Archives: News Items

Learn How Heat Pumps Can Help Grow Your Business During MSCA’s Latest Webinar

Tuesday, April 16, 2024 | 1:00 – 1:45 PM EDT

Join MSCA Board member Drew Harrison and a panel of industry experts to learn how heat pumps can help grow your business and improve profits. MSCA and the UA have been working with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (in support of the US Department of Energy) to boost heat pump and heat pump water heater training and recruitment as massive federal incentives become available.

Gain insights and have an opportunity to ask questions to ask questions about:

  • State of the Market on Heat Pumps
  • Cold climate heat pump performance
  • Federal incentives
  • DOE Decarbonization goals
  • UA training opportunities 

This informative webinar is moderated by MSCA Board Member and Vice President of Harrison Energy Partners, Drew Harrison, and will feature:

  • Jamie Kono, Building Research Engineer at PNNL (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)
  • Michael Blunschi, US Department of Energy
  • Robert Vilches, UA HVACR Training Specialist

Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how enhanced water heater training and massive federal incentives can help grow your business. Register today!

Build Lasting Connections & Collaborate for Success at the WiMI Conference

June 10 – June 12, 2024 | Cleveland, OH

The Women in the Mechanical Industry (WiMI) Conference is your platform for building lasting connections and fostering a supportive community. Networking opportunities abound, allowing attendees to connect with like-minded professionals, share experiences, and collaborate on strategies for success.

WiMI Chair Stacy Johnson will kick things off with a lively and exhilarating team-building experience featuring SongDivision. This memorable and energizing experience will inspire attendees to find their voice, both professionally and personally.

An array of captivating educational sessions and inspiring speakers round out the conference, which is designed to empower and uplift women at every stage of their careers.

Whether you’re new to the industry or a seasoned executive, the WiMI conference offers something for everyone. Gain valuable insights, expand your network, and leave feeling empowered to take on new challenges and seize opportunities.

Connect With the Latest Training from MIFAB, Inc. and ATP Learning Solutions (ATP) 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:

MIFAB, Inc.
Have you seen MIFAB’s Video Library? We have over 25 videos – from our Quick Hub Couplings to our MR-500 Trap Seal Primer and more! We are continuously updating our video content. Check it out!

ATP Learning Solutions (ATP)
ATP Learning Solutions offers technical expertise, instructional design, and attention to detail. We deliver high-level customized educational solutions designed to meet your training needs, using your content or ours.

Interested in More Training from Our Supplier Partners?

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

White House Opioid Announcement Features Alliance Partners

Today the White House announced a historic program targeting opioid overdoses. The White House Challenge to Save Lives from Overdose calls attention to construction industry efforts, including those of MCAA and our safety alliance partners at the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA), and The Association of Union Constructors (TAUC).

The announcement comes on the heels of the State of the Union address, which highlighted the efforts of overdose advocate Justin Phillips, who lost her son, Aaron, to an overdose. In 2015, Phillips worked with the Indiana legislature to pass a law giving laypersons, including family and friends of someone with a substance use disorder, access to naloxone without a prescription. 

In today’s announcement, the White House notes:

Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA), National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA), Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association (SMACNA), and The Association of Union Constructors (TAUC) represent over 10,000 union contractors, providing employment for hundreds of thousands of skilled trade workers in the United States. These organizations, in collaboration with union partners, trained thousands of workers on substance use disorder and overdose prevention and distributed a limited quantity of naloxone. MCAA, NECA, SMACNA, and TAUC endorse having naloxone at all construction sites and urge employers to make the lifesaving medication available to their workforce.”

MCAA and our safety alliance partners have been working together to tackle our industry’s opioid overdose epidemic in coordination with White House staff. Meetings with White House staff have focused on coordinating industry access to naloxone.

“MCAA is honored to be a part of this historic initiative,” said Raffi F. Elchemmas, MCAA’s Executive Director of Safety, Health and Risk Management. He added, “Together with our safety alliance partners, MCAA strongly endorses the continuation of creating awareness of and engagement in solutions to the opioid epidemic such as having naloxone on construction sites and making the lifesaving medication available to the workforce.”

