Hot News
March 2022
HPBExpo 2022
We cannot thank our attendees and exhibitors enough for supporting the HPBExpo 2022 this year in Atlanta! We heard from many of you that the turnout was so much better than expected and that it was a great experience for all. We owe it all to you as your tremendous support is what made it a true success!
Attendee’s Choice Winners
Congratulations to this year’s Attendee Choice winners for most marketable products
Hearth: Saver Systems - HeatShield Prior Fire Retrofit Fireplace System

Outdoor Living: LitUmbrella - The LitUmbrella

Be sure to check out these innovative products if you didn’t get to see them firsthand at Expo. Attendee’s Choice Winners
Trying to recall a company or a product? The 2022 List of Exhibitors is still available, as is the 2022 Mobile App. Be sure to also check back later for a collection of photos taken at the show.  
Get Ready for HPBExpo 2023 and Save the Date!
Exhibition: March 11-13
Education: March 10-12
Kentucky Exposition Center
Louisville, Kentucky
We hope to see you all in Louisville for HPBExpo2023. Be sure to mark your calendars for March 10-13, 2023 (note show pattern change to Friday – Monday for next year).

Exhibit booth sales have begun; if you didn’t have the opportunity to book space at this year’s show for next year, visit our Apply to Exhibit page for floor plans and contracts.

Contact Tanya Karkiewicz with questions to discuss booth options.

Mark your calendar, as registration will open on September 1st, 2022.
Connect with HPBExpo
Welcome to HPBA’s new officers elected at the March Board of Directors meeting:
-Henry Hall, Chairman (pictured above)
-Pete Schoenfeld, Vice Chairman
-Jeni Forman, Secretary

They are joining Stephen Schroeter, who is starting his second term as Treasurer. At the last meeting, we also said farewell to outgoing Chairman Dick Hoffman. He served in this role for two years and helped guide HPBA through the challenges facing the organization and the industry in general. We thank him for his service!
Longtime HPBA CEO Jack Goldman (pictured above) has announced his plan to retire at the end of 2022. The Board has created an Executive Search Committee and retained the services of a recruitment firm to identify the new CEO.

Jack has been with HPBA for 22 years, originally working as General Counsel and Director – Government Affairs. He was named CEO in 2006. His leadership has been a steadying force during some turbulent times for the industry.

For more information about the search for the new CEO, please contact Dick Hoffman, Chairman of the Executive Search Committee.
HPBEducation Foundation
Certification products available in Spanish? You read that correctly!
You may have seen our announcement in last month’s newsletter, but if you didn't - NFI is working hard to provide all of our Certification materials in English and Spanish. We think it is important and necessary to make all our Certification materials available in Spanish. We believe this will have a positive impact on businesses with Spanish-speaking employees.
 
The exams are currently being reviewed by Spanish-speaking industry members to make sure all the translations are correct. As Rick Vlahos mentioned “…There are some words that simply don’t translate well into other languages. For example, just about everyone that installs wood stoves knows what a cricket is. When you translate that word into Spanish, you get “grasshopper”. We need to be sure everything is translated correctly so there is no confusion…”
 
Another exciting piece is the manuals will be re-written in Spanish. We are currently working on a new Pellet manual, so that will be the first manual available in Spanish. When the other manuals are re-written, they will be done in Spanish as well.
 
Please contact Amie Ryan or Rich Sedgwick for more information.
Government Affairs
Significant COVID Relief Tax Credit Could be Part of Your Tax Preparation 
The Paycheck Protection Program loans received a lot of attention over the last two years – and rightly so, as they helped many small businesses through very tough times. There was another provision of the COVID relief packages, though, that got significantly less attention but could still amount to tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars for small businesses affected by the pandemic: the Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC). This fully refundable tax credit can be claimed on qualifying employees’ wages for parts of 2020 and 2021. In total, the tax credit can range as high as $26,000 per qualifying employee over this two-year span.

HPBA has just posted a new blog with information on the ERTC, including resources you may want to check out to see if you qualify. Even if you’ve filed taxes for both years already, there may be an opportunity to amend your filings to claim this credit. We are happy to answer as many questions as we can on the tax credit for members – you can contact HPBA’s Ryan Carroll – but HPBA cannot provide any tax advice on the matter. Please contact your accountant, payroll processors, or tax experts for advice on filing. 
DOE Rulemaking on Some Gas Hearth Products Underway    
On February 7th, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published a proposed coverage determination in the Federal Register. The notice proposes to cover several indoor and outdoor “decorative” gas appliances as well as many forms of outdoor heaters. DOE seems to have also unilaterally reversed course on heater-rated vented gas hearth products, now saying the department believes the products to be properly covered under the language of the court’s opinion in HPBA’s court victory several years ago. 

