Thank you for joining us at the 2025 LPI/ULPA Conference in Fort Worth, TX The ULPA Apprenticeship Classification and Education Committees have been working hard building an educational platform to provide the industry with practical and formal education. The Apprenticeship Program is designed to foster the development of skilled professionals to meet industry demands and standards and encourage apprentices to grow within the lightning protection industry. We are excited to share our updates of the Apprenticeship Program in the breakout session Please see the QR code below for further information about the Apprenticeship Program on the ULPA website
Jessica McGraw
Lightning Prevention Systems, Inc.
Jessica has been Vice President and co-owner of Lightning Prevention Systems in New Jersey for 24 years She is a member of the Apprenticeship Committee and currently the President on the ULPA Board
Parker M. Willard Jr.
Boston Lightning Rod Company, Inc.
Parker is the Fifth Generation at Boston Lightning Rod Co , Inc in Dedham, Massachusetts He has been in the industry for over 30 years as an Installer, Estimator and Executive He is a member of the Installer Meeting Committee and currently Vice President on the ULPA Board When not in the office, he can be found coaching or cheering on his two boys, Parker (III) and Piers
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM
The Apprenticeship Program was created to develop the Lightning Protection Industry with skilled technicians and a career path for Lightning Protection technicians.
Welcome to Inspire ‘25!
We are thrilled to have you join us for this groundbreaking Lightning Protection Industry Conference, where leaders, innovators, and professionals come together to share insights, advancements, and best practices in lightning protection.
Over the next few days, you will have the opportunity to engage with fellow lightning protection experts and construction industry professionals. Our agenda is packed with impactful sessions designed to inspire leadership, innovation, and industry growth
We encourage you to take full advantage of the learning opportunities and share your knowledge—your participation makes this event extraordinary. Together, let’s strengthen our industry and ensure safer environments for all.
Tim Harger, Executive Director
Tim serves as the Executive Director of the Lightning Protection Institute and Program Manager of the LPI-IP, which continues to experience year-over-year growth For over 35 years, Tim has engaged in all aspects of the lightning protection industry: Manufacturing, Installation, and Inspection. With this diverse experience, he is dedicated to promoting code-compliant lightning protection systems, education, and safety.
The LPI is committed to finding ways to bring awareness and support to manufacturers, installers, collaborators, and partners!
The Most innovative Design Awards provide an opportunity to showcase these projects, as well as emphasize the importance of early collaboration on projects to be successful.
From historical structures to modern high rises, the design and implementation of a lightning protection system is a team effort. The LPI wants to recognize those individuals and firms who work with our LPI Members to successfully design and integrate lightning protection systems into commercial and residential structures.
8:00 am to 5:00 pm
10:00 am to 2:00 pm
9:00 am to 12:00 pm
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
3:00 pm to 4:00 pm
5:00 pm to 7:00 pm
7:00 pm to ----
Agenda
Tuesday February 11th
LPI Certification Testing
Pre-registered sessions - Boardroom
AEMC Ground Testing Certification
Pre-registered session - Offsite at Home2Suites
LPI Board of Directors Meeting
Gallery II
LPI-IP Board of Directors Meeting
Gallery II
ULPA Board of Directors Meeting
Gallery II
WELCOME Cocktail Reception
Foyer / Gallery
Hospitality Suite Open
Crescent Suite - Room 343
SPONSORS
Thank you Platinum Level Sponsors!
7:30 am to 8:30 am
8:30 am to 8:45 am
8:45 am to 9:15 am
9:15 am to 10:30 am
Agenda
Wednesday February 12th
Breakfast Courtyard
Opening Comments & Welcome - Crescent Ballroom
Tim Harger - Jessica McGraw - Kelley Collins
ULPA General Assembly Meeting
Jessica McGraw - Parker Willard
LPI General Assembly Meeting
Tim Harger - Kelley Collins - Lesley Paske
10:30 am to 10:45 am Break
10:45 am to 11:15 am
11:15 am to 11:30 am
11:30 am to 12:00 pm
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm
1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
2:00 pm to 2:30 pm
2:30 pm to 3:15 pm
3:15 pm to 3:30 pm
3:30 pm to 4:15 pm
4:30 pm to ----
6:30 pm
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm
LPI-IP Update
Tim Harger - Kellie Roberts - Gary Flom - Megan Roberts
Industry Partner Updates / Industry Synergy
The Summit Overview and Delegate Group 1 Q&A, Feedback and Suggestions
Lunch - Exhibitors Open
Keynote Address - Mark A Noon, USAF(ret) “Beyond Reasonable”
INSPIRE! Member Exchange
Ideas and Initiatives that Inspire us to do More
BREAKOUT 1 - ULPA
Apprenticeship Program Details
Break - Exhibitors Open
BREAKOUT 2 - Mark Noon
Leading Change - Daily Changes to Succession Planning
Utilizing AI in Construction & Navigating Antitrust Regulations
Not All Grounding & Bonding is the Same
Bryan Holland - NEMA
11:00 am to 11:15 am
11:15 am to 11:45 am
11:45 am to 12:00 pm
Break - Exhibitors Open
What’s New and What’s Next in the Roofing Industry
Chadwick Collins - Technical Director SPRI
INSPIRE! Member Exchange
Ideas and Initiatives that Inspire us to do More
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm Lunch - Exhibitors Open
1:00 pm to 1:15 pm
1:15 pm to 2:15 pm
INSPIRE! Member Exchange
The Summit Overview and Delegate Groups 2-5
Q&A, Feedback & Suggestions
2:15 pm to 2:30 pm Break
2:30 pm to 3:15 pm
4:00 pm to ----
6:00 pm to 7:00 pm
7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Promethean, Promotion, & Harvest Presentations
Jessica McGraw & Parker Willard
Hospitality Suite Open
Crescent Suite - Room 343
Cocktail Reception
Courtyard / Crescent Ballroom
Awards Dinner and Entertainment
Partnerships
Partnerships are leading the way to success for the industry.
