Members of the WAI’s New England Chapter, the Association’s first founded and largest chapter, were treated to a stirring speech about manufacturing in Connecticut, hear about its 2023 activities and more at its annual dinner on Jan. 25 at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Following a reception where members got to meet up with their chapter colleagues, the event started with outgoing 2023 Chapter President Jessica Foss, Electric Cable Compounds, Inc., welcoming attendees. She thanked all the chapter members who have volunteered for different programs as well as the companies that have pitched in, providing essential support.

For the 2024 meeting, that included Platinum Sponsors James Monroe Wire & Cable Corp and Wire & Plastic Machinery Corp., Gold Sponsors Carris Reels and Multi Cable Corp.; Silver Sponsors Conneaut Industries Inc., Flourogistx and Electric Cable Compounds Inc.; and the Bronze Sponsor was W. Gillies Technology. A special callout went to Lloyd & Bouvier for its generous $2,000 sponsorship for the event.

The new chapter president, Ryan Carbray, Alphagary, introduced the keynote speaker, but speaking at different points in the program, he covered a lot of ground. “The WAI New England Chapter board will continue to organize and support opportunities to bring this regional industry together and strengthen our fraternity,” he said, noting that it could not be done without the continued leadership and support from the chapter members. The other officers for 2024 are Vice President Michael Roussel, ExxonMobil, Annaliese Sviokla, Gem Gravure Co., and Thomas Rosen, Wire & Cable Consulting, LLC.

Carbray highlighted the chapter’s achievements in 2023, which include the continuation of the scholarship program and another successful golf tournament. In 2023, the chapter awarded six scholarships of $2,500 each. One of the 2024 chapter scholarships will go to either an intern or employee in the industry who is pursuing continued education at a college or university. He reminded attendees that applications for the 2024 scholarship must be sent by March 31.

Scholarship winners for 2023 were Kyle Albrinck, son of Alice Albrinck, Teknor Apex; Amarra Cruz, daughter of Luis Cruz, Times Microwave Systems; Katherine Fritz, daughter of James Fritz, Marmon Industrial Energy & Infrastructure Group; William Goyette, son of Richard Goyette, MassMEP; Roma Kale, daughter of Rina Patel, Marmon Industrial Energy & Infrastructure Group; and John Stecker, grandson of David Stecker, a WAI Past President.

Carbray also introduced the members of the newly elected 2024 Board. New members include David Fisher, James Monroe Wire & Cable Corp.; Thomas Rosen, Wire & Cable Consulting LLC; and Paula Butkevich, Hueson Corp. Re-elected/returning board members include Lori Parent, Cable Components Corp.; Jim Evans, Web Industries Inc.; and Jeff Lawrence, Custom Wire Products. Continuing board members include Jessica Foss, Annaliese Sviokala, Jon Mello, Cheryl Stewart, Joel Cacopardo, Mike Mathiasen, Michael Sarni and Michael Roussel.

Carbray also thanked the members who helped make the chapter’s fund-raising efforts a success. He also singled out fellow Board Member Jim Evans, who heads the Annual Golf Tournament Committee, for outstanding work. He then introduced the keynote speaker, Paul S. Lavoie, Chief Manufacturing Officer for the State of Connecticut, who had been mingling with the audience and remained there later, talking to attendees.

Lavoi talked about the biggest problem in the manufacturing industry being labor and finding people to work. He discussed alternative ways to strengthen the workforce such as collaborating with local schools to attract talent or offering flexible/shortened shifts to accommodate parents whose children take priority.

Up next for the New England Chapter is its annual golf tournament. Look here for more details on that, as well as a future educational program this year, or go to the chapter web page. 

The WAI’s New England Chapter is known for holding memorable annual meetings, and its upcoming one this month at the Mohegan Sun Resort & Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, promises to follow that tradition.

The event will again be held this year inside the Cabaret Theatre, starting with the reception at 5:30 pm, followed by the meeting at 6:35 pm. The keynote speaker will be Michelle Dray, the creator of the “Getting Unstuck & Leading Fearlessly Program.” She has worked for more than 10 years as a coach and creator of her 11-week women’s leadership program that identifies five signs or symptoms of “career stuck-ness” to look out for. She notes that her talk is not limited to women.

“I think the fact that the majority of the audience has historically been men, and the expectation is the same for the upcoming event, will add an interesting dynamic as I believe these signs and symptoms to be true for both women and men,” Dray said. She will discuss employee learning objectives that apply to both industry newcomers (0-5 years) as well as veterans.

The meeting will also see the introduction of the 2023 officers, the raffle and the invaluable experience of networking and catching up with friends and colleagues. The event is also a key fundraiser for the WAI New England Chapter Scholarship Fund. Registration is now open through WAI’s event registration system. The cost is $140, and WAI Chapter members in good standing receive discounted rates. The 2022 meeting, held Feb. 24, saw total attendance of 97, and attendance is expected to easily top a hundred this year.