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
SloanStone® Molded Quartz sinks offer the perfect blend of beauty, durability, and cost-effectiveness. With an industry-leading minimum of 85% quartz, these elegant, long-lasting sinks are growing in popularity.

Morris Group International
Get hassle free maintenance with the Murdock® Maintenance Advantage® Program. These products can help make installation and maintenance easier. Murdock is a member of Morris Group International.

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s 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!

MSCA Sales Basecamp – Just A Few Spots Left!

May 20-21, 2024 | Phoenix, AZ

Sales Basecamp is where it begins for entry-level service sales personnel. In this competitive and uncertain business landscape, the rules of sales and customer engagement have changed. Get the training you need to excel. Register today! 

Please note: In addition to the in-person class May 20-21, 2024, there will be a mandatory virtual session on Thursday, May 9, 2024, at 1pm ET. If you can attend the in-person portion, but cannot make the virtual session time, please reach out to Teresa Pezzi for next steps: tpezzi@mcaa.org.

Learn to Negotiate as a Confident, Unified Team from NEI Instructor Ed Kommers

MCAA’s National Education Initiative (NEI) Seminars bring our best programs to your local association or your company thanks to instructors like Ed Kommers, former executive director of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Western Washington (MCAWW). Ed equips those new to negotiations with the tools and knowledge needed for effective multiemployer bargaining as a unified team.

Ed’s background includes everything from facilitating labor relations and participating on collective bargaining committees to mediating labor disputes between multiple unions, including jurisdictional disputes.

This background and his 20 years teaching at the University of Washington make him a natural fit to teach the Collective Bargaining (CBS) Seminars. The seminars provide multiemployer associations with the tools and knowledge needed for effective multiemployer bargaining as a unified team.

Like our other NEI instructors, Ed 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.*

*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.

Shannon Paciorek Has Joined the MCAA Staff

MCAA is pleased to welcome Shannon Paciorek, our new Associate Director, Meetings & Events. Shannon previously planned meetings and webinars for the Association of Cancer Care Centers and its Oncology State Societies. Her background in television production includes an Emmy Award win for sports. A member of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), Shannon enjoys running and trying out new restaurants. She is married with two daughters and two dogs. On the weekends, you can find her on a soccer field or at a dance competition. MCAA is pleased to welcome Shannon and her family to the MCAA family.

Find the Latest from Jomar Valve and Orbitalum North America 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:

Jomar Valve
Jomar’s new bronze ball valves, with C89836 LF bismuth bronze, standard SS trim, blow-out proof stem, & NSF certified, are meticulously engineered to meet any need. Because performance always matters.

Orbitalum North America
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.

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s 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!

Find Your Voice with Empowering Education & Networking at the WiMI Conference

June 10 – June 12, 2024 | Cleveland, OH

Join your MCAA and MSCA peers for this year’s Women in the Mechanical Industry (WiMI) Conference. Experience an array of captivating educational sessions, inspiring speakers, and invaluable networking opportunities designed to empower and uplift women at every stage of their careers.

At the heart of the WiMI conference are its general sessions, where dynamic speakers share inspiring journeys of overcoming fear and embracing cultural identity. Education sessions put the focus on building and enhancing the key skills needed to thrive in our industry. And interactive roundtable discussions bring it all together, offering an opportunity to practice those skills while exchanging ideas on a diverse range of topics.

The WiMI conference is your platform for building lasting connections and fostering a supportive community. Networking opportunities abound, allowing attendees to connect with like-minded professionals, share experiences, and collaborate on strategies for success.

Whether you’re new to the industry or a seasoned executive, the WiMI conference offers something for everyone. Gain valuable insights, expand your network, and leave feeling empowered to take on new challenges and seize opportunities.

Expand Your Regulatory & Legislative Knowledge at the National Issues Conference

May 6–8, 2024 | Washington, DC

MCAA invites you to participate in the 2024 National Issues Conference for a deep-dive into the key regulatory and legislative issues affecting the union construction industry. Along with our partners in the Construction Employers of America (CEA), we will host regulators and representatives from Congress for their expertise and insights on a variety of topics. Don’t miss this opportunity to get the latest information that impacts your business from the nation’s capital! Register today!

