Schedule-at-a-Glance

See preliminary sessions below. Schedule, descriptions, and speakers coming soon!

7:00 am – 4:00 pm

Registration Open

8:00 am – 3:30 pm

***Pre-Conference Program***

VMA’s Valve Basics Seminar (Separate Registration Required.) 

Valve Basics provides an overview of valves, valve actuators and valve automation, and how they are used in various applications. This 3/4-day program will include Valve Basics presentations from the 101 and 201 content, as well as feature time for the attendee-favorite “valve petting zoo”. Attendees of this event are invited to stay for the Valve Forum Opening General Session and Networking Reception with Exhibitors. 

12:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Optional Industry Tour for Valve Forum Attendees (Ticketed Event)

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Valve Forum Opening General Session (Joint with Valve Basics Seminar Attendees)

5:00 pm – 6:30 pm

Welcome Networking Reception with Exhibitors (Joint with Valve Basics Seminar Attendees)

7:30 am – 8:30 am

Continental Breakfast with Exhibitors

8:30 am – 11:20 am

Morning Programming

11:30 am – 2:00 pm

Networking Lunch in with Exhibitors

2:00 pm – 5:10 pm

Afternoon Programming w/ Networking Break

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Networking Night Out (Ticketed Event)

7:00 am – 8:00 am

Continental Breakfast

8:00 am – 11:50 am

Morning Programming

Session Tracks

Valve Forum features specialized learning tracks designed to provide in-depth knowledge tailored to your industry needs.

Technical Icon

Technical

Developed for experienced technical and engineering personnel working with valves and related products.

Business Management Icon

Business Management

Covering marketing & management topics specific to the valve industry to help those in various business roles contribute to a successful company.

Manufacturing Icon

Manufacturing Ops & Repair

Ideal for those who work or supervise the production and assembly process in their company or work in valve repair.

Schedule-at-a-Glance

Click the session title to view description and speaker details. 

Please Note: Program is subject to change. 

7:00 am – 4:00 pm

Registration Open

8:00 am – 3:30 pm

The Valve Basics Seminar provides an overview of valves, valve actuators and valve automation, and how they are used in various applications. This 3/4-day program will include Valve Basics presentations from the 101 and 201 content, as well as feature time for the attendee-favorite “valve petting zoo”. Attendees of this event are invited to stay for the Valve Forum Opening General Session and Networking Reception with Exhibitors. 

12:00 pm – 3:00 pm

Join fellow Valve Forum attendees for a local facility tour before the event officially kicks off. Full details coming soon.  

4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Open to Valve Basics and Valve Forum attendees, the panel will discuss what they see are among the biggest opportunities and challenges in the valve industry today including AI, global trade, automation, workforce challenges, and more.

5:00 pm – 6:30 pm

The exhibits area officially opens with drinks and appetizers for all Valve Basics and Valve Forum attendees. It will be the first of many opportunities to network, learn more from exhibitors and sponsors, and participate in activities and games.  

7:30 am – 8:30 am

Continental Breakfast with Exhibitors

8:00 am – 8:50 am

HEIGH HO, IT’S (STILL) OFF TO WORK WE GO— The water and wastewater market has been relishing a multi-year run of double-digit growth propelled by a massive infusion of federal investment from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and other programs. In Disney’s iconic animated feature film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the little men memorably sang “It ain’t no trick to get rich quick” as they merrily went to work. A similar refrain was heard around companies in the water and wastewater field as they delivered highly successful business results.

 

But what now?? With the flow of dollars from DC either already ended or sunsetting, does the market still hold attractive promise and potential? We will examine how such forces and factors as the big picture economy, government policy and regulation, water availability, technology advancements, workforce issues and other trends will make an impact going forward and will offer a glimpse of what the future may hold for a market of significant importance to the valve industry.

 

Presented by: Tom Decker, Owner, Thomas E. Decker Consulting

 

Retired from corporate life, Tom Decker now heads up Thomas E. Decker Consulting, LLC and provides market strategy and business management expertise to water and wastewater sector companies, organizations, and utilities. Prior to founding his consulting firm Tom worked in leadership positions for Brown and Caldwell, CH2M HILL, Parsons Corporation; and as partner and director of marketing for the Infrastructure Business of Black & Veatch. During his engagement in the water and wastewater field, he has led worldwide and national business development operations; directed numerous growth initiatives including geographic expansions as well as mergers and acquisitions; facilitated planning efforts for water and wastewater utilities; served as program manager for large capital improvement programs; and operated wastewater treatment plants.

