Sprinkler Age A Publication of the American Fire Sprinkler Association
Young Professionals Engage With industry
The event of the year! I always say that once you attend an AFSA convention for the first time, you finally understand what a special industry we work in. AFSA44 was held in Washington, D.C., and it was a huge success. With over 1,500 attendees, contractors, and vendors from around the country, you start to get a feel of just how impressive the life safety industry really is.
As a young professional, I attended convention for the first time in 2017. The networking, training and development, and general learning opportunities sucked me right in—I knew I had to come back. Each year since, AFSA staff and committee volunteers find a way to top last year’s experience. In 2024, NextGen National launched a scholarship program to encourage young industry professionals to attend convention. In 2025, we had over 75 individuals apply! Five young professionals attended and had the experience of a lifetime. Some contractor members even modeled the scholarship and added additional employees to their attendee list.
We reached out to a few first-time attendees to ask them about their experience. Going into convention, numerous expressed both excitement and nerves! We asked the group if anything surprised them or was different from what they expected, and they all noted the size of the event (the number of attendees, the exhibit hall, and the number of seminars) and, for an event of that size, how fast-paced and on-track it stayed. Matt Turner, inspector from VSC Fire & Security, said he was impressed with “How AFSA was really focused on trying to get the next generation of the fire sprinkler industry into knowing the trade and the focus on working with high schools.”
AFSA44 had numerous high points, and some favorites from the group included networking with industry professionals and checking out new products from manufacturers and suppliers in the exhibit hall. They each attended several seminars covering various topics, but some of their favorites included AI, Women in the Industry, NFPA 25, and Leadership. One attendee mentioned, “The seminars really opened my eyes to what I need to focus on in order to be able to continue to grow in this industry.” Lily Yagos, an inspection trainee from VSC Fire & Security in Little Rock, Ark., added, “I loved getting to hear from women who are in the business and love what they do!”
Dylan Whitaker, fire sprinkler technician, from Summit Fire & Security, shared, “Attending an AFSA convention early in my career has proved pivotal to my perception of the industry. The convention is filled with more than a thousand professionals, many of whom have dedicated a lifetime to the trade. Experiencing all that the convention has to offer, including networking, seminars, and exhibits, has solidified my passion for fire protection.”
AFSA Board members have spent an incredible amount of time and energy devoted to the next generation. Linda Biernacki made it one of her many goals during her tenure as Chair of the Board to pour into NextGen. Throughout the week, you could often find any of the Board members sharing a cup of coffee with young professionals. AFSA Board Member Hunter Brendle, of Brendle Sprinkler Company, spearheaded a scavenger hunt for our youngest next generation. He put together a booklet to encourage young children in attendance to interact with convention—taking a photo with a Board member, completing a “word search” with sprinkler terms, and other fun activities.
Overall, AFSA44 was a huge success, with much of that coming from the energy, excitement, and general attendance of so many young professionals. It is encouraging to see the number of young people at convention grow every year. I look forward to seeing even more new, young faces at convention in the Fall of 2026 in San Antonio, Texas.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Katie Meehan is the director of marketing at VSC Fire & Security. She serves on several national committees for AFSA, including NextGen, Public Education & Awareness, Membership, and Convention. She is a past chair of AFSA’s NextGen Initiative and is the 2022 recipient of the Joe Heinrich Young Professional of the Year award.