Organization: MCAA

Industry-Specific Education Offers Practical Take-Homes & Inspiration for Field Leaders

MCAA’s Field Leaders Conference has earned rave reviews for its industry-specific content that gives field leaders at all levels the skills, understanding, and inspiration to positively impact their company’s bottom line. Learn what past attendees have to say and see how the conference content will benefit your field leaders and your company. The conference will offer the same education in Indianapolis, IN (October 12-14, 2022) and Kansas City, MO (November 2-4, 2022). Register your field leaders today!

Here’s what past attendees had to say about the conference:

“This whole conference is great l wish I had this 20 years ago when I started running work.”

– Boston, 2021

“I just want to thank each and every speaker for telling their story. I know you guys have probably heard it before but your passion for wanting to make us all better foremen, better husbands and just better people in general is amazing and again, I thank you. I learned a lot today and I can’t wait to take it home and start using it.”

– Boston, 2021

“This was truly a well-presented conference. I attend and study a lot of leadership courses and this blew me away. Mark and Greg’s approach from a contractor’s perspective was, in my opinion, what every field worker (not just field leader) needs to hear to drive change in our industry. Thank you for just an EXCELLENT conference.”

– Rochester, 2022

“This was the best learning experience I have had since joining this trade. I would love to see more people in our company and local come to these events.”

– Boston, 2021

“I will recommend this to our own company leaders to send more people for this training. I plan to call them on my ride home and not wait at all.”

– Rochester, 2022

Field leaders will learn to:

  • View themselves as professionals
  • Understand how their performance impacts the bottom line
  • Establish tangible goals
  • Appreciate the importance of customer relationships and their role as the face of the company

They will return to your company with:

  • Real-life tips and tools for success on the job site
  • Ways to control crucial job site conversations
  • An action item list they can put to work right away
  • A fresh perspective on the latest tools and construction resources
  • A network of other jobsite leaders to advise and support them
  • The inspiration to take this knowledge and apply it to better themselves at work, and in life

Don’t delay – register your field leaders today!

Learn More & Register for the Kansas City Conference
Learn More & Register for the Indianapolis Conference

Connect With the Latest Training from SLOAN and Parker Hannifin at MCAA.org

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

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

SLOAN
Planning a new facility or retrofitting an existing one? Ideal for drought-prone regions, this webinar introduces you to the many solutions which conserve water across buildings and restrooms and make conservation efforts successful.

Learn More

Parker Hannifin
Learn how ZoomLock MAX press technology for HVAC will improve your efficiency, adding to your bottom line. ZoomLock MAX fittings delivers secure, braze-free connections in a few simple steps while providing a safer environment for your team.

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

Find the Latest from Morris Group International and Sioux Chief Manufacturing Company, Inc. in MCAA’s Virtual Trade Show

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

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

Morris Group International
Controls® Emergency Thermostatic Temperature Valve is certified to deliver safe, tepid water to safety systems. Use with Emergency Eye Wash and face stations, shower fixtures, and combination units.

Learn More

Sioux Chief Manufacturing Company, Inc.
The FinishLine is a complete drain and cleanout system that is adjustable before and after the pour. The FinishLine is complemented by Sioux Chief’s full offering of commercial drainage products for all types and sizes of projects. Specified by engineers and installed by contractors across the country. Why use anything else?

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

Invest in the People Who Run Your Jobs with MCAA’s Field Leaders Conference

Give your field leaders the skills they need to focus on growing company profits and brand when you send them to the Field Leaders Conference. They will return with an action item list, a fresh perspective on the latest tools and construction resources, and a network of other jobsite leaders to offer advice and provide support long after the class is over. The conference will be held in Kansas City, MO, November 2-4, 2022. Register your field leaders now!

Those who attend will also learn from industry experts who will share their real-life tips and tools for success on the job site, including ways you can professionally control crucial job site conversations. Attendees will leave with actionable education. Learning from some of the industry’s best, attendees will be inspired to take this knowledge and apply it to better themselves at work, and in life. 

During this intensive conference, field leaders will learn to:

  • View themselves as professionals
  • Understand how their performance is critical to the bottom line
  • Establish tangible goals
  • Appreciate the importance of customer relationships and their role as the face of the company

They will also learn what it really means to be a great foreman, giving them the skills needed to be business and results oriented leaders who focus on growing company culture, brand and profits.

Field Leaders Detroit 2019

Lead field personnel cannot afford to miss this conference! Watch the video above to hear about the conference experience from previous attendees, then click the button for your preferred location to learn more and register today.