This event is put on by the members of the CEA, a coalition of seven premier national construction specialty contracting associations, working together to raise awareness among policymakers, opinion leaders, and the general public about the value of high-quality American construction.

MCAA is a charter member of the CEA. The other charter members are:

  • International Council of Employers of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
  • FCA International
  • National Electrical Contractors Association
  • Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association
  • Signatory Wall and Ceiling Contractors Alliance
  • The Association of Union Constructors.

Join MCAA and our CEA partners May 6–8, 2024 at The Royal Sonesta Washington DC Capitol Hill for the event and be sure to take advantage of the opportunity for Hill appointments to ensure your voice is heard.

MCAA Adds ServiceTitan to Partners Offering Access to MCAA Resources

ServiceTitan is the latest addition to the growing list of software platforms partnering with MCAA. The company is actively working to bring MCAA’s safety and health resources into ServiceTitan to make it easier for contractors to use and access, joining existing partners like Tyfoom and MCAI.

“These partnerships mark a significant step forward in enhancing member engagement and raising awareness of MCAA’s vital safety and health resources. Whether it’s our newest collaboration with ServiceTitan or our alliances with Tyfoom and Training Vault, MCAA is dedicated to making these essential resources more accessible,” said MCAA CEO Timothy Brink. He added, “MCAA remains unwavering in its commitment to developing top-tier safety and health resources. We are grateful to our Manufacturer/Supplier Council members and local associations for their invaluable support in fostering member engagement and awareness.”

Now MCAA members have three companies that are committed to delivering important safety and health resources through their platforms. As always, MCAA members can visit mcaa.org to access the same resources there.

Accessing the Materials

MCAA members with existing  Tyfoom or MCAI Training Vault accounts should be able to access the MCAA materials via their accounts. If you do not see the materials, reach out to your company representative. ServiceTitan is actively working to provide access to the MCAA materials from within its platform and looks forward to announcing updates in the near future.

About ServiceTitan

ServiceTitan is the operating system that powers the trades. Trusted by over 12,000 contracting businesses, the end-to-end platform powers profitable growth for commercial and specialty contractors by connecting their service and construction operations in one place to help them optimize cash flow, increase workforce productivity, and improve their bottom line. By bringing an integrated SaaS platform to an industry historically underserved by technology, ServiceTitan equips tradespeople with the technology they need to keep the world running.

About Tyfoom

Tyfoom is the #1 engagement platform for employee communication and training. We provide a simple and easy way to connect all employees with leaders every day to improve culture, productivity and employee engagement. Tyfoom employs non-disruptive, science-based techniques and gamification to facilitate the transfer of knowledge and increase accountability.

About MCAI Training Vault

Training Vault is an easy to use, convenient system that helps track all types of training — seminars, conferences, certifications, licenses, and more. The system is provided through the Mechanical Contractors Association of Iowa.

Learn How to Avoid Mistakes & Preserve Wealth While Succession Planning from NEI Instructors Terry & Lee Resnick

MCAA’s National Education Initiative (NEI) Seminars bring our best programs to your local association or your company thanks to instructors like Terry and Lee Resnick, partners in Resnick Succession Group. Terry and Lee teach business owners how to enhance, preserve, and ultimately transition their companies as well as non-business assets in the most tax and cost-efficient manner.

Terry and Lee’s firm is nationally recognized for its business succession, estate planning, and life insurance advisory and implementation planning expertise.

Experienced educational seminar and lecture presenters, the duo are ideally suited to teaching the Succession Planning (SPS) Seminars. The seminars provide business owners with planning strategies to help them avoid mistakes and preserve wealth during the succession planning process.

Like our other NEI instructors, Terry and Lee bring their 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.*

*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 Johnson Controls, Inc. and NIBCO INC. 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:

Johnson Controls, Inc.
For training services tailored to your specific needs, explore Johnson Controls courses and programs for all your HVAC Controls and Equipment, Fire Systems, and Security. From hands-on to CEU coursework, our comprehensive programs are designed to provide current industry knowledge about today’s connected building environments.

