Getting Involved in Government Affairs: An Interview With Karen Arpino
Getting Involved in Government Affairs: An Interview With Karen Arpino
Featuring Karen Arpino
With Tim Reed
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Tim Reed
Joining me today is the new Executive Director of the North Central HPBA, Karen Arpino. Karen, you’ve been with the HPBA for a long time in the Northeast, but now you’ve taken over North Central as well. How’s that going?
Karen Arpino
Thanks for having me, Tim. It’s been a lot of fun. I’ve been with the Northeast HPBA for about five years now, which is hard to believe. I met a few North Central members at the Government Affairs Academy in 2021 or ’22, and when Karen Teske-Osborne decided to retire, they reached out to me. I was honored they asked, and it’s been an exciting challenge. The North Central affiliate is different from the Northeast, so figuring out how to stay relevant to their businesses—without the same level of government affairs issues—has been a rewarding personal goal for me.
TR
Watching from afar, it’s been incredible to see how you transformed Northeast HPBA. You’ve won Affiliate of the Year and energized retailers, manufacturers, and distributors. I’d imagine you’re trying to bring that same approach to North Central. What lessons from your time at Northeast do you want to bring over?
KA
One key lesson is that you have to be relevant. We needed to make the North Central region’s trade association more relevant. Their membership had been declining, which is normal, but they have a very energized, young board that embraced change—so that’s been exciting. They were open to new ideas. I reached out to every business I could, using the contact information I downloaded from HPBA. I wrote letters explaining what we hoped to achieve and asked what they wanted from their trade association. We sent out invoices and saw significant membership growth within the first year.
We also brought automation to North Central HPBA, which helped a lot. Everything can be done online now, just like in the Northeast. The transition was smoother this time because I knew how to prioritize and implement systems. In the Northeast, I had to build everything from scratch, but for North Central, I could just bring over the systems I already had in place.
I started in November, right at the beginning of membership season, so we jumped straight into that. We learned that member engagement, enthusiasm, quality content, education, and services are key—and our annual meeting reflected that.
TR
It’s exciting to hear all of that, and I know the industry will be eager to see what you accomplish with the North Central board and how you continue pushing things forward. What differences have you noticed between dealers in the North Central area and those in the Northeast?
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KA
I have to talk slower. [Both laugh.]
Actually, I spent some time at Purdue University, so my familiarity with the area has helped a bit. But honestly, the dealers are great. We had a fantastic turnout at our annual meeting—it was so exciting. I really enjoyed talking with them and learning about their businesses. Their operations are different from those in the Northeast, with less focus on gas and a lot of emphasis on hands-on training.
The members have been incredibly welcoming, which has been really nice. Most of them are excited about the changes—not because they had to happen, but because they see it as an opportunity to move forward. They also recognize that government affairs are starting to impact their region, particularly in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
We did a government affairs presentation at their annual meeting, and I was surprised by how well-attended it was. In the Northeast, our first government affairs session wasn’t as popular, even though the issues were coming up very quickly. So I wasn’t sure how much interest there would be in North Central, especially since things are moving slower there.
In the Northeast, there’s a lot of “that won’t happen here” thinking. But in North Central, they know it’s coming. I was surprised by how engaged they were. Even though changes are happening years later in their region, they’re fully aware and prepared. The event was packed, with great questions and real participation in the seminars—it was a pleasant surprise and very exciting to see.
TR
That’s amazing. On that note, what legislative issues are coming up in the North Central area? You not only have a lot of dealers there, but some of the major manufacturers in our industry are also located in that region.
KA
Yes, they’ve been talking. I went to Minnesota, where there’s a real housing shortage. It’s tied to land permitting and building codes. I worked with an organization called Housing First, and we discussed the need to reconsider land use and permitting changes, as well as slowing down aggressive building code changes related to fossil fuels and mixed-fuel homes. The housing shortage is serious, and homes are becoming less affordable.
I’m seeing the same regulatory changes that started in the Northeast beginning to emerge in the Midwest. It’s mostly regulatory, but there have been a few attempts to pass energy choice bills. Unfortunately, those were denied because of a common argument: “Why fix something that hasn’t happened yet?” The exception was Nebraska, where it did pass.
The main issues revolve around new construction, gas bans, or limiting gas in certain areas or municipalities. There’s also the question of whether municipalities can enforce stricter building codes than the state. Almost all of it is regulatory, though there is some legislation involved.
TR
It’s great that you’re rallying your dealers and keeping them informed about the regulatory landscape. From a regulatory perspective, what differences do you see between the Midwest and the Northeast? Are they facing many of the same challenges?
KA
They’re similar challenges, but I feel like the conversation is better in the Midwest. That’s probably because it’s happening later than on the East and West Coasts. They’ve had more time to watch how things unfold and observe the issues and challenges with these bans and legal battles. There seems to be more thoughtful discussion, which I find encouraging.
TR
That makes perfect sense. As regulation spreads across the country, it gives the Midwest more time to prepare, which could lead to a more thoughtful approach compared to the quick, knee-jerk reactions we sometimes see on the coasts.
KA
Exactly. That’s what I’m finding—it’s a more methodical approach.
