G. Raymond "Ray" Hefner, executive vice president of the Plumbing Industry Council, located in St. Louis, received the 2006 Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors - National Association's (PHCC) Legislative Service Award at the recent annual convention in Chicago. He was nominated by Bob Mitchell, Plumbing Industry Council president.

The Legislative Service Award is presented in recognition of an individual who has made a significant legislative contribution to the p-h-c industry during the past year. According to the nomination, "Since Ray arrived at the Plumbing Industry Council 11 years ago, he has been the catalyst for many new and innovative programs, but none more important than the establishment of the Plumbing Industry Council's Political Action Committees (PAC)."

In 2006, the Plumbing Industry Council established its own Government Relations Committee (PIC PAC), which monitors legislative activities at the local, state, and national level. In addition to his coalition building at the state and local level which resulted in defeating state legislation detrimental to the Plumbing Industry Council, Hefner has been active in fundraising events for state, local, and national elected officials.

At the local level, Hefner is the Industry Council's code and regulatory "watch dog." That is important because in 2006, St. Louis County began the review of a new plumbing code. At the national level, Hefner is active on the PHCC-National Association's Government Relations Committee, the "535 Club" and helped make the 2006 Annual PAC Auction a success.

Publication date: 11/27/2006