The memories do not have to be fleeting as an award-winning photographer, Ashley Abel, will be at a photo booth where attendees can get a free professional headshot (perfect for your LinkedIn profile, company website, etc.) or take a fun group photo with industry colleagues. The booth is sponsored by Lloyd & Bouvier.

The grand raffle prize, also sponsored by Lloyd & Bouvier, is for two tickets to a Bruins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs game. The second top raffle prize, provided by the Mohegan Sun, is two tickets to an Air Supply concert.

WAI’s New England Chapter will hold an educational program on Tuesday, Oct. 25, that will include a plant tour followed by a networking reception and dinner.

The chapter’s Annual Regional Education Program will include discussions and a guided plant tour of Radio Frequency Systems (RFS) in Meriden, Connecticut. Check-in at RFS is at 3 pm, and the tour begins at 3:30 pm. There later will be a networking reception and dinner at the Waterfront Restaurant and Bar in Wethersfield, Connecticut.

The event is limited to 50 attendees, and registration will close on Oct. 25. A wait list will be available once the event is full. The cost for the event is $125 for non-WAI members, with a $25 discount for WAI New England Chapter members.

8/2/2022 -  

Three chapter golf tournaments are set for September, and registration has been reported strong for all of them as the lure of greens (and bragging rights) call out to players.

Of note, it could be harder to just show up the day of an event as spots are limited and filling fast, so it would be wise to register now. Sponsorship opportunities still exist for each golf tournament, so companies that would like to support their local chapter by either a skills contest or raffle prizes should contact them. Finally, it’s hard to believe, but not everyone is a golfer at heart. Those who would like to enjoy the day but do not want to play are welcome to register for the dinner only and partake in the networking and camaraderie.

First up is the New England Chapter, which will stage its 28th Annual Golf Tournament & Dinner on Monday, Sept. 12, at the Tunxis Country Club in Farmington, Connecticut. Contact: John Markowski, 203-458-4044, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Ohio Valley Chapter (OVC) has set Sept. 22 as the date for its annual golf tournament, which will also include an educational program, all to be held on the same day.

OVC 2022 will again be held at The Kennsington Club in Canfield, Ohio, which the chapter has used multiple times. Tentative guest speakers include: Ed Harrington of Strecker USA, who will discuss butt welding complexities and solutions; Jeff Danaher of Abbott Furnace, who will discuss annealing problems and practices; Jim Miller of Scientific Forming Technology, who will discuss applications of the DEFORM system in drawing process simulation.

OVC will start at 7 am with a shotgun start, followed at 2 pm with dinner and the educational program, then the awarding of golf prizes. The night before, Sept. 21, there will be a networking evening at the Kennsington Grill. Contact John Markowski, 203-458-4044, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Dave Rascati, 260-750-5736, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

On Thursday, Sept. 22, the Southeast Chapter will hold its annual golf tournament & dinner at the Rock Barn Country Club in Conover, North Carolina. Contact: John Markowski, 203-458-4044, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The September issue will have more details on the tournaments. Registration for all of these golf tournaments is now open at the Association’s online registration system at www.wai.configio.com.

7/2/2022 - The Ohio Valley Chapter (OVC) has set Sept. 22 as the date for its annual golf tournament, which will also include an educational program, all to be held on the same day.

OVC 2022 will again be held at The Kennsington Club in Canfield, Ohio, which the chapter has used multiple times. Tentative guest speakers include: Ed Harrington of Strecker USA, who will discuss butt welding complexities and solutions; Jeff Danaher of Abbott Furnace, who will discuss annealing problems and practices; Jim Miller of Scientific Forming Technology, who will discuss applications of the DEFORM system in drawing process simulation; Brian Rajotte of OEE Data-Watch, who will discuss automation controls with data acquisition systems; B.J. Austin of Ebner Furnaces, who will discuss furnace issues and solutions; and Tim Moury of Verichek, who will discuss material testing equipment and technology.

Contact John Markowski, 203-458-4044, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Dave Rascati, 260-750-5736, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The other two chapter golf tournaments will also be held in September. Up first is the New England Chapter, which will stage its 28th Annual Golf Tournament & Dinner on Monday, Sept. 12, at the Tunxis Country Club in Farmington, Connecticut. Contact: John Markowski, 203-458-4044, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

On Thursday, Sept. 22, the Southeast Chapter will hold its annual golf tournament & dinner at the Rock Barn Country Club in Conover, North Carolina. Contact: John Markowski, 203-458-4044, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The August issue will have more details on all the tournaments. Registration for all of these golf tournaments is now open at the Association’s online registration system at www.wai.configio.com.

