Archives: News Items

Bassett Mechanical Announces Executive Leadership Promotions

Bassett Mechanical, an MCAA member, announced several leadership promotions that position the company for continued growth as well as delivering on its vision of Creating Customers for Life®. Jerod Steigenberger will become President of the 86-year-old family enterprise. Kim Bassett will assume the role of Chairperson of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, and Bill Bassett will become Chairman Emeritus. Patty Van Ryzin will be the Chief Human Resource Officer.

Kaukauna, Wisconsin-based Bassett Mechanical has been on a journey of corporate realignment and restructuring over the past few years to better serve customers and be positioned to continually adapt and evolve as an innovative and solution-oriented organization.

“Bassett is a strong family enterprise made up of over 525 associates who work tirelessly to provide quality, safe solutions to our customers with a reputation for quick response and unparalleled customer service,” said Steigenberger. “I am honored to work alongside the most talented and committed people in our industry and carry on the industry-leading reputation that the Bassett family has created and sustained over the years.”

As President, Steigenberger will be responsible for executing the vision and overseeing the day- to-day sales and operational management of the organization. In this expanded role, Steigenberger will continue his partnership with Kim Bassett, who was previously named Chief Executive Officer and President in 2009. “Jerod has brought to our organization a rare combination of financial savvy, operational excellence, and strategic thinking that has contributed to our growth trajectory in the past several years,” said Kim Bassett.

As the third generation of family leadership, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Kim Bassett is responsible for vision-setting, long-term strategy, sound governance, and stewardship of the family values and culture that have propelled Bassett to succeed. When she took on the role of Chief Executive Officer and President, she implemented Lean and continuous improvement initiatives that resulted in significant growth while continuing to sustain the strong culture and elevate the Bassett brand.

As the human resource leader, Van Ryzin has been instrumental in establishing and executing a strategic organizational structure and long-range talent management initiatives. She started with Bassett Mechanical in 1990 and held various positions before becoming Vice President of Human Resources in 2004. Company patriarch Bill Bassett states, “Patty has been a great partner to the leadership team and advocate for Bassett Mechanical. She was instrumental in guiding the family business succession from me to Kim and embodies our spirit as an organization.”

Bill also noted, “I am confident we have the right leadership and strategy to ensure we continue to lead our industry for decades to come.” Bill served as President for 35 years, guiding the company through significant change and growth, and previously transitioned to the Chairman of the Board in 2009. He will still be actively involved with the Board of Directors and leadership engagement.

About Bassett Mechanical

Bassett Mechanical is a unique full-service contractor providing complete design, fabrication, installation, and preventative maintenance service solutions for industrial refrigeration, HVAC, plumbing, controls, metal fabricating, and service needs. The company is a 3rd generation family business that began in 1936 and currently provides custom-design build solutions to customers throughout the United States and the world. Their 268,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility is headquartered in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, with additional locations in Madison, Milwaukee, and Wausau, Wisconsin, as well as Rochester, Minnesota. For more information about Bassett Mechanical, visit www.BassettMechanical.com.

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Bluetooth for Tool Management

Employees working in warehouses and tool rooms manage tens of thousands of tools used in the installation, maintenance, and repair of plumbing and mechanical systems. MCAA’s Bluetooth for Tool Management provides an overview of Bluetooth technology to assist those considering a move to a Bluetooth tool management solution. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin covers:

  • What Bluetooth is and what it does
  • Cost- and labor-saving opportunities available as a result of Bluetooth
  • The three major components of Bluetooth systems
  • How to implement Bluetooth
  • Challenges
  • Things to consider while reviewing tool management solutions

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.

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Bluetooth for Tool Management

Employees working in warehouses and tool rooms manage tens of thousands of tools used in the installation, maintenance, and repair of plumbing and mechanical systems. MCAA’s Bluetooth for Tool Management provides an overview of Bluetooth technology to assist those considering a move to a Bluetooth tool management solution. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin covers:

  • What Bluetooth is and what it does
  • Cost- and labor-saving opportunities available as a result of Bluetooth
  • The three major components of Bluetooth systems
  • How to implement Bluetooth
  • Challenges
  • Things to consider while reviewing tool management solutions

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.

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.

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.

Interested in More Training from Our Supplier Partners?

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

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!

