VMA/VRC Annual Meeting 2026

Britt Burt, Senior VP of Research for Power Industry joined Industrial Info Resources as a member of the project research team in March of 1988. In 2000 he was promoted to Manager of the Power Industry Research Team and after a brief period of time was moved into the position Vice President of Research for the Power Industry. Britt has global responsibility of leading Industrial Info Resources’ power industry researchers as they identify key project, asset and event details affecting electricity markets around the world. Prior to joining Industrial Info Resources Britt worked in the industrial construction sector holding positions with Brown & Root, Zachry Construction and Bay Offshore Incorporated.

Retired from corporate life, Tom Decker now heads up Thomas E. Decker Consulting, LLC and provides market strategy and business management expertise to water and wastewater sector companies, organizations, and utilities. Prior to founding his consulting firm Tom worked in leadership positions for Brown and Caldwell, CH2M HILL, Parsons Corporation; and as partner and director of marketing for the Infrastructure Business of Black & Veatch. During his engagement in the water and wastewater field, he has led worldwide and national business development operations; directed numerous growth initiatives including geographic expansions as well as mergers and acquisitions; facilitated planning efforts for water and wastewater utilities; served as program manager for large capital improvement programs; and operated wastewater treatment plants.

Soile Kilpi is a Director with the Americas team at AFRY Management Consulting. She has over 35 years of experience in advising clients related to strategy, operations, investments and technology. She helps executives and boards to define sustainable futures for their businesses. Her area of expertise covers the bioindustry value chain from fiber to consumer products. Soile has worked on engagements in the US, Canada, China, India, Europe, and Latin America. Education: M.Sc. Business Economics (Aalto University, School of Economics)

Michael Pesendorfer is Vice President, Senior Research Analyst at Robert W. Baird & Co., focusing on industrial and manufacturing sector equities. Pesendorfer has been with Baird for over 7 years, holding various research and analyst roles. Prior to joining Baird, he was a teaching assistant at the University of Wisconsin and worked for M3 Investment Services in data management. He attended University of Wisconsin – Madison, studying finance and economics.

Heather Rhoderick is the president of the Valve Manufacturers Association, where she is responsible for the strategic direction and operations of the association, and its affiliate the Valve Repair Council. Prior to VMA, she was Senior Vice President of Events and Information at the American Composites Manufacturers Association, responsible for the Associations non-dues revenue as well as its education, marketing & communications. She was the Show Director for CAMX (the composite industry’s trade show for the Americas, jointly owned by ACMA & SOCMA). She also held marketing and program management roles at the Newspaper Association of America, and spent the first nine years of her career at the American Chemistry Council working on environmental, health, safety and distribution issues. She holds a Master of Business Administration from Virginia Tech, a political science degree from the University of Delaware, and the Certified Association Executive and Certified Meeting Planner designations. She currently serves on the National Association of Manufacturers’ Council of Manufacturing Associations Board of Advisors.

Eugene Chausovsky is the Senior Director for Analytical Development and Training at the New Lines Institute, where he oversees the institute’s publication and content production process, manages institutional training efforts, and guides the development of analytical products. He previously served as Senior Eurasia Analyst at the geopolitical intelligence firm Stratfor for more than 10 years. His analytical work has focused on political, economic and security issues pertaining to Russia, Eurasia, and China, as well as global connectivity issues related to energy and climate change. Eugene has contributed articles to a wide range of outlets including Foreign Policy, The National Interest, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Al Jazeera and has given interviews to global media outlets such as BBC, CNBC, Bloomberg, Politico, and CNN. He’s delivered numerous presentations at international conferences and served as a guest lecturer at universities in the United States and abroad. He has also organized crisis simulations and delivered client briefings to numerous international organizations and businesses, including Fortune 500 companies. He holds a Master of International Public Policy degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the University of Texas at Austin.

Mike Devereux currently serves as Wipfli’s National Manufacturing Industry Leader. In that role, he oversees a team of professionals nationally who provide audit, tax, and consulting services to the manufacturing sector. Mike’s role is primarily focused on organic growth, increasing Wipfli’s national presence and identifying value for manufacturing clients and prospective clients. He speaks regularly to various professional and industry trade associations on ways manufacturers can reduce their Federal and state tax liabilities, and he provides insights on recent and future legislation impacting the manufacturing sector.

Eric McClafferty’s practice focuses on counseling, compliance programs, internal investigations and enforcement matters related to economic sanctions and denied parties, export controls, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), customs, antidumping and countervailing duties, and reviews and investigations before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). Mr. McClafferty guides senior company officers and compliance personnel involved in international transactions through the restrictions imposed by evolving U.S. economic sanctions on Cuba, Crimea, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Sudan and Syria, and other rules administered by the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). In addition, he advises on export licensing and classification; performs due diligence export compliance reviews; establishes company and product-specific compliance and training programs for product, software and technology exports; and guides clients through export enforcement investigations and penalty negotiations related to exports of military, dual-use and nuclear items. Mr. McClafferty’s clients include exporters of industrial, aerospace, high-technology and agricultural products and technology, such as chemicals, chemical processing equipment, pharmaceuticals, software, electronics, unmanned vehicles and military items, including aircraft and related components, computers, satellite software and components, semiconductors, nuclear power plant components and specialty metals, powders and alloys. He works with all export control agencies of the U.S. government, including the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS); Department of State’s Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC); and counterparts at the Department of Defense (DOD), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Department of Energy (DOE).

Shane Mullins is the Senior VP of Product Development & Research for Industrial Info Resources. With 35 years at the company, he has held various roles developing market intelligence for the power generation, oil and gas (midstream and downstream) markets, and the most recent Data Center global capital investment growth initiative. He has published several white papers on these industries and is a regular speaker at IIR’s Annual Market Outlook events, while sharing his expertise at corporate events, tradeshows, and industry association meetings.