More than 150 professionals in the testing, adjusting and balancing (TAB) industry gathered for the 2025 International Certification Board (ICB) Conference, held June 9-12 at the Isleta Resort and Casino in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The conference programming was divided into two tracks — business and educational — so business owners, training coordinators, leaders and professionals in indoor air quality, fire life safety and TAB industries could engage with speakers, network and participate in certification classes. The event opened with a welcome dinner and awards ceremony to recognize this year’s Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Bureau (TABB) Hall of Fame inductee, Anthony Kocurek.
Kocurek, owner of Albuquerque-based Energy Balance and Integration, has been instrumental in the passing of statewide fire life safety legislation, acted as trustee for the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Local 49 and served in every leadership position in the New Mexico chapter of the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA). Nationwide, the industry has benefitted from Kocurek’s leadership as a trustee and continued fire life safety and indoor air quality advocate for the National Energy Management Institute (NEMI) as well as his work as an executive board member and former national president of SMACNA.
Throughout 2 1/2 days, speakers from SMART provided a state of the union in regards to TAB, training, recruitment and retention, health and safety, and certification updates. Industry partners and vendors were on hand to show attendees the latest and greatest — from AI used for building automation to compliance, codes and standards of the National Fire Protection Association and lessons learned from legislative efforts. Other topics included opportunities for fire life safety inspections, maintenance and repair; air balancing in health care facilities; and how to work with vendors to build relationships and foster projects that promote training and education for apprentices and journeypersons.
Eric Grundmeir, general manager at RSAnalysis, presented on air balancing in health care facilities and stressed how indoor air quality specialists keep people safe. In 2018, the importance of clean air in medical environments hit home for Grundmeir, when his wife and daughters were involved in a head-on collision that put one child in the ICU.
“I’m spending every night in the hospital, and it became very personal,” he said. “There are family members, loved ones we are protecting. We are a part of the system that works for the hospital. To me, it’s very personal.”
The opening address was presented by Isaiah Zemke, business manager and financial secretary for Local 49, who used New Mexico’s state motto, “It grows as it goes,” to show how although TAB has grown in regard to technology, it still has far to go.
“This conference isn’t just about education, it’s about unifying around a shared purpose that our buildings perform and our communities thrive,” he said.
Last summer, Local 49 opened its variable refrigerant flow, or VRF, and pharmaceutical lab. At 2,000 square feet each, these spaces help train apprentices and journeypersons on TAB, fire life safety, ventilation, clean room, indoor air quality and more.
“It’s a statement,” Zemke said. “We’re investing in our members in clean energy and quality work. They’ll get hands-on experience with the same systems they see in the field.”
Matthew Cole, field operations manager for Wing’s Testing and Balancing in Branford, Connecticut, was this year’s keynote speaker. He focused on “kaizen,” a Japanese term that means “continuous improvement,” or as Cole put it, “good change.”
“The more you learn, the more marketable you are,” he said.
Jeff Reinhardt, executive administrator for Western Washington Sheet Metal training facility in Dupont, Washington, attended the conference for the first time, and, although he’s an educator, he attended the business track to get a better idea of what the industry offers outside of the classroom.
“I thought it was well put together and informative,” he said. “I thought it was great to hear some of the different opportunities that you could pursue and learning about the support systems that are there to help you navigate the legislative process and where to get the training for your workforce.”
TABB, a program of NEMI, is the first of its kind to earn ANAB (ANSI National Accreditation Board) accreditation for certification in the testing, adjusting and balancing and HVAC fire life safety industry. The TABB program certification is a statement the technician, supervisor and contractor demonstrate the highest level of professional expertise. Certification is gained through the ICB, which is the platform for industry-recognized certifications and meets some of the highest standards for technical excellence and expertise.