By
Partnering and creating “synergy” with organizations within the lightning protection industry has increased awareness of our field
Collaborating with other industries has allowed us to expand our reach and learn from their experiences, paving new pathways for our industry.
Check
Meet the Speakers
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Mark Noon
Retired Air Force Office & Executive Leadership Coach “Beyond Reasonable”
Mark Noon brings over 25 years of experience in military and civilian leadership, excelling as a speaker, author, and executive coach. His military career, including 20 years in the U.S. Air Force, saw him lead cultural transformations and guide teams through complex environments, even during a tour in the Middle East.
Mark‘s passion for leadership development has inspired thousands of leaders
"Quality means doing it right when no one is looking." Henry Ford
Meet the Speakers
Gary Flom - Intertek, Service Line Leader
Topic
- LPI-IP Inspections
Gary Flom is the Service Line Leader for Field Services for Intertek, based out of the Atlanta, Georgia laboratory During his 30 years at Intertek, his notable assignments included Operations Manager of the Atlanta OSHA NRTL Laboratory, Management of the National Field Evaluation Team and ETL’s Fire Alarm System Certification Program. In 2010, he initiated and developed Intertek’s team into the inspection body for the Lightning Protection InstituteInspection Program and has been actively involved ever since
Megan Roberts - Intertek, Program Coordinator
Topic
- LPI-IP Inspections
Megan Roberts is the Program Coordinator for Intertek's Inspection Body serving the Lightning Protection Institute - Inspection Program In the past seven years, Megan has been the customer facing point of contact for contractors looking to schedule inspections for their LPI-IP applications In this role, Megan has been dedicated to providing best-in-class customer service and rapid scheduling and has helped lead Intertek and the LPI-IP into consistent year-on-year growth for the program. Megan is also responsible for the coordination of Intertek's Fire Alarm Service Certification Program
Renee Landers - Bonded Lightning Protection Systems, Ltd., allG Ltd. and Robbins Inc. - Director of Operations
Topic
- ULPA Apprentice Breakout
Renee is Director of Operations for Bonded and Partner of Bonded, allG, and Robbins. She has been with Bonded for 25 years; she holds a degree in Business Management and other management experience She is a board member of the ULPA and the LPI-IP as well as several committees within the lightning protection and construction industries Renee is a part of the ULPA Apprenticeship committee and continues to work alongside the Department of Labor, union representatives and committee members to build a lightning protection industry apprenticeship program for the future of our industry.
Bret Peifer - Mr. Lightning, Owner/President
Topic
- ULPA Apprentice Breakout
Before Bret was owner of the company, he worked within it He started by digging holes for the ground rods when he was 12 years old Within the next 12 years, Bret started running his own crew, oversaw the residential and commercial side of the business, and learned all the ins and outs of the industry. In 2004, Bret became co-owner of Mr. Lightning, reshaping the foundations and atmosphere Ten years later, Bret continued with his vision and became sole owner
Meet the Speakers
Hunter Peifer - Mr. Lightning , Assistant and ULPA Supporter
Topic - ULPA Apprentice Breakout
Hunter, daughter of Bret and jokingly known as “Princess Lightning", grew up around Mr Lightning, learning the value of small business early on After earning a degree in Early Childhood Education and playing Division I college soccer, she taught elementary school for five years while contributing to Mr Lightning during school breaks Now full-time since May 2024, Hunter blends her teaching skills and family business expertise by leading in-house employee training and collaborating with the ULPA to develop a National Apprenticeship Program.
The Summit Delegates
LPI Members
Topic - Group Initiative Presentations
At The Summit in September, Delegates shared their knowledge and perspectives to determine what’s next for the lightning protection industry. These delegates formed 5 groups to outline initiatives and next steps to drive momentum for industry growth You can view participating companies and delegates on the LPI website/The Summit Each group will share an outline of their initiative to gain your feedback, suggestions and questions.
Bryan Holland - NEMA, Managing Director, Technical Field Reps.
Topic - Not All Grounding & Bonding is the Same
Bryan Holland is the Managing Director of the Technical Field Representatives Program at the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) He currently holds forty-one ICC certifications including Master Code Professional, Electrical Code Specialist, and Energy Code Specialist. He also holds twenty-six FEMA certifications and is a Certified Standards Professional (CStd) by the Society of Standardization Professionals Bryan represents NEMA as a voting principal on several NPFA, ICC, and IEC technical committees He lives in the state of Florida and is a licensed Building Code Administrator, Plans Examiner, and Inspector Bryan is a member of the AFAA, ECF, IAEI, ICC, NFPA and SES.
Chadwick Collins - SPRI, Technical Director
Topic - What’s New and What’s Next in the Roofing
Industry
Chadwick is the technical director for SPRI, Inc., the trade association representing manufacturers of single-ply roofing systems. He is responsible for leading and managing the technical agenda for SPRI and its members. He has nearly 20 years of roofing and advocacy experience. Chadwick’s career has included roles with manufacturers, a consulting firm, and an association management company, holding many roles including director of codes and regulatory compliance, where he served multiple trade associations.
