NEW YORK — The Copper Development Association (CDA) has announced the retirement of President and CEO Andrew Kireta Sr. after 36 years with the organization. Kireta stepped down on Jan. 2, 2015, leaving a legacy of strong industry relationships and innovative programs that have been created under his leadership.

Kireta began his career as a pipefitting apprentice for a large mechanical contracting firm in Harrisburg, Pa., and quickly rose to field superintendent.

Since joining CDA in 1979 as Northeast regional manager of piping applications, Kireta has been instrumental in furthering the association’s goals of market development, education and engineering services. In his early years at CDA, Kireta dedicated himself to connecting CDA and its members to the marketplace and successfully built his staff from two to nine people.

After being promoted to vice president of CDA in 1998, Kireta spearheaded the Builder Satisfaction Program, which significantly demonstrated the consumer benefits of copper plumbing to the home building industry. He also introduced a 50-year limited warranty on residential copper plumbing products.

Kireta went on to promote and expand copper plumbing and mechanical system markets by directing the North American Plumbing Tube Initiative for the United States and Canada, and helped to develop the successful UA Instructor Training Program. In 2000, Kireta took over for Robert Payne as president and CEO of CDA. In this role, he continued to identify new applications for copper, such as antimicrobial, and new domestic markets for copper and copper alloys.

“On behalf of the Copper Development Association, I wish to thank Andrew Kireta Sr. for his many years of service to the copper industry,” said Stephen Higgins, CDA chairman, at the association’s annual Winter Meeting. “Whether as a pipefitter, a teacher or a CEO, Kireta’s dedication and leadership have strengthened the industry. We will continue to see his mark on CDA for years to come.”

For more information, visit www.copper.org.