6/2/2022 -

The WAI’s Midwest Chapter just held its 19th Annual Midwest Chapter Golf Tournament & Dinner at the St. Andrews Golf and Country Club, but there are two more scheduled, and plans are being set for a fourth one.

At press time, the Ohio Valley Chapter (OVC) was trying to finalize a 2022 date to hold its annual golf tournament. The goal was to follow up on the successful return to links in 2021, following the cancellation of the official event in 2020 because of Covid. The 2021 event included an educational program. More details will follow as soon as they are set.

What is known are the dates for the New England and Southeast Chapters’ events. Up first is the New England Chapter, which will stage its 28th Annual Golf Tournament & Dinner on Monday, Sept. 12, at the Tunxis Country Club in Farmington, Connecticut. Contact: John Markowski, 203-458-4044,
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

On Thursday, Sept. 22, the Southeast Chapter will hold its Annual Golf tournament & Dinner at the Rock Barn Country Club in Conover, North Carolina. Contact: John Markowski, 203-458-4044, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

3/4/2022  On many levels, the New England Chapter had much to rejoice over at its Feb. 24th annual meeting: it was again able to be held in-person, it was at an even better location in the Mohegan Sun Casino, attendance was very respectable, and there was a lot to look forward to.

The event, held at the Mohegan Sun Cabaret Theater, provided lots of comfortable elbow space for the 97 attendees, a very respectable number that does not include WAI staff. The new officers for the chapter are President Michael Sarni, Insulated Wire; Vice President Jessica Foss, Electric Cable Compounds, Inc.; Treasurer Ryan Carbray, AlphaGary; and Secretary Sean Dezalia, EIS Wire, Inc. Other 2022 board members include Joel Cacopardo, Radio Frequency Systems; Jim Evans, Web Industries, Inc.; Michael Mathiasen, Mathiasen Machinery, Inc.; Harish Panchal, HP Technologies LLC; Lori Parent, Delta Technic; Jason Ponce, Harbour Industries LLC; Jonathan Rufe, Rainbow Rubber and Plastics, Inc.; Michael Roussel, Celanese Corp.; Jason Sterndale, Quabbin Wire & Cable; and Robert Swanson, Jr., United Wire & Cable.

Speaking remotely, Champlain Cable Group President William Reichert welcomed fellow chapter members, and spoke about the challenges of the supply chain, a topic that all could relate to. There was also discussion about two events, the golf tournament on Sept. 12th and an Oct. 25 educational program. Below are thoughts from the officers about the meeting, which featured much camaraderie as well as discussions on activity to come.

“Everyone in attendance was happy to be out ‘beyond the Zoom’,” said Sarni, who made it a point to meet with each attendee. He said that one of the main chapter focuses this year will be coming up with unique ways to increase membership, making it beneficial for companies to allow their employees to join and hopefully be active.

Dezalia observed that a lot of the chapter focus is rightfully on educational events and scholarship programs, but being together again for the annual meeting was special. “Wire and cable is an old and close-knit group, and being able to get everyone together at the annual meeting provided an amazing opportunity for old friends to catch up, discuss industry trends, and impart their love for this field to the next generation.”

The chapter’s annual meeting provides a feel for the pulse of the industry, but more than just that, Carbray said. “Beyond connecting with peers, customers, suppliers and other auxiliary companies, members see the value of networking, collaborating on solutions, and cherish the value in giving back through the scholarship program.”

Despite not being able to be at the meeting, Foss said that she always enjoys the opportunity to hear and talk to cable manufacturers and material suppliers in person, “It’s not often I have the opportunity to network with such a diverse group of industry colleagues at one time.”

More event news will be presented in future issues.

11/8/21 – Madison, Connecticut, USA. – Looking back, John Accorsi—whose term as WAI Chapter president ends this month—believes that the year nearly completed has been successful. Despite the disruption caused by Covid-19 that prevented its annual dinner from being held at the beginning of the year, he observed that much was accomplished.

The chapter continued its educational mission by hosting a webinar on post-pandemic legal liabilities for employers. The scholarship program remained on track, providing a total of five scholarships to deserving students, with the possibility of adding a sixth next year. The 2021 golf tournament, held in early September, had larger attendance and more company sponsors than in 2020. The chapter also updated its bylaws to make governance clearer for future board members.

“It has been an honor to lead the New England Chapter in 2021, following in the footsteps of many other dedicated volunteers before me,” Accorsi said. He added that hopefully the news and conditions will continue to get better. “With the vaccine rollout now well underway, most members appear comfortable and eager to attend events on a regional level. Our Board of Directors continues to work on enhancing its member benefits and programs and is looking forward to the year ahead.”

The focus is now on the 2022 annual meeting, which is scheduled for Feb. 24 at the Mohegan Sun Casino, where the chapter’s new officers will be announced. The January 2022 issue will have more details.