Organization: MCAA

Find the Latest from SLOAN and Morris Group International 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:

SLOAN
Today’s most advanced restrooms now “talk” in real time with facility maintenance teams. Learn more about the Connected Restroom.

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Morris Group International
The ConTrols® BASyC Digital Mixing Valve is designed to maintain tepid and tempered water in the event of power failure or outlet temperature sensor failure, this valve is ideal for all buildings.

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

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Employee Stock Ownership Plans

Mechanical contractors may benefit from Employee Stock Ownership Plans, innovative planning devices allowing for tax-favored transfers of stock ownership in a closely held business. MCAA’s Employee Stock Ownership Plans reviews the benefits and disadvantages of these plans to assist in strategic planning. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin covers:

  • What an ESOP is
  • Planning opportunities
  • Disadvantages and concerns
DOWNLOAD

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.

Learn to Lead with Mental Health in Mind from 2023 Safety Conference Speaker Josh Rizzo

Mental health awareness is a growing priority in the mechanical industry. At the 2023 MCAA Safety Conference, hear from Josh Rizzo, a Bronze Star Medal recipient and longtime construction industry expert, on how to take care of yourself and the teams you serve. Join us January 17-19, 2023, in San Diego, CA. Register today!

MCAA’s 2023 Safety Conference also includes 50+ hours of education and training from subject matter experts on safety, health, risk management, and legal issues. Join us for three days of presentations, discussions, and demonstrations with 300+ occupational safety and health professionals, principals, owners, local affiliated executives, UA instructors, NECA/TAUC/SMACNA partners, and anyone who has safety and health responsibilities.

LEARN MORE & REGISTER

Learn How to Deliver an Outstanding Customer Experience from NEI Instructor Frank Favaro

MCAA’s National Education Initiative (NEI) Seminars bring our best programs to your local association or your company thanks to instructors like Frank Favaro, President of ServeCentric Coaching in Cleveland, OH. Frank teaches sales employees where other companies drop the ball when it comes to customer interactions, relationships, and service and how to avoid those same mistakes.

Frank is the first certified CX (customer experience) Coach specializing in our industry. He is licensed and trained by the world’s customer service authority, The Dijulius Group and John Dijulius. Frank believes the best sales and marketing strategy is a great customer experience.

His coaching track record and his experience as one of the mechanical service industry’s top account executives make him a natural fit to teach the Customer Experience Seminars (CES).

Designed for sales employees, these seminars focus on customer interactions, relationships, and service. Those who attend will learn where other companies drop the ball, and how to avoid those same mistakes.

Like our other NEI instructors, Frank brings his unique blend of industry and teaching experience to virtual courses, a relatively new NEI offering. Providing top notch, accessible education for everyone in your organization is what the MCAA’s NEI is all about! Visit the NEI website for more information about these seminars and a full list of the NEI courses available to MCAA members.

Book your courses via the NEI website, then apply for a 20% rebate on the instructor fees, up to $5,000 per class.*

LEARN MORE ABOUT FRANK’S CLASSES
NEI WEBSITE

*This benefit is available only to MCAA members and local affiliates in good standing who book courses via the NEI website. Learn more about the rebate program here. Have questions or need personal assistance? Contact MCAA’s Frank Wall or call him at 301-990-2215.

Find the Latest from Hilti, Inc. and Manufacton by ViZZ Technologies 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:

Hilti, Inc.
Gone are the days of sitting under the anchor point and rotating the threaded rod into place. Kwik Cast Connect (KCC) anchors are ideal for contractors installing pre-assembled hanger assemblies, allowing users to push the threaded rod into the anchor for quick and easy installation.

Learn More

Manufacton by ViZZ Technologies
Manufacton is a SaaS (mobile/web) platform that helps construction firms plan, track and manage both prefabrication and regular material handling. The Manufacton platform helps optimize the end-to-end prefabrication process.

