Thank you for joining us in Phoenix for MCAA19! The best MCAA convention ever gave us the best photos ever! You can view, download and share great memories of our time together by visiting our SmugMug site. Best of all, they’re free! Ready to make new memories? See you in Maui! MCAA20 is March 15-19, 2020.

Here’s how it works:

• Go to mcaa.smugmug.com and you’ll see the MCAA19 folder
• Choose the gallery you would like to explore – there’s one for each day.
• Choose a photo, then use your phone’s features to share or save it.
• Once again the photos are free! For more options, visit mcaa.smugmug.com on your computer.

Brian Helm became MCAA’s President at the conclusion of MCAA19. He is the the President of Mechanical, Inc., one of the largest plumbing and HVAC contractors in the Midwest, serving primarily Chicago, Milwaukee, and Omaha. The Freeport, IL-based company—part of the Helm Group of companies—is known for delivering value to its customers in the Healthcare, Industrial, Education, Aquatic, Water/Wastewater Treatment, Government, High Rise, Energy and Mission Critical sectors. He was elected to the MCAA Board of Directors in 2013. On a personal note, Brian enjoys spending time with his wife, Kari, and their three children, Lily, Charlie, and Chase. His other favorite extra-curricular activity is chairing the public-private economic development board for his hometown of Freeport, IL.

Carmen Bracho of McMaster University was selected as the Student Chapter Competition’s Most Valuable Presenter. The new award recognizes the student who did the best job presenting their proposal, whether or not their team won. The audience voted on the best presenter from each team, and Carmen was selected as the overall winner. She received a $500 gift card.

The Most Valuable Presenters from each individual final four team included:

Trevor Symbal – Milwaukee School of Engineering
Thomas Walsh – University of Missouri – Columbia
Nolan Rochler – Wentworth Institute of Technology

MCAA president Mike Brandt and CNA construction segment director Mark Wilke presented five MCAA/CNA Safety Excellence Awards at MCAA19 in Phoenix. The participating firms were judged on the quality of their safety programs, innovative safety initiatives, and overall safety performance in 2018. The awards were presented at the March 6, 2019 Awards of Excellence Breakfast in front of twelve hundred attendees. The award winners are:

• Southwest Town Mechanical – Size Category 1 – Up to 100,000 Work Hours;
• Armistead Mechanical, Inc. – Size Category 2 – 100,001 to 250,000 Work Hours;
• Integrated Facility Services – Size Category 3 – 250,001 to 400,000 Work Hours;
• University Mechanical Contractors – Size Category 4 – 400,001 to 1 Million Work Hours; and
• J.F. Ahern Company – Size Category 5 – More Than 1 Million Work Hours.

MCAA congratulates all the winners for their remarkable achievements.

Justin Azbill of J.C. Cannistraro is the first recipient of the new MILWAUKEE TOOL Safety Professional of the Year Award. In presenting the award, Bill Hughes of MILWAUKEE TOOL said, “The incredible present-day emphasis on safety in the mechanical construction industry helped us realize the need to recognize the safety and health professionals that actually make the safe workplaces happen.” The award will be presented annually to the most deserving safety professional in the industry.

The first day of MCAA19 offered a wealth of education, from leadership and confidence-building to business growth and exit strategies. Members discovered new business opportunities and learned how to protect themselves from ever-present online threats. The Student Chapter Competition rounded out the day by providing a glimpse of the talent waiting to join our industry.