8:30 am – 9:20 am

A growing trend in the nuclear industry is the adoption of gas-charged hydraulic actuators as a next-generation solution for valve control, driven by their superior performance and reliability compared to traditional metallic coil spring designs. These actuators deliver significantly higher thrust and torque output while minimizing weight and space claim—an essential benefit for containment-constrained environments. Fully self-contained and requiring only electrical power, they eliminate the need for plant pressure supply, enabling simplified installation and true “plug-and-play” functionality. 

 

Nuclear-qualified and designed for up to 60 years of service life, these actuators feature integral nitrogen storage for fail-safe operation, rapid stroke times, and variable speed control. Currently deployed on linear Main Steam Isolation Valves (MSIVs) and Feedwater Isolation Valves (FIVs), development is underway to extend their use to ball valve applications. Their growing adoption reflects a broader trend in the nuclear market toward compact, high-performance, and maintenance-efficient actuation solutions.

 

Presented by: Brianna McKee, Product Manager, Trillium

 

Brianna McKee serves as the Product Manager for the Hiller brand at Trillium Flow Technologies, where she leads nuclear equipment qualification initiatives and drives the growth and modernization of Hiller’s valve actuator product line.

Brianna holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. She began her career in the nuclear industry in 2022 as a design engineer, quickly developing a strong foundation in safety-related actuation systems. Her expertise led her into an R&D engineering role focused on advancing and expanding the Hiller product portfolio.

Now, with a year of product management experience, Brianna bridges engineering, qualification, and customer needs to ensure Hiller’s actuators meet the demanding requirements of nuclear applications. Her work centers on innovation, reliability, and lifecycle performance – all critical to the future of safety-related actuation technology.

9:30 am – 10:20 am

The development of the new AWWA C5ZZ Triple Offset Valve Standard represents a significant advancement in defining performance expectations for high-integrity isolation valves used in water industry applications. Triple Offset Butterfly Valves (TOVs) have historically been referenced within the AWWA C519 High-Performance Butterfly Valve Standard; however, during the most recent C519 revision cycle, it became clear that TOVs differ fundamentally from the single-offset and double-offset butterfly valves traditionally covered under C519. These differences extend beyond geometry and sealing mechanics to include materials of construction, pressure class capabilities, and applicable testing requirements.

Unlike single- and double-offset valves, which may be manufactured from ductile iron per the current C519 provisions, Triple Offset Valves require metallic construction—typically carbon steel, stainless steel, or cast steel—to achieve the high-temperature, high-pressure, and zero-leakage performance expected of this design. Their pressure ratings exceed the limits of existing AWWA valve standards, necessitating alignment with the more rigorous pressure classes and qualification testing defined in API 598, the industry standard governing Triple Offset Valves.

The proposed AWWA C5ZZ standard will establish a dedicated framework for TOV design, materials, performance criteria, and testing requirements, ensuring that these valves are specified and evaluated according to their unique characteristics rather than being adapted into standards intended for lower-pressure, ductile-iron-based butterfly valve designs. This new standard will provide clarity for manufacturers, utilities, and engineers while supporting the broader adoption of Triple Offset Valve technology in water system applications.

 

Presented by: Steve Carpenter, BK Valves & Equipment

 

Steve Carpenter is a water-industry professional with more than 40 years of experience spanning municipal utilities, inspection services, and manufacturing. His career has been defined by hands-on technical expertise, leadership in standards development, and a deep commitment to improving the reliability and performance of critical water infrastructure.


Steve’s industry background includes key roles with San Diego County Water Authority, Wachs Water Service/Pure Technologies and B&K Valves & Equipment, where he spent the past six years supporting valve technologies, field services, and system performance solutions for utilities across the region.
A recognized leader within the American Water Works Association (AWWA), Steve has contributed extensively to the development of industry standards. He serves as a member of multiple AWWA standards committees and has held several chair positions, including:
• C519 High-Performance Butterfly Valves
• C5ZZ Triple Offset Butterfly Valves
• M67 Manual of Practice – Electric Actuators
Through decades of field experience and standards leadership, Steve continues to help shape best practices that support safe, efficient, and resilient water systems.