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

Winger’s Productivity and Capacity Soar With Watts-Mueller Machines

Winger Companies tackled two challenges—the growing scale of its fabrication projects and a tight labor market—with Watts-Mueller machines that allowed them to do more with fewer people. General Manager Mike Smith said, “We increased our finished fabrications while cutting the cost of both consumables and manhours.”

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

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Why Mechanical Contractors Should be Paid for Materials Stored On and Off the Jobsite

To maintain project schedules and costs, mechanical contractors must purchase major equipment and materials as soon as they receive the notice to proceed. MCAA’s Why Mechanical Contractors Should be Paid for Materials Stored On and Off the Jobsite explains the importance of prompt payment for material storage, insurance and handling in maintaining working capital. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin covers:

  • The importance of ordering materials early to maintaining a project’s schedule and costs
  • When to bring this matter to the attention of the general contractor and the owner
  • Components of a written payment procedure
  • The advantages of the mechanical contractor controlling where equipment purchased in advance is stored
  • The importance of including a clause covering payments in specifications and subcontract agreements
DOWNLOAD

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.

Enhance Your Company’s Training & Leadership and Meet Your Financial Objectives with Skills from NEI Instructor Leah Guttman

MCAA’s National Education Initiative (NEI) Seminars bring our best programs to your local association or your company thanks to instructors like Leah Gutmann, owner of First Forward Consulting, LLC. Leah teaches instructors to enhance their skills, managers to build leadership skills, and finance teams to meet company objectives.

Leah is certified to deliver training on a wide variety of leadership and financial topics. She has over 12 years of experience in the design, implementation and facilitation of educational programs, classes and seminars. Her 20-year career as a CFO and Finance Manager in the mechanical construction industry has given Leah the unique ability to offer training and consulting from a hands-on, in the trenches perspective.   

Her Instructor Training Series (ITS) Seminars train JATC instructors, association instructors, and organization subject matter experts to increase retention of material, connect with students, and transfer critical industry knowledge to the next generation. All classes are adapted to fit the needs of each instructor group and their application to the mechanical construction industry. 

In her Leadership Development Series (LDS) Seminars for Service and Construction, management level employees and team leaders focus on building strong communication skills and self-awareness, skills that will help them to be successful leaders. 

Finally, her Financial Development Series (FDS) Seminars for Service and Construction offer customized coursework to address foundational, intermediate, or advanced topics for your identified group and will include direct application and practice to relevant projects, service work, and company financials. 

Like our other NEI instructors, Leah brings her unique blend of industry and teaching experience to virtual courses, a new NEI offering. Providing top notch, accessible education for everyone in your organization is what the MCAA’s NEI is all about! Even during the COVID-19 era. Visit the NEI website for more information about these seminars and a full list of the NEI courses available to MCAA members. 

Book your courses via the NEI website, then apply for a 20% rebate on the instructor fees, up to $5,000 per class.*

Learn More About Leah’s Classes

Instructor Training Series (ITS) Seminars

Leadership Development Series (LDS) Seminars for Service and Construction

Financial Development Series (FDS) Seminars for Service and Construction

NEI WEBSITE

*This benefit is available only to MCAA members and local affiliates in good standing who book courses via the NEI website. Learn more about the rebate program here. Have questions or need personal assistance? Contact MCAA’s Frank Wall or call him at 301-990-2215.

Connect With the Latest Training from CNA and Morris Group International 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:

CNA
CNA’s Subcontractor Prequalification – Gather necessary information for current and future construction jobs.

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Morris Group International
Safe Water Delivery in Healthcare Facilities highlights the consequences of improper water delivery in healthcare facilities & discusses a systems approach & monitoring systems for infection control.

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

Biggest Safety Conference in MCAA History Will Provide Even More Opportunities to Learn from Peers

MCAA is on track to have the highest number of safety professionals in one place in over 20 years at MCAA’s 2023 Safety Conference, providing even more opportunities to learn from other professionals. The event will include 50+ hours of education and training, keynote speeches on safety leadership and a celebration of safety. We will once again be joined by our partners in safety, the United Association. Join us January 17-19, 2023, in San Diego, CA. Register today!

