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The purpose of Ask Your Board is to ask common business questions that all GAWDA members might be dealing with and to see how GAWDA’s Board of Directors are dealing with these issues within their own companies. To submit a question for GAWDA’s Board Members to consider, please email [email protected] THE QUESTION: This year’s GAWDA Theme is “The Human Advantage in the Digital Age.” How have you adopted/utilized AI tools within your company? What does “The Human Advantage” mean to you and how does it differentiate GAWDA Members? Allison Earlbeck President, Earlbeck Gases & Technologies We are using AI to capture and…

GAWDA celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2025. This year marks the first step in the journey toward the next 80 years. It comes at an interesting time in our industry. Companies continue to consolidate as one generation leaves a knowledge and experience gap as they transition to retirement. At the same time, companies are increasingly looking to machines to replace some of that lost productivity through automation and AI. However, this year’s theme, “Human in Advantage in the Digital Age,” reminds us of something GAWDA members fundamentally understand to be true. This is a relationship industry. And while the X’s…

By Natasha Alexis, GAWDA Vice President, Operations and Administration In 1945, a small group of industry leaders came together with one shared goal: to improve safety and support one another in the welding and gases industry. Eight decades later, that same spirit of collaboration continues to define GAWDA — an association dedicated to building relationships grounded in a shared purpose. Today, GAWDA proudly represents a significant portion of businesses in the industrial gas and welding industry, from family-owned distributors to global suppliers. By serving as a unifying voice for these companies, GAWDA has played a vital role in advancing industry…

Like 2024, GAWDA’s suppliers are expecting robust growth in 2025. But unlike 2024, they don’t have the same concerns about a potential election-year surprise looming at the end of it, tempering their expectations. While some suppliers noted that things like tariffs and inflation could dull growth this year, there was a universal expectation of a strong pro-business environment and growth across the board for GAWDA members in 2025! The following are responses from GAWDA suppliers across North America about their expectations for this year. We thank all of the suppliers who participated in this year’s forecast. Be sure to check…

As GAWDA celebrates its 80th Anniversary in 2025, it’s fitting that this year’s theme is “Sustaining a Resilient Culture.” While the technology continues to change, the backbone of our industry and association have remained remarkably consistent through these eight decades and it is due, in large part, to the culture that has been built by the membership of GAWDA (and NWSA before it). This year’s Board of Directors and Executive Committee take their duty as stewards of that culture extremely seriously, as we look to continue to sustain that culture for the next 80 years Our volunteer leaders are on…

Looking Ahead to 2025 In a New Regulatory Environment Following the 2024 Elections, what can GAWDA members expect from a regulatory standpoint in 2025? By Tom Badstubner, Marilyn Dempsey, Michael Dodd, Rick Schweitzer, and Steve Guglielmo Much of the First Quarter Issue of Welding & Gases Today will discuss the impact of the 2024 Elections on the GAWDA Membership. GAWDA members discussed the economic impacts at length in the distributor and supplier forecasts, which can be read on page 58-69. But from a regulatory perspective, the next four years will look very different than the last four, as the Trump…

By Dave Mahoney NWSA President, 1999-2000 | Noble Gas Solutions Becoming involved in GAWDA was one of the smartest decisions I ever made. It is surely one of the significant highlights of my career. In the Spring of 1980, I attended my first Spring Management Conference. I will never forget Bill Sturgeon running up the center aisle and jumping onto the stage in a Canadian hockey jersey. He was excited and immediately got my attention. I loved it! From that point on, all Presidents would sit in the front row and, when introduced, they would walk to the stage to…

Lead with Purpose, Serve with Heart Held Friday, April 19 – Sunday, April 21, 2024Grand Hyatt San AntonioGAWDA continues to raise the bar each and every year, as the 2024 Spring Management Conference in San Antonio, Texas, set yet another new attendance record. This year’s SMC saw a record 808 attendees who gathered for a whirlwind weekend from April 19-21st. With a theme of “Leading with Purpose, Serving with Heart,” gratitude, culture and service were the names of the game. Those “soft skills” which Main Stage Presenter Adrian Gostick rebranded as “Power Skills” combined with the weekend’s musical theme had…

GAWDA Members Commemorate Milestone Anniversaries in 2023 Congratulations to all GAWDA members celebrating milestone anniversaries in 2023. GAWDA members represent the best-of-the-best companies in the gases and welding industries. Each year in the Summer issue, we recognize those GAWDA Members celebrating milestone anniversaries. In the Q3 issue’s President’s Column, GAWDA President Robert Anders explored the three C’s of longevity. We want to add a fourth C for this column: Congratulations to all those GAWDA members celebrating anniversaries this year! And if you have a milestone anniversary coming up in 2024 and would like to be featured in this column next…

