Archives: News Items

Find the Latest from NIBCO INC. and Craftmark Pipe Markers in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show

MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show connects our contractor members with the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Participating companies highlight and link to new products, product lines, services, solutions or web pages of particular interest. Here are just a few of the recent additions:

NIBCO INC.
The NIBCO® 585HP High Performance ball valve and the revolutionary technology used in its construction, use, and performance. The 585HP includes patented, laser-welded construction (designed to eliminate potential leak paths), high-quality lead-free Performance Bronze®, and an easily reversible handle. With a pressure rating of up to 1,000 psi CWP and 150 SWP, the NIBCO 585HP ball valve is the perfect fit for drinking water, HVAC, isolation or throttling, or domestic hot and cold water piping operations.

Learn More

Craftmark Pipe Markers
Precoiled and pretensioned plastic snap on markers meet ASME/ANSI A13.1-2020 Scheme for the Identification of Piping Systems. MCAA members receive a 30% discount and free shipping on all pipe markers!

Learn More

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show!

Visit the Virtual Trade Show

Speaking of Smart Solutions

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website to learn how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with cost-saving and productivity-enhancing applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

This section of our website also includes tips and ideas to help your company save money and enhance your productivity. Don’t miss it!

Visit Smart Solutions

Silicon Valley Mechanical Improves Productivity, Efficiency With PypeServer Enterprise Software

Silicon Valley Mechanical, a full-service mechanical contractor in San Jose, CA, rapidly improved productivity and increased efficiency by putting PypeServer software into place. Here, Jamie Garza, detail manager, and Dean Garza, piping shop general foreman at Silicon Valley Mechanical, describe how they achieved those gains.

LEARN MORE

Looking for More Smart Solutions?

Visit the Smart Solutions Case Studies area of our website! You’ll see how other mechanical contractors found their win-win with productivity-enhancing and cost-saving applications from members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Plus, you’ll find tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.

VISIT SMART SOLUTIONS

MCAA’s 2023 Fabrication Conference Registration Now Open

The MCAA Fabrication Conference boasts a rich history of bringing together professionals from the mechanical contracting and fabrication industries. Now in its 24th year, the conference has grown to be a pivotal event, serving as a platform for industry leaders, innovators, and experts to share their knowledge, insights, and best practices. With a focus on cutting-edge technologies, process improvements, and collaboration, the MCAA Fabrication Conference has continually evolved to address the ever-changing landscape of the mechanical contracting world, fostering a community of professionals dedicated to advancing the industry and ensuring its sustainable growth.

Expanded Tours

While always popular, the conference has always been limited to the tour capacity of the host contractor. This year that changes. While UMC, Inc. will serve as the primary conference host, three additional contractors have agreed to have smaller tour groups through their facility as well. The 2023 conference will offer more tour options in a streamlined format.

UMC, Inc. – Primary tour host featuring a new 90,000 ft2 fabrication facility featuring piping and plumbing as well as a look at their digitally integrated fabrication process.
SJS Mechanical – One of the premier multi-family contractors in the US with a unique facility that focuses on light commercial and plumbing fabrication.
Shinn Mechanical – Innovative Seattle contractor that focuses on industrial and commercial markets, this tour will focus on their sprinkler fabrication, while highlighting their other fabrication solutions.
MacDonald Miller – Full-service design-build contractor with 11 locations and over 1,000 employees. Their tour offers a look at their Sheet Metal fabrication abilities.

Updated Education

While tours remain an important component to the MCAA Fabrication Conference, additional ideas, education, and innovation are increasingly important. The format of the conference is expanding so that the tour is not the only educational offering for attendees. This year’s conference will now include:

Contractor Case Studies – Learn from how others are doing it.
Breakout sessions – Repeated so you don’t miss it while on a tour.
Lean Workshops – Hands on exercises to demonstrate lean concepts.
Expanded Exhibit – Expanded beyond the reception through entire first day.
Uncapped Attendee Limit – The two per MCAA member rule has been removed.

REGISTER TODAY

MCA of Western Washington Recognized Safety Excellence Awards Winners

The MCA of Western Washington (MCAWW) announced the winners of its annual MCAWW Safety Excellence Awards at its June 7, 2023 member luncheon. The awards went to JH Kelly, UMC, Holmberg Mechanical, Stirrett-Johnsen and PSR Mechanical, all also MCAA members. Congratulations to all the winners!