This presentation examines advanced coating technologies for extending component life and improving performance in severe service applications across petrochemical, chemical processing, power generation, and mining industries. High-Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) thermal spray coatings apply hard materials—including metallic alloys (nickel, cobalt, titanium), carbides (tungsten carbide, chromium carbide), and composite materials—onto substrates at high velocities, creating dense, wear-resistant protective layers. Ceramic coatings such as chromium oxide (Cr₂O₃) and titanium dioxide (TiO₂) offer exceptional wear and corrosion resistance for valve components, with chromium oxide providing superior performance in acidic and alkaline environments at elevated temperatures, while titanium dioxide delivers biocompatible, chemically inert protection for specialized applications. Bond coatings including tantalum and Hastelloy serve as critical intermediate layers, ensuring strong adhesion and enhanced corrosion resistance in highly aggressive chemical environments. The presentation also addresses traditional hard chrome plating methods, comparing their benefits and limitations against modern HVOF alternatives, particularly regarding environmental considerations and performance in thermal cycling conditions.

 

Components operating in severe service environments face extreme challenges including abrasive wear, erosion, corrosion, thermal degradation, and high mechanical stress. These advanced coating solutions address these challenges through exceptional wear resistance, corrosion protection, and high-temperature performance. Through repair case studies demonstrating restoration of damaged valve components, the presentation illustrates how these coating technologies extend asset life as cost-effective alternatives to replacement, minimizing downtime and operational costs while maximizing equipment reliability in challenging industrial environments.

 

Presented by: Kelly Songer, Director of Valve Services, Precision Spray & Coatings

 

Kelly is a 3rd generation industrial manufacturer with 20 years of experience. In 2016 she was featured in a cover story as a ‘Legacy Leader’ by the National Association of Manufacturers, and in 2017 she was honored with the ‘Service Award’ by the Valve Manufacturers Association of America.

A description of the forces shaping the oil and gas valve industry landscape in 2026 and beyond — from macroeconomic trends to the outlook for activity and supply chain dynamics

 

Presented by: John Spears, President, Spears and Associates Inc.

 

John Spears, President of Spears and Associates, has over 45 years of experience conducting market research on products and services used in the drilling, completion, production and pipeline sectors of the global petroleum industry for clients including oilfield service firms, operators, and financial institutions.  He is the director of the firm’s forecasting activities, author of the Drilling and Production Outlook and several of the firm’s market segment reports

10:30 am – 11:20 am

As manufacturing enters a new era of digital transformation, the role of the frontline worker is being redefined. In this session, we will explore how augmented intelligence— powered by augmented reality (AR) and AI machine vision— is enabling a new generation of connected workers across factory floors, data centers, logistics hubs, and other environments. 

 

Presented by: LightGuide

Description coming soon. 

 

Presented by: N.K. Gupta, Vice President of Strategy, Cornerstone Valve

Industrial buyers don’t need another quote – they need a better conversation
But most reps respond too quickly, rely on technical knowledge, and fall into the price-driven traps – just like their competition. In this practical, fast-paced session, we’ll break the buyer-seller dance that keeps even experienced reps stuck in reactive selling. You’ll learn how to slow the process, uncover what’s really driving the decision, and establish equal business stature with buyers who prefer to control the conversation. Using frameworks like KARE and BAT, you’ll learn how to be more strategic and intentional. You’ll learn how to take control without being pushy and why qualifying hard makes closing easy.

 

Presented by: Robin Greene, President, Ascend Performance, Inc., powered by Sandler

 

Robin Green is the President and Owner of Ascend Performance, Inc., an award-winning Sandler Performance Center in Richmond, VA. He works with industrial sales companies throughout the United States to simplify their sales processes, strengthen team performance, and implement reliable, repeatable systems across sales, leadership, and customer engagement.

 

Drawing on a decade of working with technical sellers, engineers, and industrial distributors, Robin helps organizations break out of reactive, price-driven selling. His clients include pump and flow-control companies and engineered product firms, many of whom have doubled their sales growth or transformed their sales culture through his programs.

