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Irrigation Association
of New Jersey

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WINTER Tech 2025

January 27 - 31, 2025

REGISTRATION DEADLINE DATE:  FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2025

Effective March 17, 2014 all individuals certified as Landscape Irrigation Contractors are required to obtain 16 Continuing Education Credits (CECs) to renew their license, with at least 8 CECs in water conservation topics and 2 CECs in NJ business law & building codes.

WINTER TECH COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2024 - IN-PERSON CLASSES AT SITE ONE IN EATONTOWN, NJ

Irrigation Systems and Design Basics 101

  • 8:00am – 12:00pm
  • Instructor: John Raffiani
  • 4.0 CECs (Water Conservation)
  • IANJ Members = $120/Non-Members = $240

Description (click to read more)

Description:  An irrigation tech's beginner to intermediate look at not only why irrigation should be included in most any landscape project but also an introduction to the components, design concepts and control systems required. Topics to be covered are soil considerations and plant water requirements using readily available evapotranspiration (ET) data. Additional topics include proper scheduling methods, total site water requirements and distribution uniformity. When and how to use drip irrigation and types of drip irrigation components will round out this basic introduction to irrigation systems.

LUNCH WILL BE PROVIDED FOR INDIVIDUALS ATTENDING MORNING AND AFTERNOON SESSIONS

Drip Irrigation
  • 1:00pm – 3:00pm
  • Instructor: Art Elmers
  • 2.0 CECs (Water Conservation)
  • IANJ Members = $60/Non-Members = $120

Description (click to read more)

Description: Learn the basics of Drip Irrigation, the fastest growing segment of the Irrigation Industry. This course will cover basic design, product selection, installation techniques, and drip scheduling. As the world moves towards mandating the use of sustainable Drip, don’t be left behind.

Scheduling

  • 3:15pm – 5:15pm
  • Instructor: Art Elmers
  • 2.0 CECs (Water Conservation)
  • IANJ Members = $60/Non-Members = $120

Description (click to read more)

Description: More irrigation water is wasted by incorporating inefficient scheduling strategies. This course will cover the proper scheduling of overhead as well as Drip Irrigation. How to incorporate cycle/soak, soil characteristics and smart technologies will also be focused on.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2025 - VIRTUAL ZOOM CLASSES

Irrigation vs. Sprinkler Systems, Two Different Things

  • 8:00am – 10:00am
  • Instructor: Chris Keating
  • 2.0 CECs (Water Conservation)
  • IANJ Members = $100/Non-Members = $200

Description (click to read more)

Description:  This class is foundational. It should be required prior to attending any design classes. It will explain the purpose of all the design and installation techniques and product choices and how they effectively deliver the necessary moisture to our landscapes. We will discuss and illustrate ET and explain how gravity affects moisture in the soil while discussing how soils and slopes impact irrigation. Once you understand the landscapes water needs, it is much easier to understand how and why proper design is critical to delivering the needed water when required. You will clearly know the definition of irrigation and how that differs from the sprinkler system.

Understanding Basic Pumps

  • 11:00am – 1:00pm
  • Instructor:  Jim Gurzler
  • 2.0 CECs (General)
  • IANJ Members = $60/Non-Members = $120

Description (click to read more)

Description: Understanding basic pumps looks at how to determine feet of head, relating feet of head to psi, pump curves and general description of pumps and the best applications of each type of pump.

Two-Wire Understanding and Troubleshooting

  • 1:30pm – 5:30pm
  • Instructor: Craig Borland
  • 4.0 CECs (General)
  • IANJ Members = $120/Non-Members = $240

Description (click to read more)

Description:  This class will cover what makes two-wire so different, how to design using two-wire, grounding for protection and troubleshooting.

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2025 - VIRTUAL ZOOM CLASSES

Key Elements of Water Management: Design Hydraulics, Scheduling and Troubleshooting

  • 8:00am – 12:00pm
  • Instructor: Ted Moriarty
  • 4.0 CECs (Water Conservation)
  • IANJ Members = $120/Non-Members = $240

Description (click to read more)

Description:  Irrigation contractors are increasingly tasked to include water management as a part of their portfolio of services. This class covers the skills, techniques and solutions needed to provide ways to manage irrigation water usage from the design stage to appropriate scheduling to troubleshooting existing systems that are wasting water.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2025 - VIRTUAL ZOOM CLASSES

Scheduling for Water Conservation - Past, Present and into the Future

  • 8:00am – 12:00pm
  • Instructor: John Raffiani
  • 4.0 CECs (Water Conservation)
  • IANJ Members = $120/Non-Members = $240

Description (click to read more)

Description:  A real deep dive into the science and math behind applying water to the landscape that will make anyone THINK more about the nuts and bolts necessary to schedule with confidence. Topics include program design, controller selection, climate and soil moisture sensors, alternative water saving products, the economics of saving water and upselling your client on the need.