The awards were based on safety achievements and performance in 2022 and were awarded in 5 hours categories. The award winners were determined by a panel of independent judges consisting of a general contractor, a state regulator, and a university professor with a background in safety and health.

The winners of this year’s awards by category are:

1M Hours and More – JH Kelly
500,000 Hours to 999,999 Hours – UMC
150,001 – 499,999 Hours – Holmberg Mechanical
100,000 to 150,000 Hours – Stirrett-Johnsen
Under 100,000 Hours – PSR Mechanical

The awards were presented by MCAWW Board President Jeff White and Scott Middleton, MCAWW’s General Counsel and Government Affairs Director.

MCAA congratulates all the winners for their outstanding commitment to safety.

Post on the GreatFutures Job Board Now and Meet Your Candidates this Fall!

The MCAA GreatFutures Job Board is a tool to post entry-level full-time positions and internships that are directed at MCAA Student Chapter Members. Post a job now and then register for the GreatFutures Forum (student-focused conference) to meet candidates in person in Milwaukee on September 28-30^th. The Job Fair is on the morning of September 29^th and registration for the entire conference is complimentary for MCAA Members. Registration is currently available and closes August 30^th .

LEARN MORE & REGISTER

How to Post an Entry-Level Job or Internship

Login with an MCAA username and password
Click on the job board within the Career Development page
Click Manage My Jobs and Add a Job to create your posting
Jobs remain active for 1 month to ensure postings stay fresh
When the job is set to expire, a reminder will be sent for you to either “mark as filled” or “duplicate” and repost for another month
Interested students can view postings and submit their contact information and resume
Your office will be notified via email when interested students submit their resume
From there, your office is encouraged to continue with your company’s application and interview process

VIEW JOB BOARD

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Business Transition Options for the Mechanical Contractor

One of the classic mistakes that owners of mechanical contracting firms often make when transferring ownership of their company is not fully exploring all their options. MCAA’s Business Transition Options for the Mechanical Contractor reviews the various options for transferring ownership of a company and showcases the advance planning and analysis needed for a successful transfer. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin covers:

How owner motives drive decisions
Understanding the tradeoffs necessary to meet the owner’s objectives
Transfer channels available
The valuation and liquidity issues associated with external vs. internal transfers

DOWNLOAD

WEBBOOK

In the related podcast, host Bob Lindbloom and co-host Rob Armistead discuss Exit Strategy Planning with Mario Vicari, business advisor to privately-held companies at Kreisher Miller. Play the podcast directly from the WebBook, or listen and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or Google Play.

For a full list of available Management Methods Bulletins, visit the Management Methods Bulletins page.

Have Questions or Need Personal Assistance?

Contact MCAA’s Frank Wall.

Connect With the Latest Training from SLOAN and Ridge Tool Company at MCAA.org

The Manufacturer/Supplier Training area of MCAA’s website connects our contractor members with training opportunities available from the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Participating companies highlight and link to new webinars and training opportunities across their product lines, services, solutions or web pages. Here are just a few of the recent additions:

SLOAN
Hygiene-friendly sinks have become essential post-pandemic. This course is designed to inform general contractors, architects, and interior designers how hygiene can be incorporated into sink design.

Learn More

Ridge Tool Company
From the leaders in pressing, RIDGID product experts Michael and Adam demonstrative how to use press tools.

Learn More

Interested in More Training from Our Supplier Partners?

Be sure to visit the Manufacturer/Supplier Training area for all the latest offerings.

Learn More

Introducing Single Sign-On for WebLEM Users: Enhancing Your User Experience

We are thrilled to share some exciting news with you! In our continuous efforts to enhance your user experience, we will soon be implementing a significant upgrade to the WebLEM login process. Say hello to Single Sign-On (SSO)!

With SSO, we are replacing the traditional login method with a streamlined and secure authentication process. This change aims to make accessing WebLEM a breeze, providing you with a more seamless and convenient experience.

How It Works

Once you log in to the MCAA website as a member or WebLEM subscriber, you will automatically be logged into the WebLEM. No additional login steps required! It’s that simple. To access WebLEM, click on Resources tab and then WebLEM.

