2017 CFPA Annual General Meeting

Blending Influential Keynote Speakers, Fabulous Dining, and Exciting Team-Building Exercises

The Canadian Fluid Power Association (CFPA) is a membership of Canadian companies committed to the development of fluid power technology in the North. The CFPA is a non-profit association of manufacturers and distributors that focuses on relevant industry insight, communication, and resources to its members to support their continued growth and development. The CFPA strives to further the fluid power industry as a whole with a focus on education, market insight, fluid power careers, and industry cooperation.

The CFPA Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held from May 31-June 2 at the Deerhurst Resort in Huntsville, Ontario. Although most of the business conducted at the meeting is related to the functions required to run the Association, there were some changes to the Board worthy of mention:

• John Lamb, the previous, long-time chairman of the Board, had recently resigned, leaving his position open. Frank Pirri, Flodraulic sales and product manager, as well as current director of education, was filling in as interim chairperson. With a unanimous vote, Pirri was elected as permanent CFPA chair, which now leaves his seat in education open.
• The Association has been without a vice-chair for some time, but running for the position was Caryes Allan, vice president of Higginson Equipment, herself with seats on multiple CFPA committees. Just as with Pirri, Allan was unanimously voted in, and she now sits as the vice-chair of the CFPA.
• Also voted to the Board of Directors was Kevin O’Doherty, business development manager at Sunsource.

The CPFA strives to promote education, leadership, and the industry’s economic outlook, demonstrated in its lineup of keynote speakers to inspire, educate, and enlighten. Presentation topics included leadership, risk management as a way to reduce accidents and economic risk, the most current fluid power economic data, the impact of Industry 4.0 in the fluid power industry, and how social media can influence profitability.

The AGM blended business, networking, and social events, including golf, a BBQ lunch, the annual dinner, and a mixology competition where attendees teamed up to put together a series of cocktails.

The next CFPA Annual General Meeting will be held at the Thousand Islands region of Ontario, splitting the difference between Toronto and Montreal. Fluid power industry professionals, both inside and outside of Canada, are encouraged to attend. For more information, contact CFPA Manager Trish Torrance at 905-844-6822 or info@cfpa.ca. Visit www.cfpa.ca.

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