Contractor Magazine Names PMI CEO to List of Most Influential Women in Plumbing
PMI CEO/Executive Director, Barbara C. Higgens, has been named as one of the most influential women in the plumbing industry. Editors at Contractor Magazine, with nominations from their readers, have comprised a list of the most influential women in the plumbing and hydronics industries. The list reflects the hard work and efforts made by women who are passionate and committed to improving the industry.
Recognizing Barb’s tireless efforts, and commitment to plumbing, they note:
“Barbara C. Higgens joined the Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI) as CEO/Executive Director in April 1998. She is responsible for directing the activities of the association, and overseeing legislative, lobbying, legal and codes/standards activities, as well as strategic planning and administration. At the direction of the PMI Board of Directors and the membership, Higgens has revamped the 75-year-old PMI by hiring a dedicated in-house staff, securing office space and equipment, developing a strategic plan, restructuring meetings around key industry issues, and significantly enhancing the association’s membership value equation, while enhancing revenues and reserves. PMI’s current focus includes water efficiency, ensuring safe, clean drinking water (for example through the PMI-sponsored and newly introduced national law to reduce lead in plumbing products), conformity assessment, fair trade initiatives, and outreach to policy makers and the next generation of workers. She holds positions on a number of industry committees, including the U.S. Department of Commerce Industry Trade Advisory Committee, she received the 2011 Robert P Atkins Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Vision Storehouse for her charitable efforts on the procurement committee. In 2013, PMI won the Crystal Vision Award for similar work. Higgens has served as Chairman of the National Association of Manufacturers Council of Manufacturing Associations Council Board of Directors. In 2012, she co-founded the U.S. based Plumbing Industry Leadership Coalition (PILC) in an effort to bring domestic plumbing groups together. The group held its third meeting in April of 2014. Higgens graduated from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism: advertising/marketing.”