In the event that you visit www.weblem.org directly (see below), you will be automatically redirected to the MCAA website. If you have already signed in to MCAA.org, you will have instant access to the WebLEM without the need for a separate login.

We believe that this upgrade will greatly enhance your overall user experience, making it easier than ever to access and utilize the valuable resources the WebLEM.

We are excited about the SSO and are confident that you’ll appreciate the improved login process. With the upcoming SSO implementation, each WebLEM user will have their own unique login credentials. Gone are the days of relying on shared credentials that your WebLEM administrator had to update and distribute to all users within your company. This change ensures greater security and individual accountability for your WebLEM access.

Please Note

Due to the transition to SSO, your company admin may have to regenerate your subscriber token and/or the API key. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, but this step is essential to ensure a secure and uninterrupted login experience. The good news is that now you can find out who your company administrator is by simply clicking on the drop-down box located at the top right-hand corner of the WebLEM page.

We understand that change can sometimes be challenging, but we firmly believe that this shift to SSO will greatly improve your WebLEM experience. Our team is working diligently to make this transition as seamless as possible.

We will be rolling out this upgrade soon. We appreciate your continued support and patience during this upgrade.

Congratulations to Morebodi Sebadieta, Recipient of the 2023 Viega – Joe Pikus Scholarship

Morebodi Sebadieta is the recipient of the Viega – Joe Pikus Scholarship. Upon the news that Joe would soon be retiring, Viega wanted to commemorate his passion for student learning by naming a scholarship in his honor. This new scholarship is available to an active participant of an MCAA student chapter, who is a junior or senior, majoring in construction management, with a 3.5 GPA or higher, who participated in the student chapter competition, and most importantly, who is committed to a career in mechanical contracting, demonstrated through an internship.

Morebodi is studying construction management at California State University, Chico and anticipates graduating in December 2023. He has been interning at Kinetics since May 2022 and is planning on continuing his internship with them this summer as a Project Engineer.

“The technicality of mechanical systems is what has kept me interested in this industry. I’ve learned quite a lot from my internship, especially with process piping. I consider mechanical contractors specialists in the construction industry, which really intrigues me.

Five years after graduation I see myself being a Project Manager and running projects for a mechanical contractor. The more I hear about something, the more I want to learn and perfect it. Mechanical construction is not any different. I’m eager to learn more about mechanical and joined the MCAA and ASC competitions to help me gain as much knowledge and experience as I can before graduating.”

MCAA and the John R. Gentille Foundation congratulate Morebodi on this prestigious scholarship and thank Viega for their commitment to supporting students interested in pursuing a career in the mechanical contracting industry.

New CNA Fleet Safety Resources Offer Tips for Staying Safe On the Road

In a new fleet safety series, CNA, a member of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council, offers MCAA members four infographic posters around the most common claim, auto safety. The posters address common issues including: tips to reduce auto accidents, situational awareness while driving, driving under the influence, and understanding distracted driving. MCAA thanks CNA for sharing these valuable safety resources with the entire membership.

Think about this:

In 2020, almost 3,000 fatal and over 200,000 nonfatal distraction-related motor vehicle accidents occurred.
- Commercial drivers are six times more likes to be involved in a critical event when participating in handheld browser activities.
In 2020, there were fewer vehicles on the road, but the decrease in miles driven did not correlate to fewer accidents.
- Even with an 11% decrease in miles driven, vehicle accident deaths rose by 8.3%.

Download the four infographics to share with your team. The more conscious we all are of how to prevent auto accidents, the more likely we are to avoid them, and that’s good for everyone!

tips to reduce auto accidents

situational awareness while driving

driving under the influence

understanding distracted driving

If you have questions or need additional information, please contact:

Shawn Egan, CNA, Risk Control Consultant

Find the Latest from Morris Group International and Autodesk, Inc. in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show

MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show connects our contractor members with the members of MCAA’s Manufacturer/Supplier Council.

Participating companies highlight and link to new products, product lines, services, solutions or web pages of particular interest. Here are just a few of the recent additions:

Morris Group International
Meet the Maintenance Advantage® key tool from Murdock Mfg., a division of MGI. This all-in-one tool unlocks all the maintenance features on the Water Cooler and Bottle Filler with EZ Door™ filter.

