Under 49,999 SFDs)

City State Rev Incr

Fort Atkinson WI

Lloydminster SK

Blountville TN

Northfield MN

Brantford ON

Anderson IN

Boone IA

Pocatello ID

12/31/2023

Owner

2,225,411

1,648,881

1,350,814

888,260

848,015

771,167

735,291

552,567

Red Deer AB 537,022

Kingston ON

Ottawa IL

Monticello IA

518,449

471,365

459,963

Grand Island NE 449,008

Plainview TX 438,983

Brenham TX

Lenox MA

Coleman MI

Great Falls MT

Americus GA

Winona MN

Sleepy Eye MN

Norfolk NE

Seymour IN

Bemidji MN

Cambridge ON

General Manager

Total Water ESOP AJ Jameson

Robbie Kaschl Shawn Kaschl

Bob McCollum Drew Kiser

Culligan Ultrapure Landon Freeburg

Culligan Water of Canada Ernie Bailey

W. Gordon & David G. Miller

Kevin Gillett

Frank Later

Aaron Gillett

Christian Underwood Blake Jones

Culligan Water of Canada Bob Bailey

Culligan Water of Canada John Conklin

Jerry McDermott Jeff McDermott

Total Water ESOP Shane Bohlken

David Walker Andrew Pedersen

Culligan Ultrapure Larry Hubert

Patrick Ratcliff

WaterCo

Patrick Ratcliff

Paul Duma

Total Water ESOP AJ Jameson

Leslie Malsam Toby Malsam

Consolidated Water Group Curtis Heil

Tim Mueller & Missy Hahm

Dave Cone & Rich Johnson

C.R. Hall

Kevin Beavers

Derek Packard

Culligan Water of Canada

Ken Haley

Angie Dietz

Cody Hellbush

Bruce Bursch

Tina Laurette

CONGRATS AWARD WINNERS

EJ Culligan Award

Small Market (Under 49,999 SFDs)

City State

LaVista NE High - 1

Pocatello ID High - 2

Brantford ON High - 3

Fort Atkinson WI High - 4

Slayton MN High - 5

Wixom MI Medium - 1

Saskatoon SK Medium - 2

Chico CA Medium - 3

Blountville TN Medium - 4

Red Deer AB Medium - 5

Cherokee IA Medium - 6

Nashville TN Low - 1

Baton Rouge LA Low - 2

Yakima WA

Lenox MA

- 3

- 4

C.R. Hall

12/31/2023

General Manager

Jeff Wright

Christian Underwood Blake Jones

Culligan Water of Canada Ernie Bailey / Chris Allum

Total Water ESOP AJ Jameson

Dave Cone & Rich Johnson Susy Dahlke

C.R. Hall

Lyndon & Holly Lesser

William Bocast & Clay Farrell

Kris Koudelka

Michelle Callaghan

William Bocast

Bob McCollum Drew Kiser

Culligan Water of Canada

Donna Burkhardt

Steve Gibson

Bob Bailey / Chris Allum

Blaine Burkhardt

Steve Huck

Dale Limbers, Jr. Trey Eppes

Chris Koch / Jeff Meyer

Paul Duma / Jeff Meyer

COMPELLING REASONS YOUR COMPANY NEEDS A MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

TRACY BROWER, PHD, WORKPLACE INSIGHTS

“85% OF JOB SEEKERS SAY THEY ARE MORE ATTRACTED TO COMPANIES OFFERING MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS.”

You’ve heard about mentoring reskill employees. Best practices in learning and development suggest multiple avenues toward learning are best—from formal classroom learning or online learning to onthe-job learning which occurs when employees roll up sleeves together to complete a project.

Mentoring is another aspect of a robust learning and development program not to be ignored. Fully 81% of respondents in the Express Employment Professionals poll said they offer mentoring as a way to upskill or reskill employees.

Connecting more experienced workers with those who are less seasoned, is a clear way to learn not only the technical aspects of a job, but also the nuances in terms of knowing what is expected, how to interact with customers (internal and external) and how to solve problems which inevitably crop up.

3 – Mentoring Fulfills

Another significant reason to offer mentoring programs is because they enhance satisfaction and fulfillment among employees. When people had positive models for their work, they were more likely to say their work was fulfilling (68% with mentors, compared with 51% without), according to a poll of 4,000 respondents by Gallup and Amazon.

