RETA and RSES Merger

Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES) has announced a merger with the Refrigerating Engineers & Technicians Association (RETA). RETA is the leader in training, education, and certification for industrial refrigeration technicians and engineers. RSES is a leader in training, education, and certification for professional HVACR technicians and contractors.

After nearly three years of discussion and planning, the memberships of both RETA and RSES have approved a merge of the Associations during their respective Annual Business Meetings in November 2023. This decision was made to help strengthen two long-standing non-profit sister associations within the HVACR industry under one management model. Jim Barron, who has worked with both Boards throughout this momentous process, will serve as the Executive Director of the combined organization. 

Barron states that both organizations are “two sides of the same coin” that stand to strengthen each other and this industry through this merge. “There is much work that still needs to be done,” states Barron, “and both Boards and HQ staffs are well-positioned to take on this task over this next year. We have already done a lot of work in both Associations in order to prepare for the changes we plan to make, and everyone is looking forward to working together to make this happen. We will continue to do the right things for the right reasons, for our memberships and the industry at large.” 

The moniker “Better Together” was first coined nearly three years ago by the exploratory committee first tasked with coming up with a blueprint for what a merger would look like between both organizations. This has now become the driving tag line that is bringing the two groups together. Combined, the two organizations will provide training, testing, and certification for technicians and engineers in both Refrigeration and HVAC. These complimentary industries have similar needs so will make improvements in both areas. The combined organizations will share the strengths of each one to improve the other.

2023–2024 RSES International President Jerry Clark says, “I feel blessed to be serving as International RSES President during this time. The fact that RETA’s Conference for next year had been predestined to be held in my beloved Southwest Region (Oct. 22–25, 2024 at the Gaylord Texan Resort in Grapevine, TX) during my tenure as International RSES President is almost overwhelming! I look forward to the future and seeing RETA & RSES Members learning alongside each other in the coming year.”

“I’m honored to be serving as the RETA President during this historic moment as we are bringing our organizations back together as they once were,” adds 2024 RETA President Mike Hawkins. “Both facets of the refrigeration industry have been changing over the years and the merger puts both organizations in a terrific position to continue training and certifying the operators and technicians to Gold Standard! Both organizations have a lot of work ahead of us to implement to the merger and I’m excited to be working with RSES International President Jerry Clark to bring us together as one family.” 

Professionals, students, and experts working in the HVAC and Refrigeration Industry, seeking continued education, and desiring to network with industry professionals should consider becoming members of these organizations.