Alston & Bird have released their April 15 COVID-19 update, including the latest news on emergency funding, administrative and regulatory actions, workplace and home issues, and many other topics, as well as to links to all their past updates.
Congratulations to Logan Stone, this year’s recipient of the William Bianco, Jr. Memorial Scholarship. MCAA member Kinetics established the annual scholarship to honor Mr. Bianco and his many contributions to the industry’s continuing advancement.
Logan plans to graduate from the Milwaukee School of Engineering in May 2021 with a master’s in Architectural Engineering with an emphasis in MEP System Design. He has been a member of MSOE’s MCAA Student Chapter since fall 2017. Logan was part of the 2019 Student Chapter Competition winning team. As the Student Competition Leader this year, he helped lead his team to becoming one of the Final Four of this year’s Student Chapter Competition.
“The MCAA Student Chapter at MSOE is not only an experience, but a lifestyle,” Logan said. “Once a part of the student chapter, it is as if you are in a tight-knit community of young professionals. Our chapter is committed to having a lasting impact on the community.”
Logan sees the benefits of mechanical contracting and details his interest in the industry. “Mechanical contracting intrigued me from the beginning since it is an industry based on practicality, professionalism, and top performance standards. I have personally always been fascinated by design and engineering because of its allowance for creativity with respect to concrete physical properties. However, consulting engineering almost always involves hypothetical scenarios. Mechanical contracting allows room for design, but it understands the practical limitations of aspects such as installation, cost and overall functionality of the system.”
Logan has been interning for MCAA member, J.M. Brennan, Inc. since June 2018. “I have worked closely with project managers to estimate plumbing and HVAC contracting bids. I have also worked on BIM coordinating with other firms because of my experience with Revit.”
His professional experience has made Logan more invested in the mechanical contracting industry. “This industry is based around quality client relationships and reputable reputations. Therefore, it is important to be professional in every situation, meaning that honesty, integrity, and willingness to go above and beyond to help are all important traits that a mechanical contractor should have. This drew me into the industry because I believe professionalism is always important. I was attracted to the industry due to its commitment to top performance. This is crucial in any industry, but especially this industry because of the mechanical systems’ direct impact on the environment and people.”
Logan reflects on his student chapter experience and the advantages MCAA has brought him.
“There is no better way of bringing people together than having a common goal, and MCAA provides that goal for my peers and I. In the chapter, as in the industry, people come from different ways of life. Being able to learn from them, while also striving for personal growth, opens doors to countless opportunities for advancement.”
MCAA and the John R. Gentille Foundation congratulate Logan on this prestigious scholarship and thank Kinetics for its commitment to supporting younger students to keep them invested in the mechanical contracting industry.
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:
Watts Water Technologies
Time is money. And with Watts Learn & Earn program, you can earn tokens for swag in less than 10 minutes. Learn about Watts products on demand from any device, collect, and get on with your day.
The Harris Products Group
Installing gas lines at field hospitals? Harris has the medical gas distribution equipment you need – manifolds, oxygen panels, regulators – and the system design experts to help you serve these critically-needed facilities. Call 1.800.733.4041, ext 2.
Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show!
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!
A panel of leading contractors discuss important strategies to help companies deal with the current coronavirus situation. Panelists will discuss the role of HVACR/plumbing companies as essential services, crucial safety issues, impact on customers, the financial realities and a number of technical recommendations for mechanical/plumbing systems.
This webinar was recorded Friday, April 10, 2020.
Alston & Bird have released their April 13 COVID-19 update, including the latest news on emergency funding, administrative and regulatory actions, workplace and home issues, and many other topics, as well as to links to all their past updates.
Rock Hill Mechanical knew that Anvil International’s Gruvlok® system was a better choice for a new aquarium’s mechanical room than the originally specified PVC products. With quick delivery of the Gruvlok parts and the ease of installation, Rock Hill Mechanical met the tight timeline for completing St. Louis’s newest tourist attraction.
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.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released enforcement guidance for recording cases of COVID-19. Until further notice, OSHA will not enforce its record-keeping requirements to require employers to make work-relatedness determinations for COVID-19 cases, except where: (1) There is objective evidence that a COVID-19 case may be work-related; and (2) The evidence was reasonably available to the employer.
This year’s Student Chapter Competition project was demanding, allowing students to showcase their knowledge of mechanical contracting in a written proposal for a a real-world construction bid.
MCAA congratulates the four finalists: Ball State University, Milwaukee School of Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park, and the University of Missouri-Columbia.