When employees had mentors, they were more likely to have jobs which offered both autonomy and authority and they were more likely to feel good about their work and experience esteem based on their role, according to academic research published in the American Journal of Community Psychology.

Rewarding, fulfilling, and satisfying work are all ingredients for employee retention, performance and happiness—good for people and good for business.

4 – Mentoring Connects

Another benefit of mentoring is that is connects people. More than half—52%—of companies offer mentorship programs to cultivate connections between employees, based on data from Express Employment Professionals.

And when people feel like they matter to others and are important to the community, they are more

expertise based on experience, context, and intuition. Tacit knowledge is uniquely transferred through working together, relationships, discussions, and sharing—all hallmarks of mentorship processes.

6 – Mentoring Acculturates

Another key benefit of mentoring is the ways people learn about culture

Make It Happen

Build a great mentorship process by making it formal and having people volunteer to be both mentors and mentees. Give the program time limits—for example six months or nine months—during which the mentor and mentee will interact.

Provide resources like guidelines or discussion questions for the mentor and mentee to use. And consider

likely to stay with an organization, give more effort, and experience greater happiness.

5 – Mentoring Protects

Mentoring is also a key strategy to protect knowledge within the organization. As significant numbers of employees retire, capturing and protecting their knowledge before they go is critical to a company’s ongoing success. To this end, 41% of companies use mentoring to reduce brain drain and 40% leverage mentoring to keep more senior employees engaged.

All of this speaks to the strategic benefits of knowledge—especially that which is tacit—or unwritten

through a mentoring relationship. Much about culture is invisible— norms, assumptions, and values— and these are often most effectively communicated through a mentor who can model choices, behaviors, and approaches which work best within the organization’s culture. Within a mentoring relationship, people can learn about the organization, and also experience encouragement from a mentor for their own unique contribution. Effective cultures achieve balance between celebrating what the individual brings and ensuring there is a fit to values and behaviors so the person can be effective within the organization.

programs which embrace learning in groups as well as one-on-one and which ensure options for those who are more junior to learn from those who are senior as well as vice versa.

You can also ensure success in a mentorship program by starting small. Establish a pilot program and then gain feedback about what worked and what didn’t, so you can evolve your approach. Try a mentorship program within one department or just for newly hired employees.

The benefits of mentorship programs are so significant that it’s wise to begin now—and build the process as you learn what works best for your organization.

LEADER DEVELOPMENT:

Whose Responsibility Is It?

ERIC LOPEZ, ARROWHEAD LEADERSHIP

A concerning trend is emerging in the business world, illustrated through a baseball analogy. Picture a fly ball soaring between center field and right field…which one will catch it? The right fielder assumes the center fielder will make the catch, while the center fielder believes it’s the right fielder’s responsibility— resulting in the ball dropping between them. This scenario mirrors the current state of leader development in many businesses. In this analogy, Operations represents the centerfielder, HR takes on the role of the right fielder, and the ball symbolizes leader development. Unfortunately, businesses are fumbling the ball. We regularly hear Operations Managers claim, “I am too busy running the company to focus on developing leaders. Leader

development falls under the ‘people’ function, so it’s HR’s responsibility.” Conversely, HR Managers assert, “I am solely accountable for hiring and payroll. Leader development is Operations’ duty.” Consequently, few companies take deliberate action to develop their leaders.

The outcome is frustration among Operations Managers due to the insufficient proficiency and efficiency of junior leaders. HR Managers grapple with a surge in employee issues, and employees express frustration at the lack of personal development.

The solution lies in fostering communication between the outfielders (Operations and HR) and building a purposeful leader development program for the company. However, the organizational emphasis

“THE SOLUTION LIES IN FOSTERING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE OUTFIELDERS (OPERATIONS AND HR).”

on cultivating effective leaders must come from the CEO and executive leadership team. Should the executive leadership team fail to recognize and prioritize leader development, it will not be a priority for operations, HR, or any facet of the organization. The executive team must demonstrate a willingness to allocate time and resources to elevate leader development as a primary concern. This decision is often challenging for executives, as immediate returns to the bottom line are not readily apparent. Nonetheless,

prioritizing leader development will yield substantial dividends for the company over time, as business unit leaders improve their ability to lead their teams resulting in heightened productivity, profitability, and an improved workplace culture that leads to better employee retention.

