Cooling Tower Depot (CTD) is proud to announce that Brandon Rees, one of our Regional Sales Directors, has just been elected to sit on the Board of Directors for the Cooling Technology Institute (CTI). This is a high honor for Brandon, and a proud moment for CTD as he is recognized by his peers as one of the top industry leaders. Get to know his side of the story, in this exclusive interview to better understand his history, his involvement, and how he plans to make an impact for the future of CTI, cooling technologies and for CTD.
What does the Cooling Technology Institute (CTI) do?
The Cooling Technology Institute was founded in 1950 and provides education, research, standard development and verification, government relations, and an exchange of industry wide technical information pertaining to Evaporative Heat Transfer Systems, Cooling Towers, and cooling technology.
How long have you been involved in CTI?
Since 2004
How long have you been involved within the cooling tower industry?
I have worked in the cooling tower industry for 12 years total, the last 8 years with Cooling Tower Depot, Inc.
What skill sets or knowledge that is gained from being on the board of directors, do you think will relate back to your full time job as Regional Sales Director?
There are a lot of experienced professionals that make up the BOD for CTI. From Owner/Operators, Chemical Water Treatment, Suppliers, and Manufacturers. I hope to learn from those who have been in the industry a while, and contribute to the advancement of the industry through my own personal experiences. CTI is about working together to share information so that we can all produce a better product. This translates well into my daily responsibilities with Cooling Tower Depot, Inc. The goal for us at CTD is to all pull together to best serve the customer.
How were you selected to become a Director on the Board?
I was elected by voting delegates to sit on the board which is comprised of 9 people. I was also selected, by board vote, as the Secretary of CTI.
What will your responsibilities be now as Secretary?
Based on the CTI By-Laws: The Secretary shall supervise the keeping of records of the Institute, as well as substitute for the President at meetings in the absence of the President and Vice President.
How did you come to be Program Chair?
I had the pleasure of working on the Program Committee alongside my Father, Glenn Rees, who was very involved in CTI. He served as President, Board Member, and Program Chair over the 25 years he was involved with CTI. After his passing in 2011, I was asked by the sitting President and Virginia Manser, the CTI Administrator, to take over as Program Chair. Glenn was also recently recognized as an Honorary Lifetime Member at the 2015 CTI Winter Conference. This was very special for my family, and in honor of his years of hard work with CTI.
Are there any contributions towards CTI that you know you want to make as Program Chair?
Over the past 4 years as Program Chair, The Program Committee, and CTI office has worked to bring access to CTI conference information to the palm of the hand. By integrating a new smart phone application, we have allowed attendees to access up to date conference information, speaker bios, exhibitor info, as well as survey feedback. This in conjunction with relevant industry topics and presentations helps to drive attendance and ultimately participation to the organization. CTI is a volunteer organization, and we need participation from all who are involved in our industry. We look to continue this growth to bring in a new generation of Owner/ Operators, Manufacturers, Suppliers, and Water Treatment Professionals. Why do you feel that being involved as a board member is so important?
CTI is the governing body for standards and guidelines used by the cooling tower industry. In an ever changing world it is important to have our hand on the pulse of the cooling tower world, so that we may best serve our client base.
What are you most excited about or looking forward to, now that you are on the Board of Directors?
Learning... There is a lot of information to be learned from others. Each Board member brings with them their own professional experiences, and work history. I think it’s exciting to be able to work beside and learn from others.
Finally, why do you like your job, and/or what is the reason you come to work every day?
There is a new challenge every day, and no two days are the same. There is always something new to work on with a client, and I really enjoy getting to know my client’s personally to help find a solution that fits their needs.
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