The Irrigation Association is announcing that its CEO, Deborah Hamlin, CAE, FASAE, has retired from the association at the end of the year 2021.
Hamlin has served as the CEO for 15 years and led the association through numerous milestones, including establishing a new brand and mission, consolidating industry training, and developing a profitable online learning center. During her tenure, she also bolstered the certification program to third-party accreditation, created a standards and codes arm, and expanded into the publishing arena with two industry magazines. Mostly recently she led the association through its toughest year, pivoting to an all-virtual Education Week and a series of online conferences, while leading a capital campaign in the wake of a canceled Irrigation Show in 2020.
“My years at the IA have been incredibly fulfilling,” said Hamlin. “I have thoroughly enjoyed working with all of the amazing individuals in our industry as well as the professional staff. The strong staff-volunteer partnership is what has allowed us to achieve such success. Working and interacting with those teams is what I will miss the most.”