Learn More

Autodesk, Inc.
Success in a changing market comes from your ability to adapt while doing more with less. With improved collaboration throughout the project lifecycle, savings in time and money, and new capabilities like precision prefabrication, BIM makes the difference between surviving and thriving. Learn how the integrated tools in the AEC Collection can help you achieve better business outcomes.

Learn More

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show!

Visit the Virtual Trade Show

Speaking of Smart Solutions

This section of our website also includes tips and ideas to help your company save money and enhance your productivity. Don’t miss it!

Visit Smart Solutions

IMI TA’s Support Center Cuts Energy Costs at Oklahoma Public Safety Facility

In recent years, the power needed to heat or cool buildings has fallen dramatically with the focus on reducing energy consumption and minimizing the environmental impact of HVAC installations. The flow rates in our installations are much lower now than in the past, especially if we use modulating controls on the terminal units. Here, IMI Hydronic Engineering explains the issues around low flow rates in boilers, cooling units, and pumps; solutions to guarantee the minimum flow rate; and effective ways to control low flow rates.

LEARN MORE

Looking for More Smart Solutions?

Plus, you’ll find tips and ideas on other ways you and your company can save money and enhance your productivity.

VISIT SMART SOLUTIONS

MCAA Safety & Health Data Raises The Bar

The 2023 MCAA Safety Statistics & Awards program recognizes member company safety performance from 2022. This year the MCAA Safety Excellence Initiative is proud to recognize 86 MCAA members companies. All applicants receive a valuable benchmarking report that will allow them to compare their own 2022 incidence rates with the aggregate rates of the other participating MCAA companies overall, those in the same size category, and with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics incidence rates.

Across the board MCAA contractors have an average recordable rate of 1.2, lower than our own rate last year, and significantly lower than our industry in general by over 60%. As far as lost workday cases go, MCAA members once again performed better than last year with a .27 rate compared to non-members rate of 1.9.

Those who qualified also received a certificate of recognition.

The program provides six awards categories including awards for zero recordable cases, zero lost workday cases, recordable cases incidence rates that are 25% or more below the industry average, lost workday cases incidence rates that are 25% or more below the industry average, and two that are a mix of these items.

MCAA is pleased to give the following contractors special recognition for their safety performance.

Zero Recordable Cases

Bayes, Inc.
S&D Mechanical, Inc
James T. Kay Co., Inc.
Advanced Mechanical Corp
ACSI Mechanical (American Combustion Service, Inc.)
Allison Mechanical, Inc.
Leibold Inc.
J. WILLIAMS INDUSTRIAL GROUP, INC
Gunthorpe Plumbing and Heating
Smith-Boughan, Inc.
The YMI Group, Inc.
Neptune Plumbing & Heating Co.
Mecco LLC
Power Process Piping
AJ Allen Mechanical Contractors Inc.
Westside Mechanical Group
Denali Construction Services
Air Temp Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.
Loescher Heating & Air Conditioning, Co.
G.E. Mechanical, LLC
Air Comfort LLC
Sexson Mechanical Company
North Mechanical Contracting, Inc
Bumler Mechanical
Suttles Plumbing and Mechanical Corp
Progressive Mechanical Inc.

Zero Lost Workday Cases

Warner Mechanical Corporation
Modern Controls, Inc.
Armistead Mechanical NJ
Rite-Way Plumbing & Heating Inc.
Stirrett Johnsen, Inc.
PCI Services, Inc.
Thermalair, Inc.
Armistead Mechanical- NY
Ainsworth, Inc- PA
Corrigan Company
Herrman & Goetz, Inc.
DebonAir Mechanical
Haberberger, Inc.
UMC. Inc.
McCloskey Mechanical Contractors, Inc.
Horwitz, LLC
Winger Contracting Company
Nooter Construction Company
A.O. Reed & Co.
Total Facility Solutions
Apollo Mechanical
W. Soule & Co.

Congratulations to all award winners and thank you to everyone who submitted. MCAA members’ focus on safety & health is objectively above average and your support of this programs highlights your company’s commitment to safety.

