Evin Jarrett doesn’t wait to talk up the skilled trades with high schoolers. No, he’s got fourth-graders soldering pipe inside his classroom at Mayfair Elementary, Philadelphia’s second-largest elementary school.

For many plumbing and heating professionals, the best teachers don’t retain college degrees from exorbitantly priced universities. On rare occasions, they even live under the same roof.

For our eighth annual young professional feature, PHCPPros is proud to highlight 14 outstanding individuals age 40 and under who are making their mark across the PHCP community. 

We planned to talk to Valerie Butler earlier in the day when we headed to see her at P.I.P.E. Inc., a contractor specializing in commercial plumbing and fire protection in the Indianapolis market and where she’s worked since 2020.

Help us celebrate those who are carrying the torch from previous generations and keeping the PHCP industry burning bright!

To combat the impending retirement wave and transfer critical institutional knowledge, engineering firms must embrace intentional, structured mentorship to prepare the next generation of talent for real-world challenges.

When young professionals ask me for advice about building a successful career in our industry, I often start by sharing a simple truth: our business isn’t only about moving products through warehouses — it’s about moving people toward their potential.

In an industry where actions speak louder than words, Nate Agentis explains why every job site interaction is a silent training session for the next generation of plumbing leaders.

Meet Rich Patterson of Aquaflow Pump & Supply, a next-generation leader blending relationship-driven wholesaling with modern technology to drive innovation, growth, and customer success.