Learn More & Register for the Indianapolis Conference
Learn More & Register for the Kansas City Conference

Rainwater Survey Now Open to Gauge Project Readiness

With drought conditions stressing potable drinking water sources, jurisdictions are looking into the option of rainwater catchment and treatment for non-potable uses.  Through the MCAA’s membership in the Plumbing Industry Leadership Council and specifically the American Rainwater Catchment Systems Association, the coalition is working to help understand how the industry is currently using rainwater catchment on projects.

If you are a contractor that has worked on or is working on rainwater catchment projects, please take a moment to complete this short survey.  Responses will allow the industry coalition to understand current treatment procedures, uses and services. 

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s Understanding Manufacturers’ Warranties

Standard manufacturers’ warranties can expose contractors to unexpected exposures. MCAA’s Understanding Manufacturers’ Warranties explains potential exposures and offers tips for minimizing them. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin covers:

  • Issues affecting warranty claims
  • Tips for negotiating up front
  • Why including the general contractor can help in negotiations
  • Questions to ask to ensure a full understanding of warranty terms
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.

Withum Article Explains the Inflation Reduction Act’s Impact on Tax Audits

National accounting firm Withum shares information to help you understand the potential impacts of the Inflation Reduction Act, which was signed into law on August 16, 2022. They note that the act, which includes $80 billion of increased funding for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), will meaningfully increase IRS audit rates, but the impact won’t happen overnight.

Find the Latest from SLOAN and Ridge Tool 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:

SLOAN
Sloan’s new Gravity Toilets combine Centriflo™ flush technology, simple assembly, and water-saving features into a sleek two-piece design that fits into a wide range of light commercial spaces where comfort and performance are key.

Learn More
RIDGID K9-306 with Flag

Ridge Tool Company
The RIDGID® K9-306 FlexShaft™ Drain Cleaning Machine, utilizing a full suite of specialized chain knocker accessories, quickly delivers wall-to-wall clean in 3 to 6-inch drain lines up to 125 feet.

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

Get Back to the Basics – People and the Project – at the Field Leaders Conference

Give your field leaders the skills they need to focus on growing company profits and brand when you send them to the Field Leaders Conference. They will return with an action item list, a fresh perspective on the latest tools and construction resources, and a network of other jobsite leaders to offer advice and provide support long after the class is over. The conference will offer the same education in two locations: Indianapolis, IN (October 12-14, 2022) and Kansas City, MO (November 2-4, 2022). Choose your preferred city to learn more and register your field leaders now!

Those who attend will also learn from industry experts who will share their real-life tips and tools for success on the job site, including ways you can professionally control crucial job site conversations. Attendees will leave with actionable education. Learning from some of the industry’s best, attendees will be inspired to take this knowledge and apply it to better themselves at work, and in life. 

During this intensive conference, field leaders will learn to:

  • View themselves as professionals
  • Understand how their performance is critical to the bottom line
  • Establish tangible goals
  • Appreciate the importance of customer relationships and their role as the face of the company

They will also learn what it really means to be a great foreman, giving them the skills needed to be business and results oriented leaders who focus on growing company culture, brand and profits.

Field Leaders Detroit 2019

Lead field personnel cannot afford to miss this conference! Watch the video above to hear about the conference experience from previous attendees, then click the button for your preferred location to learn more and register today.

Learn More & Register for the Indianapolis Conference
Learn More & Register for the Kansas City Conference

Last Chance to Register for the 2022 Plumbing Service Conference

For contractors interested in how to establish and optimize their plumbing service operations, the 2022 PCA Plumbing Service Conference is the perfect opportunity! The conference scheduled for September 14-15 in Kansas City, Missouri, combines contractor-led presentations, roundtable discussions and a facility of Lexington Plumbing’s Kansas City headquarters.

The Lexington Plumbing operations tour will highlight the support operations necessary to run a service organization. This includes service software, sales staff, project management, inventory management, training and recruiting. These are important considerations that are required to compete and grow a plumbing service operation as a valuable profit center. There will also be demonstrations of their heavy equipment, specialized tools and how they set up their service vehicles.

Limited registration is still available.  Join us and reserve your spot today!

LEARN MORE & REGISTER

Vincent Sarubbi Jr. Will Join the MCAA Staff

MCAA extends a warm welcome to Vincent Sarubbi Jr., who will be joining the staff starting September 6, 2022. He will be MCAA’s new Director, Government Relations, learning the ropes from John McNerney. Vince comes to the MCAA after a decade of service on Capitol Hill advising Members of Congress on a variety of issues directly related to MCAA members’ business interests, including healthcare, education/apprenticeship, labor, and pension issues. MCAA is pleased to welcome Vince to the staff.