The Preparatory Institute for Project Management Online: One More 2023 Course Added – Registration Will Open at 12:00 pm EDT on June 28th!

While the Pre-IPM is generally a ‘summer series’ course, thanks to the dedication of our incredible volunteer and professional instructors, MCAA is offering one more Preparatory Institute for Project Management this year. Mark your calendars: registration will open at 12:00 pm EDT on Wednesday, June 28th for Pre-IPM Class 25.

This 12-session online curriculum is intended for those with 0-3 years of experience and is designed to help flatten the learning curve for those new to the world of mechanical project management. Classes will take place Mondays and alternate Wednesdays from August 21st to October 18th. Because attendance at all lectures is required for certification, all potential students should review the schedule of dates on the Pre-IPM webpage before enrolling to ensure they have no conflicting commitments.

Registration takes place on a first-come, first-served basis – and classes fill quickly. Visit the Pre-IPM webpage to learn what you need to do to prepare for registration. The Pre-IPM team looks forward to welcoming your participants to the program!

LEARN MORE & REGISTER

UA ITF Offers 2023 MCAA Field Leaders Conference Grants

MCAA’s Field Leaders Conference provides field leaders with the skills they need to be business- and results-oriented managers focused on growing company profits and brand, and now there’s another reason to attend – financial assistance from the United Association’s (UA) International Training Fund (ITF) in the form of a $5,500 grant. There are two more opportunities to attend the 2023 Field Leaders Conference: August 2-4 in San Francisco, CA, or October 11-13 in Des Moines, IA. Your field personnel cannot afford to miss it!

The grant is available for all eligible U.S. local union education funds. Each UA/MCAA foreman administrator who attends one of the 2023 MCAA Field Leaders Conferences and meets the verification requirements is eligible to receive a grant. The purpose of the grant is to continue building UA foreman administrators’ growth as leaders in their locals and in the field.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for the grant, the foreman administrator must:

Have completed UA/MCAA Foreman Certification Course 2012 (formerly Course 443).

Hold a current UA/MCAA Foreman Certification. (If the individual’s foreman certification has recently expired, but they are still actively working as a foreman, they are eligible to recertify. Click here for the UA/MCAA Foreman Recertification Form.

Attend all three days of the conference.

How To Apply

Grant requests are now being accepted. To apply:

Log into https://itf.uanet.org and start a new grant request.

Once you complete the request module (survey, purpose, etc.), a second module for request options will display. Select Add Catalog Items, then scroll down to choose SPEC03 MCAA Field Leaders Grant.

Enter in the quantity, and then upload the required form (one form per attendee).

Add the item and submit the grant.

Credential Verification & Registration

Once each foreman administrator’s credentials are verified, the ITF will send MCAA account login information to the attendee. It will be the responsibility of the attendee to register with the MCAA and make hotel and travel arrangements.

Attendance Verification & Grant Payment

Following the completion of the MCAA Field Leaders Conference, attendance will be verified, and the grant will be approved. The grant will be made payable to the local union education’s fund.

The total grant per attendee will be $5,500 and includes the conference registration cost of $995.00. The grant is intended to cover 40 hours of wages and all travel related costs to attend the conference. Any unspent funds may be used by the local union education fund for other training program initiatives.

If you have any questions about the grant program, please contact Jocelyn Crowder, fund administrator, at JocelynC@uanet.org or 410-269-2000, ext. 4010.

There are two more opportunities to attend the 2023 Field Leaders Conference. Your field personnel cannot afford to miss it!

To learn the details of each conference and register attendees, follow the links below. We look forward to seeing your field leaders this year!

August 2-4, 2023 | San Francisco, CA

October 11-13, 2023 | Des Moines, IA

Note: Registration for the August class in San Francisco will close July 10. Register today!

MCAA President Robert Beck Rolls Out MCAA’s 2023-2024 Initiatives

MCAA President Robert Beck rolled out the association’s 2023-2024 initiatives in a series of conference calls with MCAA committee chairs, local association executives, and MCAA staff. MCAA has been working towards these goals already, and now we are going to show how it all ties together and is being supported by MCAA leadership.

The initiatives are:

Member Engagement – We are a member-driven organization. We are going to motivate more of you, our world-class members, to engage by getting involved with local and national committees and boards.

