Herndon, Virginia—May 12, 2022— The National Insulation Association (NIA) is proud to announce the approval of the Foundation for Mechanical Insulation Education, Training, and Industry Advancement (Foundation) as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization by the Internal Revenue Service as of January 2022. Previously known as NIA’s Foundation for Education, Training, and Industry Advancement and overseen by NIA’s Foundation Steering Committee, now the Foundation is a fully separate organization and will be managed by NIA and overseen by the Foundation’s Board of Directors, which includes: President David J. Cox (Owens Corning); Treasurer John Lamberton (Irex Contracting Group); and Board Members Wally Blewitt (Knauf Insulation, Inc.), R. Dean Burows (DKB, Inc.), Matt Hymer (Midwest Materials Company), Joe Leo (Atlantic Contracting & Specialties, LLC), and Marc Napolitano (Insulation Materials Corporation). A Secretary will be elected by the current Board during their next meeting.

The Foundation’s primary purpose is to develop and implement strategies and recommend processes to advance and expand the commercial and industrial insulation industry through objectives such as introducing NIA to the commercial/industrial construction community; promoting the value of insulation to audiences including specifiers, architects, engineers, plant owners, facility managers, building owners, government bodies, and allied associations; and establishing NIA as the industry resource for information on mechanical, commercial, and industrial insulation systems.

Foundation President Dave Cox noted, “This transition to an independent 501(c)(3) organization opens a new world of possibilities for incubating innovative ideas to expand awareness and education about the power of insulation for commercial and industrial facilities. The mechanical insulation industry has the capacity to make a huge difference in the energy efficiency and carbon reduction initiatives that our world needs, and with the support of current and new donors, the Foundation can have an even greater impact.”

This transition will allow the Foundation to pursue grant opportunities and additional funding from groups, organizations, and individuals that may prefer to contribute to a charitable educational organization.

NIA’s Executive Vice President/CEO Michele M. Jones noted, “I am excited by the opportunities that 501(c)(3) nonprofit status offers. Although the Foundation has been a committee since 1998, the group has never ventured into the grant arena. Now as its own entity, the Foundation has a better chance at playing a part in the government and NGO [non-governmental organization] funding circles. We will be looking to work more closely with the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, and countless NGOs. We have had such an amazing core of loyal contributing stakeholders over the years, and I am delighted that their donations and all those that we receive from this point forward will be completely deductible.”

One of the first actions of the Foundation was to create a new top-tier Platinum level ($30,000 annual contribution) to add to the existing Gold Elite ($15,000), Gold Plus ($10,000), Gold ($5,000), Silver ($3,000), and Bronze ($1,000) contribution levels.

The Foundation is grateful to the legacy contributors who have sustained the important work of the Foundation, including:

Gold Elite

3M
Distribution International, Inc.
Johns Manville
Knauf Insulation, Inc.
Owens Corning
Performance Contracting, Inc.
ROCKWOOL Technical Insulation
Specialty Products & Insulation

Gold

Alpha Engineered Composites, LLC
Armacell
Bay Insulation Systems, Inc.
Caldwell Insulation, Inc.
Eastern States Insulation Contractors Association
Insulation Contractors Association of New York City
Insulation Materials Corporation
Irex Contracting Group
Lamtec Corporation
Southwest Insulation Contractors Association
Thermal Insulation Association of Canada

Silver

Midwest Insulation Contractors Association
R.P.R. Products, Inc.Midwest Insulation Contractors Association

Bronze

Advanced Industrial Services, LLC
Advanced Specialty Contractors, LLC
Atlantic Contracting & Specialties, LLC
Delaware Valley Insulation and Abatement Contractors Association, Inc.
DKB, Inc.
Dover Insulation, Inc.
Geo. V. Hamilton, Inc.
Heat Frost and Thermal Insulation Education Fund
Hudson Bay Insulation Company
Ideal Products of America, LP
I-Star Energy Solutions
Kennedy Insulation Systems, Inc.
K-FLEX USA, LLC
L & C Insulation, Inc.
Lewco Specialty Products, Inc.
Luse Thermal Technologies
Midwest Materials Company
Petrin, LLC
Shook & Fletcher Insulation Co.
Southeastern Insulation Contractors Association
Western Insulation Contractors Association

The Foundation is currently developing a new logo and website, among numerous ongoing projects.

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NIA is a not-for-profit trade association representing both merit (open shop) and union contractors, distributors, laminators, fabricators, and manufacturers that provide thermal insulation, insulation accessories, and components to the commercial, mechanical, and industrial markets throughout the nation. Since 1953, the northern Virginia-based association has been the voice of the insulation industry and is dedicated to keeping the commercial and industrial insulation industry up to date on the latest industry trends and technologies. For more information, visit www.insulation.org.