Sprinkler Age A Publication of the American Fire Sprinkler Association
Past Board Member Continues to Contribute to the Industry
The American Fire Sprinkler Association’s (AFSA) North Carolina Fire Sprinkler Association’s Summer Beach Bashes are a great example of industry professionals coming together for education, networking, and fun! Attendees from across the region come together each May for seminars, a trade show, and social events.
One VIP in regular attendance is Ronnie J. Hahn, a past Board member for AFSA. Hahn was instrumental in the association’s early years and served on its Board of Directors in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. AFSA’s 45th anniversary year is a great time to acknowledge these early leaders and celebrate their continued involvement in the fire protection industry.
Hahn began his career in the sprinkler industry in 1962 with Crawford Sprinkler Co. in Charlotte, N.C. He and Rudy V. Frye, Sr. founded Associated Fire Protection in April 1973, and Hahn became the sole owner of the company in 1986.
Hahn was a charter member of the AFSA Carolinas (now North Carolina) Chapter and served as its chair for two years. He has always been an advocate for the sprinkler industry and merit shop sprinkler contractors.
“Ronnie hired me into the industry in August of 1986, and I worked with him for seven years,” remembers Jeffrey Dunn, past chair and current member of AFSA’s North Carolina Chapter. “He was a great mentor when I started Carolina Fire Protection in 2002. He still offers advice anytime I ask. Ronnie has always been a huge AFSA fan and is the reason we got involved with AFSA.”
WORKING FOR THE INDUSTRY AND MEMBERS
Hahn trained across all aspects of the field—fitter, then learned design, estimating, and sales before starting his own company, which Hahn proudly says is “still going strong.”
Hahn remembers getting involved with AFSA early in its formation. “It was the fall of 1981 when I first heard of AFSA,” Hahn recalls. “There was an NFPA convention in Dallas, and several people from North Carolina were going, including myself. Tom Waller was the ringleader back then and wanted to start a chapter, so we all got together in Charlotte in 1982 to form the chapter.”
Waller, a past AFSA Chair of the Board, was instrumental on the national and local levels and quickly recruited several other contractors in the area, including Hahn, to officially form the Carolinas Chapter (now known as the North Carolina Fire Sprinkler Association). In 1987, Hahn was asked to serve as chair. His work on the chapter, state, and national level also led him to serve on the national AFSA Board of Directors from 1987 to 1990.
Hahn was heavily involved in legislative activities on behalf of the Carolinas Chapter. North Carolina didn’t have a licensing law at that time, and several members worked on that issue for several years. He also served eight years on the State Board of Examiners and six years on its Resolution Committee.
“We formed a PAC [political action committee], but it was really just three of us doing the legwork—Sonny Aldridge, Bob Rees, and me,” Hahn remembers. “We spent an inordinate amount of time in Raleigh, walking around in suits and ties, pretending we were lobbyists!”
Eventually, the chapter hired a lobbyist, Raleigh attorney Henry Jones, and was successful in passing legislation. State licensing includes contractors and inspectors. The legislation is clear and consistent and is a point of pride for chapter members, ensuring NICET Level 3 can design and maintain sprinkler systems, and not just a P.E.
“The endeavor took a lot of personal sacrifice for everyone involved,” Hahn says. The PAC continues to this day, with Dunn serving as treasurer.
A LEGACY OF SERVICE
By 2008, Hahn was ready to retire. “Associated Fire Protection is the son I never had,” comments Hahn [he has one daughter]. Once I started the business, I didn’t have time for any more children,” he laughs. “It’s been a good industry for me. I’ve spent my whole life in it.”
Hahn left an indelible impression on chapter members to continue working on behalf of its members, the chapter, the association, and the industry, beyond just building a business. He was a mentor to Dunn, who followed in Hahn’s footsteps to serve on the state’s Board of Examiners, within the AFSA chapter, and on national committees within AFSA.
“I’m happy giving back on the national committee level, and not just being another line item on the check-in list. It’s an opportunity to give back,” Dunn says.
He continues, “The way Ronnie ran his company when I was there was to empower people to do something. I carried that same philosophy from Associated Fire Protection when I started out on my own with Carolina Fire Protection. That’s how we run our business. ”
CONTINUING TO BE INVOLVED
Hahn still makes his mark at chapter and industry events, including the chapter’s annual Beach Bash. The event brings together contractors, manufacturers, and suppliers for educational seminars, a trade show, and social gatherings. The 2025 show was a great success with record turnout and a record number of vendor booths.
“Meeting Ronnie was a real delight,” comments Linda Biernacki, president of Fire Tech Systems, Inc., Shreveport, La., and AFSA’s Immediate Past Chair of the Board. “I thoroughly enjoyed visiting with him about his involvement in AFSA’s early years at the Beach Bash. It was a fabulous event and a fantastic opportunity to connect with industry professionals and meet legend like Ronnie!”
The 2026 Beach Bash & Trade Show will take place April 22-24 at Kingston Resort by Embassy Suites Myrtle Beach. For more information, contact Chapter Executive Director John Turnage via email at jturnage@umpiretechnologiesgroup.com.