The finalists were selected from among 33 submissions. Their insight into the project and the overall quality of their proposals impressed the judges, all members of MCAA’s Career Development Committee.
Thank you to Fresh Meadow Mechanical Corporation of Fresh Meadows, New York for providing this year’s project details. The project tasked students with developing a proposal to be the prime contractor on a chiller and cooling tower replacement project in the Penn South building in New York City. The project included the completion of all plumbing, piping and HVAC, electrical, controls and any other work required to complete the project as described in the bid documents.
Ball State received their charter at the 2016 MCAA Convention. They received a Chapter of Excellence Grant in 2019, recognizing their extraordinary performance and accomplishments in maintaining interest in the mechanical contracting industry. Sherif Attallah, Associate Professor of Construction Management, is the chapter’s faculty advisor.
This was Ball State’s first year placing in the final four of the competition.
The competition team consisted of all Construction Management majors:
MSOE won last year’s Student Chapter Competition at MCAA19. The chapter previously won in 2011 and 2013.
They placed in the Final Four of the Competition in 2006, 2008, 2012, 2014 and 2017. MSOE was a recipient of a 2019 Chapter of Excellence Grant. Blake Wentz, Department Chair of Civil & Architectural Engineering & Construction Management, is the chapter’s faculty advisor.
MSOE’s Competition Team:
Logan Stone is the 2020 recipient of the William A. Bianco, Jr Memorial Scholarship. Brooke Scott received the Alan P. O’Shea Memorial Scholarship in 2019.
This is Maryland’s first time back in the final four since 2014. After working on rebuilding the chapter that time, they won an Emerging Chapter Grant in 2019. Fitzgerald Walker, Academic Advisor for the Mechanical Engineering department, is in his first year as the chapter’s faculty advisor.
Meet Maryland’s competition team, all Mechanical Engineering majors:
Hailey Brennan is the 2020 Recipient of the Josam Endowed Scholarship.
Mizzou won the the Student Chapter Competition at MCAA17, and competed in the final four last year at MCAA19. The chapter’s current advisor is Lawrence Shilke, Manager Engineer of the University of Missouri-Columbia.
The competition team consists of all Mechanical Engineering majors:
Kylie Nedelka recently accepted a second summer internship with SIEMENS. Read the full story HERE.
MCAA and the John R. Gentille Foundation congratulates all of the finalists and recognizes their commitment and dedication to this year’s project. A signification amount of time and effort has been put into the competition, and thank you all the student chapters for their commitment to the MCAA GreatFutures program
Please contact Megan Walsh if you have questions about any of our student activities or the internship grants funded by the John R. Gentille Foundation (JRGF).
In a video message, UA General President Mark McManus and MCAA President Brian Helm discuss how cooperation, communication and common sense are fueling joint efforts to adapt to new working conditions as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The two organizations are working together and innovating to address changing conditions while at the same time protecting our workforce and our industry’s future.
Alston & Bird have released their April 10 COVID-19 update, including the latest news on emergency funding, administrative and regulatory actions, workplace and home issues, and many other topics, as well as to links to all their past updates.
In an effort to ensure communities continue to encourage safe social distancing, UMC, Inc., a member of Mechanical Service Contractors of America (MSCA), designed, developed and manufactured Portable Wash Stations. These machines solve the immediate need for functional wash stations for construction sites, grocery stores, emergency hospitals, etc. during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Their wash stations comply with the CDC requirements and keep the safety of our communities in mind. The standard, two and four sink stations include features that will ensure the most effective CDC hand washing recommendations are met. These include features like 100% touch-free soap, water, and paper towel dispensing, up to 240 washes per hour, indoor/outdoor rust proof design and galvanized top and backsplash for clean-ability and durability. You can build from there choosing from add-on options like 120V hot water heater, forklift sleeves, backflow devices and more.
For more information about these touch-free wash stations, visit UMC’s website.
Check out the full news story on KIRO7 website.
MCAA’s long-time partner Milwaukee Tool has produced a COVID-19 Resource Guide for MCAA members. The guide addresses tool cleaning, operations protocols, digital tool training, shipping and inventory updates, Milwaukee Tool’s #TOGETHERweSTAND campaign and how to stay in contact with Milwaukee Tool. The guide and its accompanying sample documents, including a Health Screening Planning Form, Health Pre-Screening Questionnaire and Potential Considerations for Documenting Procedures are all available for your use. MCAA thanks Milwaukee Tool for the long-standing partnership, and for sharing these resources with MCAA.