Here are steps to initiate a leader development program:

• The initial step toward constructing an effective leader development program consists of the executive team specifying the desired values and traits they seek in leaders within their company. This effort is optimally achieved by assembling a planning team comprising employees and leaders from all levels of the organization. Through a few hours of deliberation, the planning team typically identifies 4-6 desired traits. This process holds significant power for two primary reasons. Firstly, it fosters commitment and buy-in across all organizational levels towards these traits, as they actively contributed to their development. Secondly, these traits are bespoke to YOUR organization, embodying the distinctive characteristics of your business.

• The subsequent step in crafting an effective leader development program entails HR incorporating these values into the recruitment, hiring, and onboarding processes. The best approach to nurturing leaders who embody your desired values is to recruit individuals who already exhibit these traits. Subsequently, these new hires should undergo onboarding with a deliberate emphasis on your company’s values. They should be immersed in these traits during their formative onboarding phase,

when they are most receptive.

• The third phase of establishing a leader development program involves collaborative efforts between Operations and HR to devise a training regimen that instills these values in employees and junior leaders. Together, they can devise a relevant training program that seamlessly integrates these values into daily operations. HR managers can then incorporate these values into annual reviews, further underscoring and incentivizing employee focus on these values. Operations managers can reinforce these traits through daily interactions within the workplace.

When the executive team prioritizes this process and HR

and Operations collaborate on these three straightforward steps, companies can make significant strides in developing their leaders and effectively seizing opportunities. While any company can undertake these steps independently, should your company require assistance in this endeavor, Arrowhead Leadership stands ready to offer support. We specialize in guiding companies through this journey, aiding in the formulation of values and the establishment of a sustainable leader development plan poised to drive your company’s success.

If you are interested in learning more, please visit our website at www.arrowhead-leadership.com or reach out to me, Colonel (Retired) Eric Lopez, directly via email at eric@ arrowhead-leadership.com.

Avoid the Liabilities That Come With Water Leaks

ABS Introduces Brand New Atlantis

In the coming months, American Business Systems (ABS) is announcing BRAND NEW DMS Atlantis feature enhancements. These enhancements include a few of the following:

• Web based so expanded access for remote users

• Texting capabilities

• Enhanced dashboard options

• New look and feel of user interface

• API connection into select GL programs

• HTML capabilities for email with logos and links

• Additional contact information

• Expanded service notes

• Additional user security with enhancements

We are very excited to share this information with you at the upcoming 2024 CDANA Convention & Product Fair. Please be sure to stop by our booth. In the meantime, if you have questions, please contact John Jadrich at 866-367-1192 or johnsjadrich@ abscorp.com.

PERFORMANCE DASHBOARD EXAMPLE

SERVICE CALENDAR

CUSTOMER EXAMPLE

75th Anniversary of Meredith Culligan Water

In 1947, which was soon after William “Bill” Meredith returned from the European theater of WWII, the Culligan Soft Water Service Company of Union Grove was founded. Bill purchased a franchise from Emmett Culligan for $1.00 consideration. The initial finances to start the business included money won in Black Jack games in Northern Africa during the war and money given to Bill from his mother. She was a patient and supportive mother in many ways, considering the fact that the business was operated out of her basement on Main Street until close to 1960, over 10 years. There remains evidence today of Bill’s regeneration drains in the concrete of that home on Main Street.

The business continued to grow in the Racine and Union Grove areas and in 1963, Bill purchased the adjoining Culligan franchise to the North, which covered to nearly downtown Milwaukee. For a number of years, there were two offices-one in Union Grove and one in West Allis, then later in Hales Comers.

In 1968, Bill expanded again and purchased the majority of the area of the Kenosha Culligan franchise. After that expansion, the Union Grove location became the hub for the entire operation. Eventually, both the Milwaukee and Kenosha physical locations were merged into the Union Grove area.

On January 1 of 1986, Bill’s son, Don purchased the business and Bill at least theoretically, retired. Don had worked doing various jobs while growing up and returned to the business after being in large corporation work out of college. In 2014, Don’s son, Luke also joined the. company, making him the third generation of Meredith family operating the business.

William “Bill” Meredith next to his 1937 Ford Pickup

Did You Know?