NJ Business Law & Building Codes Relating to Irrigation Contracting

  • 1:00pm – 3:00pm
  • Instructor: John Raffiani
  • 2.0 CECs (NJ Business Law & Building Codes)
  • IANJ Members = $60/Non-Members = $120

Description (click to read more)

Description:  An in-depth review of the key points in our Licensing Act, building codes, permits, Consumer Affairs contract requirements, Home Improvement Contractors act (HIC) with recent updates (yes-they do apply to you!), utility mark outs, back flow testing and employee-related laws.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 2025 - VIRTUAL ZOOM CLASSES

Irrigation Troubleshooting from the Controller to the Valves

  • 10:00am – 2:00pm
  • Instructor: Craig Borland
  • 4.0 CECs (General)
  • IANJ Members = $120/Non-Members = $240

Description (click to read more)

Description:  This class will cover how to divide the system into three separate parts, what makes controllers tick, how to use a voltmeter, what method to determine the failure and how valves work. Please note, attendees will need to have a valve and volt meter with them for this virtual class.

MEET THE SPEAKERS

CRAIG BORLAND (Click to read about Craig)

Craig Borland has worked for Toro Irrigation/Irritrol for the past 31 years. During that time, he has managed the Controller Repair Department and the Service Center Repair program, and held positions as Warranty Administrator, Inside Sales rep, and is currently working as Field Service Manager in the Irrigation Division. Craig provides technical support for the Engineering, Legal, Technical Support and Marketing departments, and the Micro Division, among many others. He holds a B.S. in Fruit Science with a Minor in Ornamental Horticulture from Cal Poly–San Luis Obispo. He has taught classes for the Irrigation Association for the past 18 years, and serves on the IA Education Foundation Committee as a Subject Matter Expert.

ART ELMERS (Click to read about Art)

Art Elmers has been in the irrigation industry for over 50 years working as an irrigation installer, Designer, Service Tech, Distributor and now Manufacturer’s District Sales Manager for Netafim USA. He is past chair of the National Certification Board for the Irrigation Association and as such had the privilege of speaking at the Irrigation Expo in Sydney, Australia. He holds the CID, CIC, and CLIA certifications. Art is also currently a Trustee of the New Jersey Irrigation Association and has taught many seminars throughout the years on irrigation related topics. Art lives in Fort Lee with his wife Janet and is the father to two daughters, Danielle and Natalie, who have left the house but not Dad’s bank account.

JIM GURZLER (Click to read about Jim)

Jim Gurzler of Reasonable Outdoors LLC has over 25 years of experience with irrigation, including golf course, commercial and residential applications, along with extensive pump experience and has served on the GCSANJ education committee and on the Pocono Turfgrass Board as Editor.

CHRIS KEATING (Click to read about Chris)

Chris Keating began his 50-year career as a contractor in New Jersey in 1974 installing hydraulic sprinkler systems. His time in the industry has been spent contracting, working in various distributorships in NJ and VA as a salesperson or executive manager. Chris worked for Toro for over 17 years in sales and recently retired. During his career, he’s served on the IA board of directors, as chair of the Irrigation Foundation, as president of the Irrigation Association of New Jersey, and as treasurer of the Carolinas Irrigation Association through 2022. Chris is the current chair of the IA’s new Professional Mentoring Program. Chris has presented technical and business classes to thousands of contractors and distributor attendees. His training is based in common sense and is informed by his years of varied experience. He’s “walked the walk”. Chris currently lives in Richmond, VA. He has spent time in NJ, FL, TX, MO, MD, and VA.

TED MORIARTY (Click to read about Ted)

Ted Moriarty is beginning his 37th year in the irrigation industry. He has worked as a branch manager, sales manager and area manager in distribution. He has worked as sales representative for two major international irrigation equipment manufacturers. Ted now owns and operates Smart Watering Company, a Boston MA based irrigation consulting business specializing in water management issues, industry training and servicing and retrofitting residential and commercial irrigation systems. He holds IA Certifications in Design (commercial), Contractor, and Landscape Irrigation Auditor. Ted has been training industry professionals for nearly all his years in the industry. In 1998, he became an Irrigation Association instructor and developed and updated several IA classes. In addition to this, he has developed curriculum for and provides training for the licensing requirements in North Carolina, New Jersey and Connecticut. Ted also provides training for water purveyors and government agencies.

JOHN RAFFIANI (Click to read about John)

John Raffiani has been installing and servicing irrigation systems since 1966-more than 17,000 to date. His completed projects range from small residential systems up to 100-acre sites (in phases)-Homes, Shopping Centers, Corporate Office Parks, Athletic Fields and Condominiums in New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Florida, Arizona and California. Along with irrigation maintenance and upgrades, installing large scale landscape and drainage projects for the HOA market is a specialty. John is a Licensed Irrigation Contractor in NJ, an IA Certified Irrigation Contractor, an IA Certified Irrigation Technician, a Certified Back Flow tester, an NDS Certified Drainage Contractor, a Rutgers Certified Fertilizer Applicator and an IA Regional Authorized Instructor. He has written and taught many Continuing Education Credit courses and Webinars for the National IA, the NJ Irrigation Association, the CICA, the MNLA and the NJLCA while remaining an active member of the IANJ, IA, NJLCA, NJTA and NE7WWA.

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