LEARN MORE & REGISTER

Find the Latest from Morris Group International and Orbitalum 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
Save time and money with the Zip-Trench® Polypropylene! Click Learn More to see this labor saver offers a less expensive, labor-saving alternative to cast-in-place #TrenchDrains!

Learn More

Orbitalum
Orbitalum’s product line includes the industry leading GF series saws, RPG facers, Orbimat power supplies, and Orbiweld enclosed weld heads for precision stainless steel tube cutting, facing and welding.

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

Geauga Mechanical Reduces Duplicate Data Entry and Cost Overruns with eSUB Cloud

Ohio-based mechanical contractor Geauga Mechanical Company keeps projects on track and recoups more than 750 office hours annually through eSUB CLOUD’s project management and time tracking software. Prior to transitioning to eSUB, the contractor’s paper-based system of time reporting required field employees to call in to the office weekly or submit written time sheets that had to be reviewed, approved, and then manually entered into the accounting system.

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

ALI Class 22 Graduates Take Home Practical Leadership Skills

We are thrilled to congratulate this year’s graduates of MCAA’s Advanced Leadership Institute. On November 17th, the 36 members of ALI Class 22 received their diplomas, and joined the ranks of those who have completed MCAA’s premier executive leadership program. MCAA’s President Robert Bolton (ALI graduate, Class 16) and CEO Tim Brink (ALI graduate, Class 1) joined our ALI contractor-facilitators to celebrate and recognize the accomplishments of this year’s graduating class. They, much like the UNC faculty who led our sessions, were repeatedly impressed by the incredible dedication, enthusiasm, and engagement of the ALI participants.

When it comes to ALI cohorts, ‘impressing professors’ is not a new phenomenon – our industry leaders have done this for 20 years. But this year was marked by many things that were new for ALI. The program’s new home, UNC’s Kenan-Flagler School of Business, is ranked #2 in the country for executive leadership education. Under Carolina blue skies, participants stayed and studied in a newly-renovated campus facility only minutes from downtown Chapel Hill. The newly-refreshed curriculum maintained focus on key leadership topics that have always been part of the ALI experience, but the way in which learning took place has been adapted to reflect what instructional design research has taught us about adult learners in recent years (no more lecture halls!).

At the core of the new ALI curriculum is the goal of ‘putting tools in the toolbox’ of our industry leaders. Each lesson led by our professors was followed by team workshops and groupwork in which participants applied the ideas and tools presented to the specific issues and challenges they face in their work. Classes focused on presenting research-backed, practical, step-by-step strategies that participants would then immediately practice applying to current challenges in the mechanical industry: from finding new talent, to encouraging cross-collaboration between company divisions, to tailoring coaching strategies to the broad range of individuals in their employment.

The goal of MCAA’s Advanced Leadership Institute is to put leadership theory into practice. First UNC faculty explained the theory; then our MCAA contractor-facilitators linked theory to their own stories of real-world mechanical industry experience. Students ‘brought it home’ by integrating all of this to explore and report back their own innovative ideas for bettering themselves, their teams, and their companies. And – perhaps most importantly – during their two weeks of intensive analysis, reflection, discussion, and innovation, participants also developed a network of peers and friends that will last for the rest of their careers.

In the classroom and after hours, this newly-formed but rapidly tight-knit community of mechanical industry leaders all took on the role of ‘seeker’ and deconstructed ‘questions of interest’ to identify non-traditional solutions, leaving with ‘simple rules for strategy’ that take innovative ideas from theory to practical application. What exactly do we mean by all of that? Ask an ALI ’22 graduate or – better yet – send an executive from your company to the program to find out! The application for ALI Class 23 will be released on March 1st.

Learn How to Apply

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Suggested Subcontract Form

Mechanical contractors must protect their company’s interests when hiring subcontractors to assist with projects. MCAA’s Suggested Subcontract Form reviews terms and conditions commonly used in subcontract agreements as a starting point for discussions with your company’s legal representatives. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

DOWNLOAD

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.