Find the Latest from Miller Electric Mfg. Co. and Metraflex Company 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:

Miller Electric Mfg. Co.
Simplified and optimized for pipe fabrication shop welding, the PipeWorx 400 Welding System’s streamlined set-up with one touch welding, quick process changeover, and Pulsed and Modified Short-Arc MIG processes, makes training and turn-around times faster than ever before.

Metraflex LPD-Y Strainer

Metraflex Company
Metraflex energy-saving LPD-Y-Strainer dramatically reduces pressure drops. ROI within 1 year. Larger screen with more holes. Re-engineered to reduce turbulence.

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!

Learn to Inspire Employees with Standout Leadership from 2023 Safety Conference Speaker Connie Podesta

MCAA’s 2023 Safety Conference includes 50+ hours of education from subject matter experts, plus inspiring keynote speakers like Connie Podesta. Connie will take you inside the minds of your most difficult employees and give you the tools to turn negative attitudes into positive, entitlement into accountability, complacency into productivity, complaining into solutions and “that’s not my job” into ownership. Join us January 17-19, 2023, in San Diego, CA. Register today!

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Articulating Weld Boom

Faced with limited space in a new fabrication shop, Shinn Mechanical workers designed an articulating weld boom. MCAA’s Articulating Weld Boom provides details about this innovative device that lets fabricators perform any type of welding, including TIG, without any cords or hoses on the floor. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin covers:

  • What the articulating weld boom is and how it was built
  • Benefits of the boom, including improved safety, ergonomics, and air quality

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.

Withum’s Business and Finance Symposium Offers Education to Help You Future-Proof Your Business

National accounting firm Withum’s thought leaders will explore relevant topics to help your business stay agile and dynamic in the fast-changing business world during Withum’s Business and Finance Symposium: Future-Proofing your Business in an Era of Unknowns (November 9 and 16, 2022, from 1:00 – 5:00 PM ET). The online program will cover trending Tax and A&A concepts and discuss cryptocurrency, supply chain, transaction readiness, navigating turnover, and more.

Prepare for the Certified Safety Professional Exam with MCAA 2023 Safety Conference Add-On Courses Sponsored by ClickSafety

January 17-19, 2023 | San Diego, California

MCAA is celebrating 20 years of safety excellence with our 20th anniversary safety conference, January 17-19, 2023, in San Diego, CA. New this year, an extended learning (add-on) course will prepare safety professionals for the Board of Certified Safety Professionals’ Certified Safety Professional (CSP) exam. The course, which is limited to 20 students, is sponsored by MCAA’s newest Manufacturer/Supplier Council member, ClickSafety.

Led by SPAN, the course will review hundreds of problems addressing the complete examination blueprint in a question-and-answer format complete with fully developed explanations. It targets the principles and theories required to pass the examination. There is an additional fee to attend the course.

The conference itself will offer over 50 hours of safety training and education, including keynote speeches on safety leadership, mental health, and safety management. Conference registration is open to our partners, the members of the United Association, NECA, SMACNA, and TAUC.

Have questions or need assistance? Contact us at eventregistration@mcaa.org or 301-869-5800.

Learn How to Start or Expand Fabrication Operations from NEI Instructor Greg Fuller

MCAA’s National Education Initiative (NEI) Seminars bring our best programs to your local association or your company thanks to instructors like Greg Fuller, Owner and CEO of North Mechanical Contracting, Inc., North Mechanical Services, Inc., NewJac Industrial, LLC, and Integrated Modular Construction, LLC. Greg provides a comprehensive look at fabrication that is ideal for anyone interested in starting or expanding their fabrication process.

In addition to being an MCAA Past President, Greg is Past Chair and a current member of MCAA’s Project Management Education Committee and an active instructor in the Institute for Project Management (IPM), Advanced Institute for Project Management (AIPM), and Field Leaders Conference.

Greg has taught classes on a variety of mechanical contracting subjects to audiences of various sizes. His Fabrication (FAB) classes are geared towards those who are interested in implementing or developing fabrication operations. His courses, FAB 101: The Evolution of Fabrication I: Why, How and When (Now) and FAB 102: The Evolution of Fabrication II: Implementing Manufacturing Process for the Construction Industry, provide a comprehensive look at fabrication making them ideal for anyone interested in starting or expanding their fabrication process. Regardless of your company’s current capacity, there is opportunity to develop processes that lead to increased project success and profitability, by transforming the way you look at fabrication.

Like our other NEI instructors, Greg 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.