11:30 am – 2:00 pm

Roundtables and Networking Lunch with Exhibitors

2:00 pm – 2:50 pm

Description coming soon. 

 

Presented by: Kurt Christianson, Manager, Business Development, Curtiss-Wright

 

Kurt Christianson, PE, has worked in fossil power, oil, and gas delivering valve solutions for critical applications for over 25 years. Since 2005, Kurt has worked in nuclear power exclusively, delivering engineered solutions to address obsolescence, plant life extensions, and new construction. In 2021, Kurt began supporting advanced reactors across multiple platforms as a Program Manager at Curtiss-Wright Nuclear.

Reliability is a cornerstone of valve and automation performance in critical applications yet quantifying it can be challenging. This session will explore industry-wide approaches to measuring product reliability, including accelerated life testing, Weibull analysis, field failure data aggregation, and predictive maintenance modeling. Attendees will gain insights into how manufacturers and end-users can collaborate to define meaningful reliability metrics, interpret failure modes, and use data to drive continuous improvement. The presentation will also touch on emerging standards and how digital tools are reshaping reliability engineering.

 

Presented by: Mitchell Anderson, Vice President of Global Quality, Bray International

 

Mitch Anderson currently works for Bray International in Houston, TX holding the title of VP, Global Quality, Manufacturing & Sustainability. He is a valve and actuator industry veteran of over 15 years, acting in engineering, manufacturing, quality assurance, and IT roles. Mr. Anderson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Technology from Texas A&M University and is currently pursuing an Executive MBA degree at Texas A&M University.

3:00 pm – 3:50 pm

Validating computational mechanics models is essential to ensure the accuracy and reliability of simulations. This presentation will describe how to calibrate the numerical model with test data and scale it to other sizes and material combinations. The first case study evaluates a valve’s flow capacity by comparing lab test results with CFD, examining correlations, scalability considerations to different valve sizes, and potential simplifications. The second case study focuses on the thermal analysis of valves in high-temperature and cryogenic applications. This presentation will share a novel and reliable technique for constructing a robust computational model. The method offers a clear understanding of the model’s limitations while ensuring accurate results. 

 

Presented by: Jonathon Marta, Engineering Manager, Bray International, Inc.

 

Jonathon studied mechanical engineering at the University of Houston and has added great value to Bray over the past 10 years. Starting as a design engineer on the High-Performance Butterfly Valve (HPBV) sustaining engineering and rapid response team, Jonathon quickly turned into a finite element analysis and computational fluid dynamics expert. Further, Jonathon helped lead the development of Bray’s U.S. Navy qualified HPBV product line. Later, Jonathon was the Program Manager for Bray’s core product line expansion into the European chemical market. Today, Jonathon leads a team of engineers for Bray’s triple-offset butterfly valve, Tri Lok™.

Presented by: Nicholas Peluso, Valmet Valve Technology Center Supervisor, Valmet

 

 

Description coming soon.

3:50 am – 4:20 pm

Networking & Dessert with Exhibitors 

4:20 pm – 5:10 pm

This session presents the design and performance evaluation of the a high-performance metal-seated butterfly valve, engineered for extreme temperature applications up to 900°C in industrial gas and power generation systems. Attendees will gain insight into innovative sealing technologies, material selection strategies, and torque control mechanisms that enhance valve integrity under severe thermal and pressure conditions. Supported by testing data and industrial case studies, the session will highlight practical approaches to optimizing reliability, sealing performance, and operational longevity in demanding process environments

 

Presented by: Dr. Thandukwazi Bhungane, Group Economist & Research Analyst, Two Roads Trading; Elmo Moore, Technical Key Accounts Manager, Two Roads Trading

To optimize and extend the runtime of control valves the most common method is a robust and consistent maintenance program that includes inspection, cleaning, lubrication, replacing worn components like diaphragms, packing seals and verifying the positioner functionality. Digital positioners open possibilities for process optimization and increasing control valve longevity. This can be achieved by monitoring valve performance through diagnostics and by adjusting control parameters. But this immediately pushes the user to think: Do I need additional software, or can the positioner do something on its own? How do I collect data, understand and analyze valve movement in real time? Do I need to train my personnel? This presentation intends to answer these questions with a focus on digital positioner technology that can provide real-time optimization and discuss how to realize it.