Register for the 2023 MEP Innovation Conference by December 1st to Receive Early Bird Pricing

Event Dates: January 11 – January 13, 2023 | Austin, TX

MCAA, NECA and SMACNA’s 2023 MEP Innovation Conference in Austin, TX on January 11-13, 2023 is almost sold out! This three-day event will include innovative presentations, collaborative roundtable discussions, and hands-on exhibitor demonstrations highlighting the recent technologies that can improve MEP contractors’ productivity and profitability.

These three-days are packed with over 30 breakout sessions, 5 demos, 4 general sessions, 3 facility tours, and plenty of networking opportunities. This is a pivotal event to learn from the industry’s best and brightest! New this year, we have scheduled multiple tours to showcase MEP processes, manufacturing facilities and more.

VIEW FULL SCHEDULE
VIEW AVAILABLE TOURS

Registration is limited and open to MCAA, NECA, and SMACNA members as well as labor representatives from their corresponding Unions. For more information or to register for the conference, visit the MEP Innovation website below. Have questions or need assistance? Contact us at eventregistration@mcaa.org or 301-869-5800.

MORE INFORMATION
REGISTER NOW

Thank you to our conference sponsors:

MCAA’s Field Leaders Conference Celebrates 2022 Successes & Looks Ahead to 2023

MCAA’s Field Leaders Conference is proving to make a lasting impression on those who attend based on the overwhelming amount of positive feedback. Three Field Leaders Conferences were held this year, bringing a total of 474 field personnel through the program in Rochester, NY (May), Indianapolis, IN (October) and Kansas City, MO (November). Read on to hear from those attendees, and find out where and when our 2023 conferences are planned, then watch mcaa.org for registration information in the next month.

For those who may not be familiar with the event, MCAA’s Field Leaders Conference gives field leaders at all levels the skills, understanding, and inspiration to positively impact a company’s bottom line. This is an investment that will pay off throughout their careers.

People Are Talking About the Conference Content

“My whole life I’ve been thrown into leadership roles that I never wanted or understood why I was the guy. Now I do and from this day forward I will work to be the best leader I can for my family, coworkers, and friends. Thank you again.”

– Indianapolis, October 2022

“A priceless experience that absolutely exceeded expectations.”

– Indianapolis, October 2022

“Each and every speaker was unique and charismatic. The energy was amazing. The information presented was raw and definitely made me take a deep look at the way I want to interact with my team and the way I want to lead. Many thanks to the MCAA and all of the speakers for sharing your time, experiences and wisdom with us to grow us into the leaders of today and help us to motivate the leaders of tomorrow.”

– Rochester, May 2022

“Thank you to all the speakers for putting on an amazing and life changing conference that I will absolutely be taking the information that was given to me and applying it every day I am at work and also at home. I will use what I was taught to not only make me a better foreman, but a better husband, friend and person.”

– Kansas City, October 2022

“I am very grateful my company invested in me by sending me to the MCAA Field Leaders Conference. I hope to be a positive ripple in this industry with the lessons I’ve learned from this conference. Much appreciated.”

– Kansas City, October 2022

“I wish I would have been able to attend this conference 10 years ago. I will be recommending to my company that all foreman and future foreman attend this.”

– Kansas City, October 2022

“Everyone that presented was outstanding. The insight that these gentlemen brought was on point. I’ve been in this industry for 26 years and I learned so much from them.”

– Kansas City, October 2022

“My flaws came to light and I was given the tools to fix them moving forward. Thank you.”

– Kansas City, October 2022

Thank You to Everyone Who Made Our 2022 Programs a Success

Thank you to all of our conference speakers and exhibitors for your passionate participation in our 2022 programs. Thank you to Nickolas Optis and the Mechanical Contractors Association of Rochester, Chris Quinn and the Mechanical Contractors Association of Indiana, and Bob Looman and the Mechanical Contractors Association of Kansas City for supporting these conferences in your local areas.