With unemployment rates hovering around 3.7% nationally, the latest buzz phrase in the HR world is “The Big Stay.” That’s right, after “The Great Resignation” made headlines during and just after the Pandemic, we are now seeing a tighter labor market in which workers are less likely to jump ship in search of a better opportunity elsewhere. It could also mean that more employers have made adjustments to entice workers to remain in their jobs – offering more flexibility to work from home at least part of the work week, providing

training initiatives, and rethinking traditional approaches to hiring.

HR Trend #1: Creative Training Initiatives

The final wave of Baby Boomers (the youngest of whom are turning 60 in 2024) are retiring, leaving behind them a dearth of institutional knowledge and a gap in managerready talent. As a result, CEO’s and thought leaders are creating new initiatives for training the younger members of the workforce.

“Learning and development” is a top desire expressed by Millennials and Gen Z alike. They want internal talent mobility opportunities and manager pipelines that center on social activities, peer interactions, collaborative projects and mentoring, and remaining true to DEI expectation. Business

leaders need to do more to work with educational institutions to bridge the gap between a student mindset and a work-ready young adult. Skills-based hiring, using alternative channels to identify talent pools, is still a good approach to hiring. Relying on new training initiatives (especially mentoring) may just be the key to helping these younger workers adjust to work life expectations. It’s always all about effective communication.

HR Trend #2: Managing A Return To Office (RTO)

Younger workers particularly have adjusted quite well to working remotely, often citing the flexibility that such arrangements offer them and their families. With many companies now mandating RTO, workers are left feeling uncertain about expectations and requirements. It’s important for CEOs to send clear messages on performance management, being able to react quickly to signs of burnout, offering constructive feedback, and promoting the use of EAP’s and other wellness resources. Think about how to offset the additional expenses that workers may face when required to work in office versus at home: meals, childcare, commute, and pet care for example.

HR

Trend #3: New Approaches To Hiring

We often hear from business executives and managers that they prefer hiring older workers because younger workers “just don’t get it”. We hear complaints that range from their lack of eye contact, dressing inappropriately, being late for meetings, failing to meet deadlines, and an attitude of entitlement.

IBWA Responds to Nanoparticle Imaging Study

ALEXANDRIA, VA, USA – The International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) has had very limited notice and time to review this new study closely and therefore, we cannot provide a detailed response at this time.

This new study by Columbia University researchers Qian, et. al, used bottled water to apparently demonstrate a new method for nanoplastics analysis due to a lack of currently available methods. This new method needs to be fully reviewed by the scientific community and more research needs to be done to develop standardized methods for measuring and quantifying nanoplastics in our environment.

There currently is both a lack of standardized methods and no scientific consensus on the potential health impacts of nano- and microplastic particles. Therefore, media reports about these particles in drinking water do nothing more than unnecessarily scare consumers.

Nanoplastics has joined microplastics as a topic garnering a lot of attention from the media. While many of the studies on microplastics (and now nanoparticles) have mentioned bottled water, it is important to note that bottled water is just one of thousands of food and beverage products packaged in plastic containers. Moreover, and perhaps even more important, nanoand microplastic particles are found in all aspects of our environment – soil, air, and water.

For more information about why researchers use water to explore testing methods, see the second cited research study below by Ossmann, B. E. (https://doi.org/10.1016/J. COFS.2021.02.011) After reviewing the available studies concerning water, food, and beverages, the World Health Organization (WHO) concluded that no adverse health effects could be drawn from dietary exposure to nanoand microplastic particles less than 10 microns due to minimal scientific research. WHO’s recommendation is for more research to be conducted, as well as establishing standardized methods for measuring and quantifying nano and microplastics. (Source: “Dietary and inhalation exposure to nano- and microplastic particles and potential implications for human health.” Geneva: World Health Organization; 2022. https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/ha ndle/10665/362049/9789240054608-eng.pdf.)

Because there is no scientific evidence to suggest that nano- and microplastic particles pose a health risk, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not issued any regulations concerning these substances in foods and beverages. Any regulatory action concerning nano- and

microplastic particles would need to be based on sound science, including demonstrating a correlation between the levels of this substance found in foods and beverages and any potential adverse health effects.