 

Presented by: Neil Shah, Global OEM Account Manager, ABB; Naas DeJager, Global Product Manager Actuators ＆ Positioners, ABB

 

Description coming soon.

6:30 pm – 8:00 pm

Networking Night Out @ The Goose’s Acre Bistro & Irish Pub (Ticketed Event)

7:30 am – 8:00 am

Continental Breakfast

8:00 am – 8:50 am

This session explores the latest advancements in PFAS-free graphite sealing technologies designed to meet the industry’s growing demand for low-emission, high-performance solutions. Attendees will learn how a new portfolio of materials – including LL foil, carbon and graphite textile yarns, foil yarns, and oxidation-resistant yarns – enables significant reductions in fugitive emissions while maintaining exceptional thermal, chemical, and mechanical stability. Through case examples and performance insights, the presentation highlights how these innovations enhance valve reliability, extend service life, and support sustainable, regulation-compliant operation.

 

Presented by: Gerard Sanchez, Director of Sales, Americas, SGL Carbon; Wesley Johnson, Senior Technical Sales Manager, SGL Carbon 

 

Gerard is an industrial executive in the sealing and valve industry with deep expertise in flexible graphite materials and high-performance sealing solutions. He currently serves as Director of Sales for the Expanded Graphite business line at SGL Carbon, where he has held progressive sales and product management roles since 2018, supporting global OEMs and industrial customers in demanding, performance-critical applications. He holds a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering and a Master’s degree in Industrial Engineering. Prior to SGL Carbon, he worked at BASF, the world’s largest chemical company, gaining foundational experience in large-scale industrial manufacturing and materials science.

Wesley Johnson is a Senior Technical Sales Manager with SGL Carbon specializing in expanded graphite solutions and is based in Broussard, Louisiana. He brings more than 15 years of prior technical, management, and sales experience in the Oil & Gas and Renewable Energy industries and holds a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Throughout his career, Wesley has utilized his experience to combine technical knowledge to advance projects thru engineering, commercial, and supply chain solutions working closely with customers. Wesley collaborates cross‑functionally with production, R&D, and leadership teams to align customer needs with innovative, high‑performance material solutions.

Proactive and predictive health monitoring is an innovative solution aimed at improving the reliability and performance of industrial systems. By continuously analyzing data from various sensors, these systems can detect signs of degradation, wear, or other anomalies and predict when a failure is likely to occur, or further investigation is required. This allows users to plan and execute preventive maintenance activities before a failure happens, reducing downtime, improving system availability, and avoiding unplanned costs. A critical measurement for monitoring the health and expected life of an actuator and valve assembly is the torque applied by the actuator to operate the valve. Historically measuring operational torque values during deployment was only performed by electric actuators since they routinely incorporate connected power sources and communication mechanisms.

 

This presentation will demonstrate a mechanism that measures the applied torque, both peak and signatures of the values over the entire cycle. Using this information along with the measured cycle count, the health of the actuator and valve assembly can be determined. Since most pneumatic actuators do not have power and communications routed to the valve assembly, the application to be presented utilizes IOT techniques to cost effectively monitor new and existing applications without adding additional overhead such as communication and power cabling.

 

Presented by: Jack Booker, Technology Director – Control Products, Bray International 

 

9:00 pm – 9:50 am

An overview of AI-driven valve design optimisation highlighting how AI accelerates design cycles, enhances flow efficiency and sealing, and supports predictive maintenance by leveraging models trained on CFD/FEA results and field data. It includes case studies such as Kromschröder’s smart valve with 99.8% control precision and 30% maintenance cost reduction, L&T Valves’ LAMP predictive platform enabling shift to predictive maintenance, and Sim Scale’s AI-assisted design achieving over 90% confidence in pressure drop predictions. Market data shows rapid growth from $1.2B in 2022 to a projected $5.0B by 2030, with widespread AI adoption in new designs, OEM customization, digital twins, and quality control across plants.