Plan Now to Send Your Team to MCAA’s 2023 Field Leaders Conference

MCAA will be holding four Field Leaders Conferences in 2023:

  • April 3-5 – Scottsdale, AZ
  • May 17-19- Chicago, IL
  • August 2-4 – San Francisco, CA
  • October 11-13- Des Moines, IA

Registration for all four conferences will open next month. Watch mcaa.org for registration information.

DOE Announces $250 Million in Funding for Energy Efficiency Upgrades & Retrofits of Commercial Buildings

On Tuesday, November 15, 2022, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that it will begin accepting applications from states for $250 million in funding for energy efficiency upgrades and retrofits of commercial buildings. States may apply to DOE for seed money to start their own energy efficiency revolving loan fund that can be used to fund energy efficient upgrades or retrofits in the state. If a state already has an energy efficient revolving loan fund, this money can be used to bolster existing programs. Once state programs are set up, these monies will ultimately provide low or no cost funding to potential customers of MCAA members seeking to make energy efficient upgrades to their facilities. 

The recent bipartisan infrastructure law created the Energy Efficiency Revolving Loan Fund Capitalization Grant Program, a program that provides seed money to states to establish or bolster revolving loan funds that promote energy efficiency. A revolving loan fund is an “evergreen” source of funding, meaning money received from repaid loans is continuously recycled as loans for new projects. State revolving loan funds under this program will be used to fund energy savings performance contracting, partnerships with local governments for energy efficiency improvements, and school and public building retrofit programs, among other activities. 

For information about whether your state plans to apply for funding and how they plan to allocate the money they receive, contact your state energy office, which you can find through this link. More detailed information about the program generally is available here. 

Please do not hesitate to reach out to Vince Sarubbi, MCAA’s Director of Government Relations, with any questions at 301-990-2219.

Learn to Strategically Manage Risk from NEI Instructor James McCarl

MCAA’s National Education Initiative (NEI) Seminars bring our best programs to your local association or your company thanks to instructors like James McCarl, a nationally recognized speaker and strategist. James helps senior management, owners, foremen and project managers strategically manage risk. He provides insights into proven methods for developing effective strategic plans and key factors to implement and maintain them.

Jim helps businesses and non-profits maximize their potential using success strategies developed over a 30-year career at the helm of McCarl’s, Inc., a family-owned construction business. Under his leadership, the company’s annual sales grew 1,000 percent, placing it in the top tier of mechanical contractors in the United States. He serves on the boards of directors of three construction companies across the nation. His broad background in family business, strategy and risk management have benefitted all these firms.

His Strategic Management (SM) Seminars for Construction help senior management, owners, foremen and project managers strategically manage risk. He provides insights into proven methods for developing effective strategic plans and key factors to implement and maintain them.

Like our other NEI instructors, James brings his unique blend of industry and teaching experience to virtual courses, a new NEI offering. Providing top notch, accessible education for everyone in your organization is what the MCAA’s NEI is all about! Visit the NEI website for more information about these seminars and a full list of the NEI courses available to MCAA members.

Book your courses via the NEI website, then apply for a 20% rebate on the instructor fees, up to $5,000 per class.*

LEARN MORE ABOUT JAMES’S CLASSES
NEI WEBSITE

*This benefit is available only to MCAA members and local affiliates in good standing who book courses via the NEI website. Learn more about the rebate program here. Have questions or need personal assistance? Contact MCAA’s Frank Wall or call him at 301-990-2215.

Nominations Are Open for MCAA’s Board of Directors

The future of MCAA is fundamentally linked to the quality of the individuals who serve on its Board of Directors. MCAA members who would like to be considered for one of three vacancies are encouraged to learn more and complete the application. Applications should be returned no later than January 13, 2023. Candidates and their spokespersons will be scheduled for interviews at the 2023 MCAA Annual Convention. Those who are selected will begin their terms in March 2023.