Bottled water, as a packaged food product, is strictly and comprehensively regulated by FDA. All bottled water products are produced utilizing a multi-barrier approach. From source to finished product, a multi-barrier approach helps prevent possible harmful contamination to the finished product as well as storage, production, and transportation equipment. Many of the steps in a multibarrier system are effective in safeguarding bottled water

Because there is no scientific evidence to suggest that nanoand microplastic particles pose a health risk, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not issued any regulations concerning these substances in food and beverages.

from microbiological and other contamination. Measures in a multi-barrier approach may include one or more of the following: source protection, source monitoring, reverse osmosis, distillation, micro-filtration, carbon filtration, ozonation, and ultraviolet (UV) light.

As always, the bottled water industry is committed to providing consumers with the safest and highest quality products and we are following any scientific developments on this subject closely.

Background Studies

1. “Development and application of a health-based framework for informing regulatory action in relation to exposure of microplastic particles in California drinking water.” Microplastics and Nanoplastics 2022 2:1, 2(1), 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1186/S43591-02200030-6

This publication discusses the outcome of a virtual expert workshop conducted between October 2020 and October 2021 in which a comprehensive review of mammalian hazard studies was conducted. A key

“… WHILE IT WAS POSSIBLE TO DERIVE A CONSERVATIVE SCREENING LEVEL TO INFORM MONITORING ACTIVITIES, IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO EXTRAPOLATE A HUMAN–HEALTH-BASED THRESHOLD VALUE FOR MICROPLASTICS, WHICH IS LARGELY DUE TO CONCERNS REGARDING THE RELATIVE QUALITY AND RELIABILITY OF CURRENT DATA, BUT ALSO DUE TO THE INABILITY TO EXTRAPOLATE DATA FROM STUDIES USING MONODISPERSE PLASTIC PARTICLES, SUCH AS POLYSTYRENE SPHERES TO AN ENVIRONMENTALLY RELEVANT EXPOSURE OF MICROPLASTICS.”

objective of this assessment was to evaluate the feasibility and confidence in deriving a human healthbased threshold value to inform development of the State of California’s monitoring and management strategy for microplastics in drinking water.

Abstract: “… While it was possible to derive a conservative screening level to inform monitoring activities, it was not possible to extrapolate a human–health-based threshold value for microplastics, which is largely due to concerns regarding the relative quality and reliability of current data, but also due to the inability to extrapolate data from studies using monodisperse plastic particles, such as polystyrene spheres to an environmentally relevant exposure of microplastics.”

2. “Microplastics in drinking water? Present state of knowledge and open questions,” by Ossmann, B. E. (2021), published in Current Opinion in Food Science, 41, 44–51 (https://doi.org/10.1016/J. COFS.2021.02.011)— discusses why researchers use water to develop their testing methods suggesting that water is the easiest food matrix to analyze.

“However, by the use of various analytical methods with different reliability of the produced results, it is difficult, if not impossible, to compare the results. The same applies to the studies on MPs [microplastics] in other food, on which studies are still rare. Thus, classifying the results in an overall context is complicated. Compared to other foodstuff, obviously more studies have been published on MPs in drinking water. This fact is not implicitly related to the abundance and relevance of MPs in drinking water,

but to the fact that water is the simplest food matrix to analyze for MPs. Consequently, estimations of the total intake of MPs by humans based on the available results should be made with care. Especially conclusions that drinking water may represent one major route for the oral intake of MPs are not justified.”

This study also raised caution regarding any study’s analytical methods: “Studies on MPs using analytical methods, which are not acknowledged, should no longer be published. Furthermore, scientists and ideally journalists should have a critical look on applied methods before trusting in the results of studies. Instead, harmonized methods for the reliable quantification of MPs in drinking water and other food should be developed and defined. These must at least allow for a clear identification of MPs and should include the smallest reachable size class, since if not, MP amounts might be underestimated. Furthermore, adequate measures to avoid and control sample contamination must be applied. This is the only way to determine the actual total MP intake by humans and consequently, to assess potential risks associated with it.”

For more information go to www.bottledwater.org

Stenseng Distributing Inc.

2026 WQA Convention set for Miami Beach

EVENT TO BE HELD APRIL 28-30, 2026 - MIAMI BEACH, FLA. CONVENTION CENTER

LISLE, IL, USA – The 2026 Water Quality Association Convention & Exposition will be held in Miami Beach, Fla., the association has announced. The 53rd annual convention will bring more than 3,000 water treatment dealers, manufacturers, and consultants from around the world to the Miami Beach Convention Center April 28-30, 2026.