 

Presented by: Bagesh Kumar, Specialist Piping Materials Plant Design and Piping, Bechtel 

 

The start of the second Trump administration began with a flurry of Executive Orders, and has not slowed down.  With policy shifts on tariffs, taxes and many regulatory areas, there is a lot for companies to digest.  This session will provide a review of federal activities to date and will also look forward on what could be forthcoming.  We’ll also discuss the interplay between all three branches of government and the states to help explain the landscape and issues to be watching– from PFAS to energy and others– for our industry.

 

Presented by: Omar Nashashibi, Owner, Inside Beltway 

10:00 am – 10:50 am

AWWA standards and manuals provide consensus-based, ANSI-approved guidance defining minimum requirements for the design, performance, installation, and manufacture of waterworks products—without functioning as proprietary specifications or endorsements. By establishing shared best practices, these standards enhance safety, reliability, interoperability, and procurement consistency. This presentation explains how standards are developed and maintained through balanced stakeholder committees, formal balloting, and a structured appeals process. The session highlights valve-related AWWA standards and emerging resources, offering practical guidance for manufacturers. Attendees will learn how to identify the appropriate documents, understand scope and limitations, integrate standards into product technical sheets, and anticipate future developments.

 

Most of the most common fugitive emission and fire test standards from ISO and API have or will be having changes coming soon. This presentation will provide an update to these changes. The similarities and differences between the seemingly similar standards will be explored. A few recently released new standards will also be introduced.

 

Presented by: Amanda Dail, Standards Engineer, American Water Works Association; Matt Wasielewski, Chief Technical Officer, Yarmouth Research

Presented by: Rodney Roth, President, RFS Compliance Solutions

11:00 am – 11:50 am

This presentation will provide an update to U.S. industry standards organizations as well as international (ISO) standards, and their corresponding published valve standards. Three industry organizations will be covered including ISO, ASME, and MSS. Important revisions to current and new standards covering valves, flanges, piping components, and quality procedures will be discussed.

 

Presented by: Carlos Davila, Product Manager, Crane ChemPharma & Energy; Ron Merrick, Fluor (Retired)

 

Carlos Davila is a registered professional engineer, PE, and a graduate of the University of Houston with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. With over 55 years of experience in the valve industry, his background includes design, development, application and production of valves. Currently he is Product Manager-Americas, for Crane ChemPharma & Energy. He is an active voting member of the API Refining and Equipment Standards Manufacturers Subcommittee on Piping and valves for 44 years. Chair of ASME B16 Standards Committee, member of B16 Subcommittee C, Subcommittee N, and the USTAG. Chair of Sub-Group A in ASME B31.3 Standards Committee addressing Process Piping. Current member of the MSS Board of Directors and chair of Technical Committees on Quality Standards, Diaphragm Valves and Steel Flanges. He is active in ISO standard activities

 

Ron Merrick is recently retired after a forty-five year career in specifying valves and other piping materials.  He retired as a Senior Fellow and Director of Piping Material Engineering at Fluor Enterprises in Sugar Land, Texas, supporting the worldwide piping description and specification catalog.  He was a piping materials engineer for Fluor from 1975 until 2020, in Houston and Saudi Arabia, working on plants covering markets as diverse as hydrocarbons, basic and specialty chemicals, power, and gas processing.  He was also Fluor’s engineering specialist in piping shop fabrication. 

 

Merrick is the author of several articles on valve selection, and of the book Valve Selection and Specification Guide.  He has a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Wichita State University, and is a registered professional engineer in Texas and other states.  He is the past president of the PVF Roundtable, an organization devoted to the Pipe, Valve and Fitting industry.  Other professional involvement includes membership in the API Refining Division, as past chairman of the Subcommittee on Piping and Valves Manufacturers & Contractors subcommittee, contributing to MSS valve committees, and as the US delegate to ISO TC 153 “Valves”.

This session introduces A‑PRIME—Align, Probe, Reveal, Iterate, Measure, Expand—a practical, continuous operating loop that turns valve diagnostics into auditable decisions and closed‑loop learning. Attendees will see how telemetry, shop tests, and field evidence are fused into explainable alerts; how risk is triaged with human‑in‑the‑loop governance; and how automation is applied only where it improves reliability, speed, and accountability. We’ll contrast A‑PRIME with linear improvement methods, show why pilot‑first validation prevents over‑automation, and outline a cost‑aware adoption pattern—from a minimal CRM backbone to optional analytics—so teams can start small, learn fast, and scale safely as trust grows.