TR
It goes without saying that we need dealers to join HPBA and participate in their affiliate groups. But if you had the opportunity to talk to dealers who are just so focused on the day-to-day of their businesses that they’re not involved with the HPBA, what would you say to them?
KA
I love that question. At our North Central HPBA Annual Meeting in May, which was held in Wisconsin, we had several dealers who weren’t members but suddenly became interested—not just because of government affairs, but also because of the education, networking, and vendor opportunities.
We had indoor and outdoor vendors, and I encouraged dealers to just come and give it a try—to see if it was worth their time. They had a blast—not just with the socializing, sharing of ideas, and networking, but also with meeting vendors they hadn’t connected with before. North Central is far from most expo areas, so they met manufacturers and distributors they’d never had a chance to interact with.
Our board also did an amazing job putting together the training content for the event. Last year, we had 71 registrations with only 23 unique dealers. This year, we had 153 registrations and 81 unique companies.
TR
Wow, that’s incredible.
KA
It was so fun and exciting, all because of the relevant content. Once we had relevant content, dealers started to show up and register, which attracted vendors—the secondary goal of the event. It was a huge success, and I had a blast.
TR
That’s so great to hear. Watching from where I am and seeing people like Ryan Hall and others speak at the event, it makes me think about how easy it is for local dealers to get stuck in their own world, focused only on their businesses. Where do you go to get better? For many dealers, the answer is nowhere. They just keep doing the same thing, or they hire an expensive consultant. But they could attend a local HPBA affiliate meeting, pay a couple hundred dollars, and get content specifically designed to help them grow their businesses. Between sales training, technical training, and business training at these affiliate events, there’s real value—even before you factor in the government affairs work.
It’s easy for retailers to feel like they’re in it alone—like they need to have all the answers. But through HPBA affiliates, I’ve learned that there are many people who can help me overcome business challenges. As we come together to advocate for our companies and our industry, you gain leadership skills, networking opportunities, and more, which you might not have expected.
KA
Absolutely. It was so rewarding to get unsolicited emails and feedback from attendees after the event. It was also exciting to hear positive comments about the government affairs sessions, which I didn’t expect.
We had technical training, sales technical training, and installer training, and the rooms were packed. That enthusiasm made our instructors eager to return. It all came together beautifully, and I’m thrilled about it. The board worked incredibly hard—not only to put on an annual event but also to break in a new executive director. Their dedication to North Central HPBA was amazing, and the time they invested was impressive.
TR
That’s great to hear. How can dealers get involved with the HPBA and with their respective affiliates?
KA
North Central does things a little differently than the Northeast. In North Central, you can join a committee without being on the board, which I found really interesting. So if something interests you, get involved in a committee.
If you don’t have a lot of time, at least pay attention to your emails, builders, conversations, and town meetings, and share that information with your executive directors or HPBA. If you hear about a town meeting where building codes might change, or if a building official mentions an upcoming board meeting, let your affiliate leaders know. That’s the kind of “eyes and ears” information we can’t always get ourselves.
And make sure to attend Expo—it’s so important. This year, I included Expo mailers with everyone’s invoices, and our attendance was massive. We had 240 members and non-members combined attend, compared to 180 last year, which was really exciting since the event isn’t close by. Expo feels like the start of the year, bringing energy that carries you through. You see products, connect with other dealers, and get great ideas. Then that momentum carries into our annual meeting, where you can reinvigorate, get some education, and do more networking. After that, you can coast through summer and be ready to start again in August or September.
TR
That’s great, Karen. Here’s the final question I have for you: When dealers are plugged into government affairs, they know things that others who aren’t plugged in might not. What do those plugged-in dealers understand that the others don’t?
KA
Wow, that’s a loaded question. I think some dealers who aren’t plugged in have no idea what’s happening. They might not know that the Berkeley decision was overturned or that the state of New York is being sued. Some dealers might feel overwhelmed by everything—from 2020, NSPS, labor shortages, supply chain issues, and now natural gas bans—and decide to retire early. But that’s not necessary, because things are changing and evolving.
For example, dealers who aren’t involved may not know that OSHA has new regulations affecting chimney sweeps and workers on roofs, which will impact them in 2025. They may not realize that electric fireplaces look better than they did a year ago or that there are water vapor fireplaces that don’t put out heat but still look amazing and can humidify a room. If you’re not engaged, you miss out, and your business won’t be as successful or adaptable—and maybe not as fun, either.
TR
When it comes to regulation and legislation, we can either have a seat at the table and influence what happens, or we can isolate ourselves and just react to whatever comes our way. It often feels like we don’t have time, but we’re always spending time on something. As business owners and leaders, it’s our job to ensure our businesses are not just thriving today but also tomorrow—and that’s where the work you’re doing with North Central membership really shines.
Well, Karen, this has been really good. We’re so thankful that you’re helping our industry, and it’s going to be really cool to see what you continue to do with the folks at the North Central HPBA.
KA
Thank you, Tim. And thanks again for asking me to have this conversation and being so enthusiastic about it. I appreciate that. I can’t even put it into words.
TR
It’s my pleasure, Karen.