Find the Latest from Reliance Worldwide Corporation and Marking Services, 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:

Reliance Worldwide Corporation
RWC launches Cash Acme EB25 Plus to help contractors save money and time. EB25 Plus replaces a parallel system or series installation with a single valve, providing faster setup and maintenance.

Marking Services, Inc.
MSI’s AIM Mobile Technology delivers on-demand 24/7 access to critical asset information. Our QR coded tags provide instant access to critical documents in the field. AIM will greatly increase productivity and efficiency in the field providing Asset and Document Management (O&M, Commissioning, Startup, Warranty, Submittals, etc.) to meet your turnover package needs.

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!

The Cost of Not Training – Tyfoom Explains How Training Makes Employees More Productive, Profitable, and Committed

Training is key in driving desired systematic improvement in any organization. Yet many businesses see training as an optional cost rather than as a necessary investment with a significant return. Consequently, training often drops to the very bottom of companies’ priorities. Prioritizing training, however, makes your employees more productive, more profitable while at work, and more committed to your organization.

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

Learn How Decisions Made in the Field Impact the Project and the Company from NEI Instructor Mark Rogers

MCAA’s National Education Initiative (NEI) Seminars bring our best programs to your local association or your company thanks to instructors like Mark Rogers, President of West Chester Mechanical Contractors, an HVAC, service and plumbing contractor that serves the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. Mark sheds light on how interactions and decisions made in the field impact all areas of a company.

Over the past eight years, Mark has voluntarily presented the “Real Cost of a Manhour” over 125 times to more than 20,000 UA Members. He has also taught sessions on jobsite profitability at MCAA’s Field Leaders Conferences and leadership sessions to the UA Business Managers/Agents and at MCAA’s Advanced Institute for Project Management in Austin, TX.

Mark has taught classes on a variety of mechanical contracting subjects to audiences of various sizes. His Field and Foreman Leadership Development (FFLD) seminars shed light on how interactions with coworkers, other tradespeople and the end users can help (or hurt) the direct cost of union tradespeople.  The series will also cover how decisions impact safety, insurance, profits and overall company culture at every level of a project and will educate ALL sides on what the other is dealing with on a daily basis. This better understanding of how their roles can be improved through leadership, communication and education sets the tone for the success of any organization.

Like our other NEI instructors, Mark 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.

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Employee Reviews

Employee reviews are powerful tools in the performance improvement process. MCAA’s Employee Reviews provides guidelines and samples to help ensure a productive and beneficial review process for employees and their managers. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin covers:

  • Benefits of the review process
  • Preparing for the review
  • The two types of reviews
  • Conducting the review
  • Guidelines to help ensure productive and beneficial reviews
  • Legal considerations

It includes examples of:

  • Open-ended questions
  • A management driven rater review
  • A management driven exploratory review
  • An employee self-evaluation questionnaire

To learn more about MCAA’s Advanced Leadership Institute mentioned in this bulletin, visit the Advanced Leadership Institute page.

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.

Withum Explains Why PPP Loan Forgiveness May Not Be Tax-Free

National accounting firm Withum shares information to help you understand the tax implications of the recent Internal Revenue Service (IRS) ruling addressing the proper treatment of improperly forgiven paycheck protection program (PPP) loans. The IRS ruled that the PPP loan forgiveness amount is not tax-free, even if the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the lender granted the borrower full loan forgiveness, if the taxpayer did not satisfy the factual requirements for loan forgiveness.

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Unit Pricing

Unit prices are difficult to establish and even more difficult to utilize to establish a fair and equitable price for changes to contract work. MCAA’s Unit Pricing highlights the pitfalls of this pricing method and provides guidelines to help you avoid them. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin covers:

  • The inequities of unit pricing
  • Guidelines for the preparation of a base unit price schedule
  • The importance of contract stipulations
  • What to consider when establishing correction factors

Find the bulletins referenced in the Foreward in MCAA’s Change Orders, Productivity, Overtime—A Primer for the Construction Industry.

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.

Great Lakes Plumbing and Heating Company Overcomes Challenges for New Sloan Showroom

Plumbing a new Sloan showroom comes with high expectations, so Great Lakes Plumbing and Heating Company placed a priority on early coordination and constant communication with Sloan and its construction company, Skender, throughout the project. That partnership paid off when the project faced some roadblocks, which Great Lakes Plumbing resolved using Sloan products.

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