NIBCO INC.
NIBCO is here to support the industry and we’re here to support you! When in-person training or distance is an issue, we bring the virtual classroom to you. Topics include Press System Installation, PressACR™, PressG™, BenchPress™, Valve Selection Basics, and Lead-Free Soldering.

Interested in More Training from Our Supplier Partners?

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

Find the Latest from Trane 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:

Trane
Two lines. Less copper. Indoor composite water piping can reduce cost & complexity.

Morris Group International
The ConTrols® Hi-Low Master Mixing Valve mixes hot water from the heater with cold water to the right temperature for the distribution system. ConTrols is a member of Morris Group International.

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s 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!

Expand Your Regulatory & Legislative Knowledge at the National Issues Conference

May 6–8, 2024 | Washington, DC

MCAA invites you to participate in the 2024 National Issues Conference for a deep-dive into the key regulatory and legislative issues affecting the union construction industry. Along with our partners in the Construction Employers of America (CEA), we will host regulators and representatives from Congress for their expertise and insights on a variety of topics. Don’t miss this opportunity to get the latest information that impacts your business from the nation’s capital! Early-bird registration discounts end March 1. Register today!

This event is put on by the members of the CEA, a coalition of seven premier national construction specialty contracting associations, working together to raise awareness among policymakers, opinion leaders, and the general public about the value of high-quality American construction.

MCAA is a charter member of the CEA. The other charter members are:

  • International Council of Employers of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers
  • FCA International
  • National Electrical Contractors Association
  • Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Contractors’ National Association
  • Signatory Wall and Ceiling Contractors Alliance
  • The Association of Union Constructors.

Join MCAA and our CEA partners May 6–8, 2024 at The Royal Sonesta Washington DC Capitol Hill for the event and be sure to take advantage of the opportunity for Hill appointments to ensure your voice is heard.

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Things and Must Do’s to Protect/Secure Your Company’s Data

Technology is changing every day, but the need to secure company data remains constant. MCAA’s Things and Must Do’s to Protect/Secure Your Company’s Data reviews the basic steps contractors should take to keep intruders out and company data secure. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin explores:

  • Data storage solutions
  • Data security solutions
  • Data protection strategy and policy guidelines

You may also be interested in MCAA’s The Next Generation of Data Security, which provides guidance and insight on current tools and techniques to protect your data and operations.

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

Have Questions or Need Personal Assistance?

Contact MCAA’s Frank Wall.

Robert Beck Explores the Value of Relationships on The People Business Podcast

MCAA President Robert Beck joined Frank Favaro for The People Business podcast on February 22, 2024. Listen as he delves into the significance of continually forging and solidifying relationships. He sheds light on the power of influence and its role in serving the greater good for everyone involved. Amid the earnest conversation, Robert also highlights the importance of infusing fun into all aspects of the day.

Find the Latest from DEWALT Industrial Tool Company and XOi 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:

DEWALT Industrial Tool Company
Maximize cutting-speed potential and minimize cutting effort with innovative DEWALT IMPACT CONNECT™ Impact Driver Cutting Attachments. The DEWALT IMPACT CONNECT™ PVC/PEX Pipe Cutter Attachment makes 6X faster cuts and requires 100X less cutting effort than a manual cutter so you can save time on your toughest jobs.

XOi
XOi fills the gap in curb-to-curb experience for service teams. As a complete system of visual record and enablement, the cloud-based mobile app documents everything that occurs on the job, allowing service providers to better educate, communicate, and verify the services they offer.

Need Something Else?

Find many more smart solutions in MCAA’s 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!

Fuel Your Success at MCAA24 – Register Now!

MCAA24 is a can’t miss opportunity to prepare your company for the year ahead. Space is running out, register today!

The 2024 MCAA Annual Convention will be held March 17 – 21 at the beautiful JW Marriott and Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes in Orlando, Florida. Those who attend will enjoy exciting and meaningful general sessions, stimulating education seminars, superior networking opportunities and fun social events for the whole family.

By registering spouses, guests, teens and children, you are unlocking the door to the total convention experience for them, and they are welcome to join MCAA members at all convention events.

Register today to join your MCAA family in Orlando!