Industry Veteran Dan Kirkpatrick of GF Leaves Lasting Impact on Plumbing and HVAC Market

Apple Valley, Minn., U.S.A. — Nov. 25, 2025 — After 37 years serving customers in the plumbing and HVAC industry throughout Canada, Dan Kirkpatrick has reached his next career milestone: retirement. His journey with Uponor—and now GF—began in 1988 when he joined the company, which originated as Canapex followed by Wirsbo, as a design technician. He has held various roles since then with his primary title being technical field representative.

His nearly four-decade run made him a cornerstone of the company and a steady presence anyone could count on for technical support—capable of creating a radiant design in a fraction of the time—and ensuring customers were set up for success from installation and beyond.

“Dan is known for going the extra mile to make sure folks are taken care of, whether it’s for a customer, colleague, friend, or, most likely, someone who fits into several of these categories,” says Nicole Miller, sales representative at GF who has worked alongside Kirkpatrick for 28 years and will forever consider him a close friend. “He’s incredibly humble, generous, deeply encouraging, and never misses a chance to celebrate others. Dan has the biggest heart and is among the best people I’ve had the pleasure of working with. Some of my most cherished memories at work include Dan, and anyone who knows him would agree that you always hope gets the best things in life—because he deserves that.”

When he wasn’t building displays for sales kits, trade shows, or wholesale showrooms, he was regularly performing good deeds in the form of woodworking, delivering homemade pizzas to friends, colleagues, and customers, or handing out free coffee and gift cards to strangers at his favorite coffee shop.

“I’ve known him for close to 25 years,” says Jean-Claude Rémy, business development manager at GF Building Flow Solutions Americas. “He’s a very intelligent person—full of knowledge, always willing to help, and often with a great dose of patience and the intent to really understand the other person’s point of view. Most people are not aware of the volunteer work he’s done over the years for his community—helping in different ways and building wooden furniture and Christmas ornaments in his shop as gifts to others. He will be sorely missed, but I hope he gets the best out of his retirement.”

Colleagues went on to express their gratitude for Kirkpatrick’s willingness to help others, citing instances of him jumping in at a moment’s notice to repipe a house and even restore a neglected graveyard in rural Saskatchewan. His latest project was recreating the original road signs in his hometown of Truax, Sask., honoring the names of the families who once lived there.

His impact has been seen and felt by many. A devoted family man dedicated to his wife, children, and three grandchildren, we wish him the best as he embarks on this next chapter.

For information about Uponor products, services, and solutions, visit uponor.com.

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Media contact
Courtney Hieb
Corporate Communications Manager
GF Building Flow Solutions Americas
T 612 816 0592
E courtney.hieb@georgfischer.com

Agency contact
John O’Reilly
GreenHouse Digital + PR
T 708 428 6385
E john@greenhousedigitalpr.com

About GF
GF, with a rich history in industrial innovation since 1802, is actively reshaping itself to become the global leader in Flow Solutions for Industry, Infrastructure and Buildings. GF delivers Excellence in Flow by providing essential products and solutions that enable the safe and sustainable transport of fluids worldwide. In 2023, GF acquired Uponor, a leading global provider of smart water and energy solutions that plumbing and HVAC professionals have trusted for more than 100 years. As part of its strategic transformation, GF divested GF Machining Solutions on June 30, 2025, and has signed an agreement to divest its GF Casting Solutions division. Headquartered in Switzerland, GF employs about 15,700 professionals and is present in 46 countries. In 2024, GF generated sales of CHF 4.776 million. GF is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange.