PVF Roundtable Charitable Organization:
Impact Through Education
by Krystal Hatfield
The PVF Roundtable Charitable Organization donates scholarship funds annually to colleges and trade schools that support students pursuing careers in the pipe, valve, and fittings (PVF) industry—fields such as engineering, instrumentation, welding, and pipefitting. Although the Roundtable was founded over 30 years ago, membership and event sponsorships have significantly increased in recent years, enabling the organization to reach an impressive milestone of $2 million in donations by the end of 2023.
The year 2024 proved to be another strong one, with $300,000 awarded to the schools we support—bringing us closer to our goal of reaching $3 million in total donations by 2026. However, tariff concerns in Q1 2025 have slowed sponsorships and contributions, as member companies have had to be more cautious with charitable spending. Fortunately, a temporary truce in the U.S.-China trade conflict during Q2 brought some much-needed relief to the PVF market. Still, with ongoing uncertainty, forecasting donation levels for the remainder of 2025 remains difficult. Despite this, the Roundtable remains committed to its $3 million goal.
Last month, the PVF Roundtable Board of Directors met with representatives from each partner school to review donor reports, which included current enrollment figures, scholarship distribution updates, and heartfelt thank-you notes from scholarship recipients.
Lee College is building a new 165,000 sq. ft. Engineering Technology Energy Center to meet growing industry needs. According to Selah Tacconi, Chief Advancement Officer, all 2024 PVFRT scholarship funds have been awarded, helping students complete technical certifications and degrees.
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