After months of upheaval, the Air conditioning and Refrigeration European Association (AREA) voted a new Board during its Spring Meeting in Vienna. The Board will be formally confirmed during the next General Assembly in Brussels in the autumn.

The Assembly accepted Christian Scholz’s resignation as AREA President. Also stepping down from the Board to retire after many years of service is Past President Norman Mitchell. Remaining on the Board is Jean Jacquin from the French Association SNEFCCA (past President), Attila Zoltan from the HKVSZ, Hungary (Vice President) and Gerhard Neuhauser from the Austrian Association OEKKV (President); the new members are Frank Heuberger, from the German BIV (treasurer), Graeme Fox from the RACG, United Kingdom (Director), and Per Vemork from KELF, Norway (Director).

One of the first tasks facing the new Board is the immediate appointment of a new General Secretary, reveals the association’s press release. This challenging position, previously occupied by Joop Hoogkamer, is key in the success of the Association and will be of ever increasing importance in the future. And this is the motive for Snefcca’s discontent. According to RPF magazine, the option supported by the English of making Orgalime responsible for this function is not popular with the French. Being a federation that mainly represents manufacturers of electrotechnical equipment, the interests of installers could be left behind. Depending on the decision taken during the next General Assembly in November regarding this matter, Snefcca will decide whether or not it will continue to be a member of AREA.