Comments on the proposal are due by April 9th. HPBA will be meeting with appliance and controls manufacturers to discuss industry submissions. HPBA has already reached out to DOE for clarification on several aspects of the proposal, and requested a meeting with the department to discuss concerns about the scope and several assertions made in the proposal. Once the coverage determination is final, DOE will regulate these products in a separate rulemaking that could have a significant impact on the industry. Please contact Ryan Carroll with questions.
British Columbia Advocacy 
The regulators in British Columbia are engaging with a number of our products and HPBA Canada is working hard to address these issues. In February, it launched its Comox Valley Campaign (see below for more info). Other issues include lobbying for regulatory relief due to electronic components shortages, Vancouver building codes advocacy, and advocacy related to Clean BC: Roadmap to 2030.

The latest development is the imposition of a provincial sales tax (PST) by British Columbia (BC) affecting fossil fuel combustion systems. Starting April 1, 2022, heat pumps will be exempt from PST while the PST on the purchase or lease of fossil fuel combustion systems will increase from 7% to 12%. Fireplaces are specifically included on the list of affected systems.

HPBAC is preparing an analysis and is convening a meeting with BC members and the HPBAC Government Affairs Subcommittee.
Comox Valley
The Comox Valley Campaign against existing and proposed bans on wood stoves in the region launched on February 15th. The campaign continues to grow as it approaches the first month mark, with an unwavering commitment from local members and an outpouring of support from residents. The media strategy involves print and digital advertisements, as well as advertorials in local newspapers, and a campaign website where residents can learn about the issue. To support the campaign, please do the following:

  1. Visit the campaign website.
  2. Engage with us on social media and share our posts about the campaign using #SaveOurWoodStoves and #WeCanAllDoBetter.
  3. Contact Meghan O’Reilly to learn more on how you can help.
Follow HPB Canada on Social Media!
StoveTeam International
Hearth industry businesses are helping to provide fuel-efficient cookstoves in Latin America, which benefit an average family of 5-8 people, save 15 tons of CO2, and provide much-needed jobs.
This month, we’re announcing the addition of four matching contributors: The Foundry, AES, Concorde Distributing, and Blaze King. These manufacturers and distributors have pledged to match the contributions of businesses they supply. Certain terms and restrictions apply. Learn more and sign up to take part as a business or individual at stoveteam.org/challenge
Affinity Partner Spotlight

HPBA partners with a number of companies that offer discounts and special offers to our members. Each month, we’ll highlight one partner and their offerings. Visit the Affinity Partner webpage to learn more
Introducing a NEW Affinity Partner – and these folks can save you real money. Please welcome PayTech to the team.

PayTech is a payment processing company that will work with you to develop a personalized and economical plan that works best for you. These plans range from a no-cost option that is based on a fully use-based pricing model to a more traditional subscription model. HPBA members – reach out to PayTech today to find out how they can help you!
Fire Time Magazine
The March issue of The Fire Time Magazine is available right now, and you don’t want to miss any of this content:
  • 3 Keys to Creating an Effective Showroom (by Deb Hannig)
  • Go With Your Gut (by Peter Parsons)
  • Grant's Guest: Ryan Carroll Calls for Industry Action at the Local Level (featuring Ryan Carroll)
  • The President's Perspective: March 2022 (by VP Berger)
  • 3 Costly Mistakes to Avoid in Your Marketing (by Tim Reed)
  • “The Power of the Backlog” (by Sam O'Donnell)
The Fire Time Magazine is a publication made by the industry and for the industry.
It produces free content every month to help hearth companies grow like never before.
Advertising on Hot News
On a limited basis, HPBA will start accepting ads for future issues of Hot News. If you are interested in more information, please contact Emily McGee. Hot News goes out each month to 7,000+ industry members with an open rate of approximately 25%.
News from the Industry?
Do you have important personnel news to share with the industry? Please send to
Emily McGee for consideration for inclusion in Hot News.
Reminder!
HPBA has a new banking relationship with Bank of America, and our SunTrust accounts are now closed. For wiring information, please contact Robert Washington.

NEW PAYMENT ADDRESS:
Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association
P.O. Box 412397
Boston, MA 02241-2397