Annual Convention 2023 Recap President’s Welcome Photo Gallery Sponsored by Gas Equipment Company By GAWDA MEDIAOctober 4, 2023 GAWDA Gives Back to Maui at the 2023 Annual Convention By GAWDA MEDIAOctober 3, 2023 Cruise with Women of Gases & Welding and Young Professionals at the Annual Convention 2023 By GAWDA MEDIAOctober 4, 2023 AC23: Opening Business Session By GAWDA MEDIAOctober 13, 2023 AC23: Industry Hospitalities By GAWDA MEDIAOctober 17, 2023 AC23: Contact Booth and Networking 360 By GAWDA MEDIAOctober 13, 2023 AC23: Closing Business Session By GAWDA MEDIAOctober 13, 2023 AC 23: President’s Farewell Gala By GAWDA MEDIAOctober 13, 2023…

Women of Gases & Welding and Young Professionals Event Photos This three-hour boat excursion on the Calypso, a 65′ powered catamaran, gave members  time to enjoy a delicious meal and some cold beverages, explore the incredible craft, listen to great island-style music, network with colleagues and friends and watch the beautiful island scenery.

Thank you to Gas Equipment Company for sponsoring the President’s Welcome Reception Photo Gallery at the GAWDA 2023 Annual Convention held at the Grand Wailea Resort.

Presentation of GAWDA Gives Back Award Robert then welcomed his beautiful wife Missy and his middle-son Kyle to the stage to discuss the recipient of the 2023 GAWDA Gives Back Award, the Malama Family Recovery Center. Missy discussed how the charity was near and dear to the family’s heart before turning the mic over to Kyle who gave an incredibly raw and powerful speech about his own history with substance abuse and how he was able to escape the other side of the darkness. When he was finished, there wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Then, representatives from the…

CGA C-1, Methods for Pressure Testing Compressed Gas Cylinders, is the most accessed publication in the growing library of 380+ publications the Compressed Gas Association (CGA) offers. It is also the most accessed publication by members of the GAWDA Distributor Safety Program, which offers complimentary access to CGA’s complete electronic library. C-1 provides an in-depth review of operating and equipment requirements to properly perform pressure testing of compressed gas cylinders. Tests reviewed in this safety standard include the water jacket method, direct expansion method, and proof pressure method. The C-1 safety standard, now in its 12th edition, is published by the…

By Tom Badstubner, Marilyn Dempsey, Mike Dodd, Rick Schweitzer, and Steve Guglielmo The GAWDA Consultant Program is a GAWDA member benefit that is included as part of your member dues to the association. It is consistently rated as one of the most valuable member benefits that GAWDA provides. Between the four of them, GAWDA’s consultants bring more than 100 years of industry-specific experience to the association. Recently, GAWDA’s Consultants gave an industry roundtable presentation during the Spring Management Conference in Philadelphia as well as presentations at GAWDA’s Regional Meetings, to go along with their monthly Safety Manager Safety Meetings.…

GAWDA launched its 2023 Regional Meeting Season by hosting the Seven Springs Regional in Seven Springs, Pennsylvania, from June 7-8. The newly streamlined meeting condensed the schedule to two days instead of the traditional two-and-a-half to great fanfare, as 250 attendees experienced two days of networking and fun. “Thank you GAWDA members for supporting the second-highest attendance record ever for the Seven Springs Regional!” said Regional Chair Abydee Butler Moore. “Greg Doria, Allie Earlbeck, Robin Jussila, Gary Halter, Marilyn Dempsey, Rick Schweitzer, and Jay Spielvogel: your willingness to teach, share, and inspire was magnetic. Thank you!” The event kicked-off on…

GAWDA SMC 2023 RECAP Conference Highlights 2023 Sets a New SMC Attendance Record! GAWDA kicked off its 2023 event schedule in record-setting fashion as 728 GAWDA members gathered in Philadelphia for this year’s Spring Management Conference. This year’s SMC was a whirlwind of learning, networking and fun. Each detail was meticulously planned, in keeping with this year’s SMC theme of “365 Intentional Leadership.” The common thread through all the presentations is taking action with a purposeful goal in mind and that really shined through in the takeaways that GAWDA members were able to take back to their companies. Thank you…

Each year, GAWDA prints its Buyer’s Guide early in the year. This year, the print Guide was shipped with the Q1 Issue of Welding & Gases Today. The Print Guide is a fantastic resource highlighting the best suppliers in our industry and shining a spotlight on the best products and innovations our industry has to offer. The primary aim of the Buyer’s Guide is to facilitate members doing business with other members. The online Buyer’s Guide (buyersguide.gawdamedia.com) is an extension of the print guide that is updated regularly throughout the year. Here are some of the best features and benefits…