 

Presented by: Anup Zachariah, Global CRM Project Manager, Crane ChemPharma & Energy

12:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Industry Tour of Toho Water Authority’s North Bermuda Treatment Plant (Ticketed Event)

Sessions

Quick Links to Conference Sessions by Track:

Conference Tracks & Preliminary Sessions

Manufacturing Icon

Manufacturing Ops & Repair

Developed for those who work or supervise the production and assembly process in their companies or in valve repair.

Presentation Topics

  • AI‑Driven Design Optimization of Valves (Joint with Technical Track)
  • Smart Valves, Smarter Decisions: AI-Driven Diagnostics and Automation with A-PRIME (Joint with Technical Track)
  • Valve Testing
  • Enhancing Control Valve Reliability and Process Efficiency with Self-Optimizing Digital Positioners
  • Enhancing Pneumatic Actuator and Valve Reliability through Direct Torque Measurements using IOT 
  • Measuring Reliability in Industrial Valve and Automation Products: Tools, Techniques, and Trends
  • Advanced Coating Solutions for Severe Service Applications
  • Building the Talent Pipeline: A Case Study in Partnering with a Local Technical School
Technical Icon

Technical

Developed for experienced technical and engineering personnel from manufacturing companies, channel partners/distributors and end users who develop, specify, use, sell and problem solve. 

Presentation Topics

  • High Performance Butterfly Valve Standard for Waterworks
  • Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality
  • Advanced Reactors and Market Trends with Nuclear New Construction
  • Validating Computational Models in Engineering: Case Studies in CFD and FEA Analysis for Valve Applications
  • LDAR Technology
  • The Growing Trend of Gas-Charged Hydraulic Actuators in Nuclear Valve Applications
  • Sealing the Future: PFAS-Free Graphite Solutions for Valves and Fittings
  • Design and Performance of a High-Temperature Metal-Seated Butterfly Valve for Extreme Service Applications
  • API & ASME + AWWA Standards Update
  • ISO & MSS Standards Update
  • AI‑Driven Design Optimization of Valves (Joint with Manufacturing Track)
  • Smart Valves, Smarter Decisions: AI-Driven Diagnostics and Automation with A-PRIME (Joint with Manufacturing Track)
Business Management Icon

Sales & Business Management

Covering management and marketing topics specific to the valve industry to help those in various business roles contribute to a successful company.

Presentation Topics

  • Stop Selling Like Everyone Else: The Industrial Buyer Doesn’t Need Another Quote
  • PFAS Reporting & Government Affairs Update
  • End Use Market Trends & Outlook: Water & Wastewater
  • End Use Market Trends & Outlook: Oil & Gas
  • End Use Market Trends & Outlook: Power
  • End Use Market Trends & Outlook: Chemical

Thank you to our conference planning team!

Thank you to our VMA committee members for their time, expertise, and dedication. From recruiting speakers and reviewing presentations to planning special events, their efforts ensure a timely program and a high-quality experience for all. 

  • Don Bowers, Retired
  • Jean Dockendorf, DeZURIK
  • Bryan Donahue, AUMA
  • Dave Escobar, Valmet
  • Jerry Grant, DeZURIK
  • Jeff Hager, Trillium Flow Technologies
  • Thom Jessup, EGC Enterprises
  • Greg Johnson, United Valve
  • Cory Jones, Vytl Controls
  • Sudhir Kulkarni, Richards Industrials
  • Andrew Lewis, Bray
  • Nicolas Lourdel, Velan, Inc.
  • Stephane Meunier, Emerson Automation Solutions
  • Alfred Midgley, AUMA
  • Noah Miller, Check-All Valve
  • John Molloy, Emerson Automation Solutions
  • Stephen O’Neil, DFT
  • Gabe Salwan, Quality Valve
  • Matt Thiel, AUMA
  • Ross Waters, C.G. Industrial Specialties
  • Brian Weisel, DFT

Thank You to Our 2026 Program Sponsor!

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Setpoint Integrated Solutions a Vytl Company
Become a 2026 Sponsor or Exhibitor
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