Energize committees & boards
Align staff, chairs and Local Association Execs
Recruit and motivate member participation
Formalize the mission, time commitment expectations, and term expectations for each committee

Resource Awareness – We will find more avenues to connect our member companies with our vast resources available to assist with every aspect of business. Our mission is to be a partner, and help our member companies to improve, reduce risk, and maximize profitability.

Industry Improvement – We must work together to find new and better ways to stay ahead of the curve by reinventing how we provide value and conduct business in an industry that no longer looks like it did yesterday – and that will undoubtedly look very different tomorrow.

Watch for changes as MCAA implements these initiatives. We look forward to your continued involvement.

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Developing Improved Labor-Management Relations

Intense competition requires the parties to the collective bargaining process to jointly find a path to create wealth and build relationships that allow them to be more competitive in their markets. MCAA’s Developing Improved Labor-Management Relations provides a look back at past practices as well as a road map for improving your company’s relationship with labor. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin covers:

Inherited collective bargaining characteristics
An alternative to the traditional distributive negotiation model
Lessons learned from the past
Cornerstones for change

DOWNLOAD

For a full list of available Management Methods Bulletins, including several on the topic of purchasing, visit the Management Methods Bulletins page.

Have Questions or Need Personal Assistance?

Contact MCAA’s Frank Wall.

Registration for MCAA’s Fall Institute for Project Management Now Open!

If you have a top-notch PM with 3+ years of experience, sign them up today for MCAA’s longest-running mechanical project management program. Participants will spend 2 weeks in Austin, TX (one in October, and one in January) honing their skills in planning, scheduling, change order negotiation, job cost control, and a whole lot more.

Our sessions are contractor-taught by some of the best in the industry, and our curriculum is constantly evolving to keep pace with challenges facing mechanical PMs. Recent grads had this to say about the program:

“I’ve been to several different industry trainings. This one was the best and most well thought out. It’s not even close.”
“The best course of this type I’ve ever been to. Everything is very well thought out and managed.”
“I can’t say enough about these last two weeks and the people who spoke and taught at this IPM… Thank you to everyone who was involved in putting this together!”

These classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, and space is limited. Visit the IPM webpage to learn more about the course including dates, cost, and registration limits.

Join us at MCAA’s 2023 GreatFutures Forum and Get a Head Start on Hiring Your 2024 Interns and New Hires

Join us September 28 – 30 at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee for MCAA’s GreatFutures Forum! Check out the forum website to learn more about the program, job fair, hotel, and registration.

Forum Website

Registration is complimentary for all students, faculty, local affiliates, and MCAA members! The fall is the best time to hire for both summer internships and full-time employment and MCAA can’t wait to see the employment connections materialize throughout the conference.

Congratulations to Alayna Trautman, Recipient of the 2023 Ferguson WiMI Scholarship

Alayna Trautman is studying construction management at Alfred State College and is one of two recipients of the Ferguson – Women in the Mechanical Industry Scholarship. Ferguson underwrites these scholarships which recognize high-achieving female students working towards a degree relative to the mechanical industry.

Alayna has been an active member of her student chapter by serving as both Secretary and Vice President. Next year, Alayna will take on the role of Student Chapter President. She has been interning with MCAA Member, D.V. Brown and Associates since 2021 and will continue on with her internship this summer as a Jr. Project Manager.

“Five years after graduation I see myself as a successful project manager with a mechanical contracting company. I’d like to work on multiple capital improvement projects and provide mentorship to young female students the way I was mentored. I will also continue to be an active member of the local, state and national MCAA chapters to show my commitment to the association that assisted in my growth by sponsoring scholarships to college students.

The mechanical side of construction is something that intrigues me on how all intricate details and facets come together. Watching a project go from nothing to final completion is amazing to me. The way project managers collaborate to ensure timelines are met and cooperatively work with other contractors is true partnership.

For the past two years I have had the opportunity to intern with D.V. Brown and Associates during the summer and college breaks. This experience has reinforced that I was making the right choice.”

MCAA and the John R. Gentille Foundation congratulate Alayna on this prestigious scholarship and thank Ferguson for their commitment to supporting students interested in pursuing a career in the mechanical contracting industry.