“The state-of-the-art Convention Center is exceptional, and it is a wonderful venue for our event,” said WQA Events Director Angie Silberhorn, CMP. “Miami Beach provides convenient travel, particularly for our international attendees, with two international airports within miles.”

A variety of hotels will be available in WQA’s Convention block for all budgets and preferences, including some right on the 35-mile stretch of beach for which the area is famous. The area’s year-round average temperature is in the mid-70s.

Hundreds of eclectic dining, shopping, and entertainment options, plus the famous Ocean Drive, are within a mile of the convention center. With the 2025 Convention scheduled for Long Beach, California, WQA

The Healthy H2O Act

Small drinking water systems are the backbone of America and a vital part of America’s infrastructure, serving as a lifeline to many communities across the country. Nearly 43 million individuals rely on groundwater delivered from private wells; EPA estimates there are over 145,000 active public water systems in the United States (including territories). Of these, 97% are considered small systems, serving 10,000 or fewer people. While larger water systems often receive more attention and resources, small and rural water systems play a critical role in meeting the drinking water needs of many communities.

The Healthy H2O Act (S. 806 /H.R. 1721) places a spotlight on small communities and would address a gap in federal investments in drinking water in rural communities. By providing grants directly to an individual to conduct water quality testing and the purchase, installation, and maintenance of third-party certified POU or POE water treatment systems that remove or reduce health-based contaminants from drinking water, the Healthy H2O Act grant program bridges a gap by

will be able to continue alternating East Coast and West Coast convention locations for maximum benefit for North American members.

WQA’s annual Convention & Exposition is the most comprehensive annual gathering of water treatment professionals in North America. Education sessions are offered on all three days, and the two-day exposition displays the latest products and services in residential, commercial, and industrial water treatment.

WQA is marking 50 years (1974-2024) as a not-forprofit trade association representing the residential, commercial, and industrial water treatment industry. WQA’s education and professional certification programs have been providing industry-standardized training and credentialing since 1977. The WQA Gold Seal certification program has been certifying products that contribute to the safe consumption of water since 1959. The WQA Gold Seal program is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Standards Council of Canada (SCC). WQA publishes a consumer-friendly website, BetterWaterToday.org

For more information, go to wqa.org

increasing accessibility to rural communities to have the resources they need to identify and reduce health contaminants in their drinking water.

According to the EPA’s Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) data, between 2008 and 2018, 2,720 small community water systems experienced at least one maximum contaminant level (MCL) violation, with a total of 31,127 MCL violations reported. Of those violations, 68% occurred in very small systems providing water to less than five people, many of which were chronic violations.

The Healthy H2O Act embodies a cost-effective method to address drinking water contaminants in rural communities by providing a more affordable and easy-to-maintain system. Increasing access to drinking water solutions including testing and tools like thirdparty certified water filtration systems can play a crucial role in helping small drinking water systems and rural communities provide safer and healthier drinking water to their residents. For more information on the Healthy H2O Act visit wqa.org/HealthyH2O.

WRF Seeks Pre-proposals for High-Priority Utility Research

DENVER, CO, USA – The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is now accepting pre-proposals for its matching research program, the Tailored Collaboration Program. The Tailored Collaboration Program provides an opportunity for WRF subscribers to partner with WRF on projects that address issues of interest to a significant subgroup of subscribers. The projects will focus on various high-priority One Water research topics, including disinfection in distribution systems, emerging contaminants, spectral imaging of algal blooms, potable reuse, source water quality, and more. Through this program, WRF subscribers can receive up to $150,000 in matching funds for their projects.

“The Tailored Collaboration Program is a wonderful way for subscribers to leverage their funds,” said Dr. Kenan Ozekin, WRF Research Unit Leader. “It also helps utilities meet their individual research needs to enhance the key water services they provide to their customers.”

The program utilizes a competitive, two-step application process. Pre-proposals are currently being accepted and must be sponsored by a WRF subscribing utility. WRF’s Tailored Collaboration Review Committee will select a short list of applicants to submit full proposals. Applications are reviewed based on topic breadth and applicability, originality, technical approach, budget, management plan, and qualifications of key personnel. Pre-proposals are due by 5:00 PM ET on June 3, 2024.