MILWAUKEE TOOL COVID-19 RESOURCE GUIDE
HEALTH SCREENING PLANNING FORM
This month we feature Lindsey Stasi, Student and Wentworth Institute of Technology.
Congratulations to Hunter DeJonge, this year’s recipient of the annual Reilly Family Memorial Scholarship. John W. Danforth Company, a charter member of MCAA, established the scholarship to commemorate the memory of its leadership, the Reilly Family. Kevin “Duke” Reilly served as Danforth’s Chairman/CEO. Wayne, Patrick and Emmett Reilly contributed a combined 128 years of commitment and loyalty to their company and the industry. This national scholarship symbolizes the Reillys’ many contributions to the mechanical contracting industry.
Hunter is a junior studying Construction Management at Alfred State College. He joined the student chapter last fall as the chapter president, and received the chapter’s charter at the 2019 GreatFutures Forum. 
He has been in the United States Army Reserve since October 2016. He received eight months of welding and machining education from the Army’s Ordinance School in Fort Lee, Virginia. He has since been inducted into the SALUTE Veterans National Honor Society for military service members and veterans.
Hunter was drawn to a career in the mechanical contracting industry. He said, “I enjoy the technical aspect of it, it’s one of the more complex disciplines within construction from a technical standpoint and there’s always more to learn.”
In 2016 and 2017, Hunter was a pipefitter metal tradesman for John W. Danforth Company. He prepped pipe to be welded and prefabbed, and fit Victaulic and PVC pipe to project specifications.
Since 2018, Hunter has been a Project Engineer Intern with John W. Danforth. His duties consist of reviewing specs and contract drawings; drafting RFIs; working on change orders, takeoffs and proposals; making equipment matrixes; preparing RFQs and writing purchase orders.
Hunter says he “enjoys the company culture of continuing education. They really focus on developing employees, especially interns.” He will be continuing his internship through the summer. After graduating Hunter is looking forward to working full-time and being able to see a project through from beginning to end.
Alfred State’s Student Chapter Faculty Advisor, Erin Vitale, says Hunter “brings a joyful attitude to our MCAA meetings. He took the reins of our first submission to the MCAA national competition by organizing multiple meetings and prompting the team on their assignments. I feel confident that Hunter will have a long career in the mechanical industry as he has already made himself a home with John W. Danforth.”
MCAA and the John R. Gentille Foundation congratulate Hunter on this prestigious scholarship and thank John W. Danforth Company and its CEO, Robert Beck, for their commitment to keeping future industry leaders invested in the mechanical contracting industry.
AERCO (a WATTS Brand) B+II WaterWizard steam water heaters will provide much-needed safe, reliable hot water to patients and medical staff aboard the military hospital ship USNS Comfort which arrived in New York last week in support of the nation’s COVID-19 response efforts. The USNS Comfort is home to up to 1,200 naval and civilian personnel and will accept up to 1,000 patients who are suffering from ailments other than the coronavirus. This will free up space for COVID-19 patients in NYC hospitals and help reduce the stress on the medical infrastructure.
MCAA recently teamed up with TYFOOM to provide members with an opportunity to make microlearning safety training available to their workers. As a benefit of membership, members that subscribe to the service will receive a 10% discount off the standard price of the service. Your company would determine the frequency and subject matter of each brief safety training session. Here’s how it works…
The Small Business Administration (SBA), in consultation with the Department of the Treasury, intends to provide timely additional guidance to address borrower and lender questions concerning the implementation of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), established by section 1102 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act or the Act). Borrowers and lenders may rely on the guidance provided in this document as SBA’s interpretation of the CARES Act and of the Paycheck Protection Program Interim Final Rule (“PPP Interim Final Rule”). Published on April 6, 2020.
The Colorado Association of Mechanical and Plumbing Contractors has shared their Paid Leave Eligibility chart with MCAA’s members to help determine an employee’s paid sick leave, paid family medical leave and unemployment insurance eligibility. This chart has been reviewed by CAMPC’s legal team.
On April 1, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued temporary regulations implementing the paid leave requirements under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The DOL has also been adding new guidance to its more informal Questions & Answers webpage. Alston & Bird has been monitoring the DOL webpage, and shared their Updated FAQs for Employers Regulated by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.
Alston & Bird have released their April 8 COVID-19 update, including the latest news on emergency funding, administrative and regulatory actions, workplace and home issues, and many other topics, as well as to links to all their past updates.
