Mechanical Service Contractors of America

MSCA 2013!

October 13-16, 2013

Boca Raton Resort & Club, Boca Raton, FL

Registration is now open for the 28th Annual MSCA Educational Conference! Join us October 13-16 at the Boca Raton Resort & Club in Boca Raton, FL, for the preeminent HVACR and plumbing industry event!

This year’s conference challenges attendees to go “Beyond Your Limits.” This theme will be the common thread that runs throughout the program’s sessions and activities. Among the esteemed speakers will be entrepreneur and business consultant Troy Hazard who will present Beyond Tomorrow: How to Future-Proof Your Business with Purpose, Passion, People and Profits, and Vietnam War veteran and prison camp survivor Captain Charles Plumb who will discuss Tough Choices in Challenging Times.

Additional conference speakers include former NASA Space Shuttle Commander Mike Mullane, whose teamwork presentation will discuss the importance of expressing your perspective to ensure group success. Professional adventure racer Robyn Benincasa will share simple and easily applied skills that will allow attendees to create Human Synergy with all of the teammates in their lives, from colleagues to spouses and family. In addition, Thom Singer, popular speaker and author, will demonstrate how companies can be motivated to capture all the benefits of personal and professional networks.

Sharpen Your Service Managers' Skills With Top-Rated Program

Service Mangers Training Program

Scottsdale, AZ November 9-12

This four-day accelerated program, presented by Nancy Bandy and Steve Smith, is a highly interactive hands-on workshop that will give participants the fundamental financial and interpersonal skills they need for managing all aspects of the service operation. Real-life case studies will challenge attendees to utilize their new skills to ensure peak performance. For more information or to register, click here.

2013 GreenSTAR Program Guide Now Available

Read all about what's planned for MSCA's GreenSTAR program in the just-released 2013 Program Guide. It's your planner for the year whether you are a GreenSTAR or preparing to apply to become one! Read about upcoming webinars, seminars, and details about the program and its benefits.

Click here to view!

ENERGY STAR Webinar Series for 2013

MSCA will present a series of webinars to further enhance our members’ knowledge of this valuable program offered by the EPA. Integrating ENERGY STAR into your service offerings will help ensure your role as your customers' energy solutions expert and lead to business growth and long-term relationships. The webinars will be presented by Dr. Sharon Levin, noted ENERGY STAR expert and consultant.

Webinar dates and topics are:

February 20 - ENERGY STAR Benchmark Troubleshooting

Learn how to review building data entered into the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager benchmarking tool to detect and correct errors. View this Webinar Now!

April 17 - 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time Financial Benefits of Energy Savings

By the end of this webinar, you will understand and feel confident about explaining the financial benefits of reducing energy consumption in commercial buildings.

View the Webinar Now!

View the Free Energy Calculators Handout

June 19 - 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time ENERGY STAR Recognition Opportunities

Labor Resource Guide Now Available!

The online MSCA/UA Labor Resource Guide provides mechanical service contractors and local UA unions with quick and easy access to a wide range of resources and publications to help expand service opportunities in their area.

The guide was a collaborative effort of the members of the Joint UA/MSCA Labor Committee whose goal was to consolidate the various resources available from MSCA and the UA with regards to training, certification, national agreements, recruiting and other labor issues. Most of these resources can be downloaded at no charge.

Topics in the guide include:

• The National Service and Maintenance Agreement

• UA STAR Certification

• Training

• Recruiting

• Veterans in Piping (VIP) Program

• International Training Fund

• And Much More!

UA’s VIP Program Puts Vets to Work in the HVACR Industry

The UA’s VIP HVACR program is eighteen weeks (720 hours) of intensive HVACR training. During this training military veterans complete the following UA certifications: UA 51 Brazing certification, 410 A certification, OSHA 30 hour certification, CFC certification, and CPR certification. At the conclusion of the class the student will take the UA Star Light Commercial HVACR exam. The program also focuses on the value and importance of customer relations. The program not only consists of classroom instruction but also shop classes where students get involved with many hands-on projects. The UA VIP Program has had great success in providing training and careers in welding and expects similar successes in the ever-growing field of HVACR service. The UA anticipates offering this program in a number of different locations around the country in the future.

Thanks to the following contractors for hiring graduates from the latest HVACR VIP class:

ACCO Engineered Systems, UA Local 250

Carrier Commercial Services, UA Local 421

Carrier Commercial Services, UA Local 123

McDonald-Miller Services, UA Local 32

Fluidics,Inc., UA Local 420

PermaCold Engineering,Inc., UA Local 290

Trane of Seattle, UA Local 32

For more details or to learn how you can hire a VIP graduate, contact UA Special Representative Donnie Braun, donnieb@uanet.org. or go to www.uavip.org.

Get the Basics from HVAC 101

MSCA's HVAC 101 workbook-and-webinar series gives non-trade personnel a better understanding of HVACR terms, basic systems and the visual tools they need for successful day-to-day interactions with customers and coworkers. Each of ten modules includes the most fundamental industry concepts, presented in a thorough real-world way that will help your workforce to better understand our business. Each webinar is easily accessible from the HVAC 101 webpage. Participant workbooks for each session must be ordered separately at a cost of $10 each for members.