To learn more about the Tailored Collaboration Program, visit WRF’s website. If you have questions about the program, please contact Dr. Kenan Ozekin, Research Unit Leader, at kozekin@waterrf.org or 303.734.3464.

Flood Buzz™ Pro: Water Leak Alarm

HELPS CULLIGAN DEALERS PROTECT THEIR BUSINESS

Short Hills, NJ, USA – Flood Buzz™ Pro is an easy-touse, low-cost, patented, loud and effective water leak alarm designed to help Culligan Dealers protect their business by alerting to unintended water leaks before the leak causes any costly damages. Flood Buzz™ Pro can be personalized with affixing a label with a company name and contact information right on the unit.

Flood Buzz has been in use for over a decade by water treatment professionals and has saved contractors millions of dollars by averting potential liabilities. It is an inexpensive protection device that may even help reduce insurance premiums by demonstrating improved company exposure performance.

Flood Buzz™ Pro has an internal battery – so once it is placed near a recently installed water appliance, it will sound an alert to a water leak condition when water touches the two prongs on the bottom of the product. Just place the Flood Buzz at any potential leak location.

As a marketing tool, the Flood Buzz™ Pro provides contractors with an effective CRM strategy – customers are grateful that contractors proactively help manage potentially damaging water leaks. The Flood Buzz™ Pro delivers a cost-effective marketing advantage for all service-based companies.

Learn more at www.FloodBuzzPro.com.

Flood Buzz™Pro is a patented, low-cost, easy-to-use water-leak alarm that warns of impending leaks. Flood Buzz™ Pro will sound an up to 110 dB alarm when water touches the two prongs on the bottom.

Flood Buzz™ Pro is manufactured and distributed by NJ-based Archetype Ltd. For more information call us at 1-866-4 FLOOD BUZZ.

2, 5, 17, 29 American Business

Systems, Inc.

155 Revere Drive, Suite 7

Northbrook, IL 60002

847.291.1590

Fax: 847.291.0004

Sales@abscorp.com www.abscorp.com

16 Aqua Finance

One Corporate Drive

Suite 300, PO Box 844 Wausau, WI 54402-0844 rpertl@aquafinance.com www.aquafinance.com

53 Flood Buzz 11 Hawthorne Road Short Hills, NJ 07078 973.986 3698

josh@archetypeltd.com www.floodbuzz.com

37 Fusion Digital 9727 Antioch Road #13522

Overland Park, KS 66282-3522

347.464.9077

ronen@heyfusionman.com heyfusionman.com

63 CDANA 625 West Market Street Salinas, CA 93901 512.894.4106

Jennifer@jsjproductionsinc.com www.cdana.org

55 Mickey Truck Bodies

Forrest Howard 1305 Trinity Avenue High Point, NC 27261 336-803-3387

fhoward@mickeybody.com www.mickeybody.com

57 Parker Plastics 8201 109th, Suite 200 Pleasant Prairie Street Suite 200 616.856.6011

jmcnally@parkerplastics.net www.parker-plastics.com

56 Reserve Filter Systems

2146 Enterprise Parkway Twinsburg, OH 44087

330.425.8668 / 1.800.553.2777

Fax: 800.363.9091 info@reservefilter.com www.reservefilter.com

51 Steelhead 13022 Moursund Boulevard San Antonio, TX 78221

800.966.7471

Fax: 210.628.1818 sales@steelheadinc.com www.steelheadinc.com

59 Stenseng Distributing, Inc. P.O. Box 1029 San Benito, TX 78586

800.526.9837

Fax: 956.399.1785 tstenseng@h2orgv.com www.stensengdistributing.com

32-33 UNCO Data Systems, Inc. 6030 Culligan Way, Suite B Minnetonka, MN 55345

952.908.2222 800.554.8658

Fax: 952.908.2230 info@uncodata.com www.uncodata.com

64 United Salt Corp. 4800 San Felipe Houston, TX 77056

713.877.2600

Fax: 713.877.2664 bwhite@unitedsalt.com www.unitedsalt.com

The Choice of Power for the Culligan Dealer in 1937

Special Opportunity to donate $100 or more to Culligan Cares and received your very own replica and special piece of our history!

ENGINEERED FOR SUCCESS