Most recently, Vince served as an advisor to Senator Sherrod Brown (OH) covering multiemployer pensions and transportation/infrastructure policies, among others. During his time in Senator Brown’s office Vince helped usher through the passage of the Butch Lewis Act (BLA), which provided $100 billion in special financial assistance (SFA) to underfunded multiemployer pension plans. These funds will help restore fiscal stability to seriously underfunded plans and relieve the pressure of withdrawal liability on contractors in those plans. The SFA program also helps alleviate the threat of large Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) premium increases for all multiemployer plans that MCAA member firms sponsor jointly with the UA.

After the BLA passed, Vince worked closely with the Biden Administration on the PBGC regulations to implement the SFA program, to ensure that the regulations reflected the operational realities of the contractors and employees who depend on those plans. This includes preventing mass withdrawals as a result of the infusion of SFA assets into troubled plans, dealing with issues of fiduciary liability for Trustees, and ensuring that PBGC’s interest rate assumptions aligned with plans’ predicted investment returns.

In addition to leading the Senator’s work on multiemployer pensions, Vince oversaw a diverse portfolio of issues, working on the passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that created significant opportunities in MCAA member firm markets, and pressing for innovative legislative proposals to combat the rampant worker misclassification by businesses seeking to illegally undercut MCAA member firms. Staunching the rampant abuse of worker misclassification also is a top legislative and regulatory priority for MCAA.

Before his time in Senator Brown’s office, Vince worked on staff for Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01), advising him on healthcare, labor, education and pension issues, among others. During his time with Congressman Norcross, Vince helped launch the House of Representatives’ first Building Trades Caucus, focused on spotlighting issues facing union-signatory employers and union-represented employees in the building trades industries. He also worked closely with Building Trades unions and their signatory contractors to advance shared priorities including: maintaining and strengthening Davis Bacon prevailing wage protections on government funded construction projects, the protection and promotion of the Federal registered apprenticeship system, and the repeal of the “Cadillac tax” on multiemployer healthcare plan benefits.

In 2018, Vince served as Congressman Norcross’ lead staffer on the Joint Select Committee on Solvency of Multiemployer Pension Plans, advising the Congressman on his work on the Committee and drafting the GROW Act, a bill that would have created a new type of composite variable defined benefit plan allowing multiemployer plans to limit contractors’ funding risks while still protecting employees’ earned benefits. Reforming the multiemployer pension plan design, including authorizing new composite defined benefit plans, remains a high priority on MCAA’s legislative agenda. During his time with Congressman Norcross, Vince also was responsible for advising the Congressman on his work as a member of the House Budget Committee and later the Committee on Education and Labor.

Vince began his career on Capitol Hill working for former Congressman Rob Andrews (NJ-01), who had served as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor and Pensions. In that role, Vince worked on the successful passage of the bipartisan Multiemployer Pension Reform Act of 2014 and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

Vince received his Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs and Economics from The George Washington University and his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from The Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law. Hailing originally from Southern New Jersey, Vince lives in Washington D.C. and enjoys playing tennis and music in his free time.

Resource Highlight: MCAA’s How to Set Up Tax-Wise Corporate Minutes

Properly drafted corporate minutes that reflect the actual intentions of the corporate directors and shareholders can be, and frequently have been, the factor that tips the scales in the taxpayer’s favor during disputes with the Internal Revenue Service. MCAA’s How to Set Up Tax-Wise Corporate Minutes explains the bottom-line importance of these important business documents. It’s just one of MCAA’s educational resources that are free to MCAA members as a benefit of membership.

The bulletin covers:

  • What properly drafted minutes should include
  • Potential alternatives to minutes
  • Areas that are particularly susceptible to IRS challenges
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.

The UA and XOi Work Together to Train the Next Generation of Skilled Labor

MCAA member XOi Technologies, a leading provider of technician-focused technology solutions, has formed a partnership with the United Association (UA) that delivers XOi’s innovative AI-based tech-enablement solution to HVACR instructors and registered service apprentices across the United States.

“XOi combines many critical functions for UA instructors and apprentices and other field professionals in a single platform,” said UA training specialist Robert Vilches. “In addition to its streamlined workflows and best-in-class data indexing and analytics, XOi keeps UA apprentices and instructors connected in the field and provides instructors with unrivaled insight into how students perform on the job. And XOi’s first-to-market virtual mentor support extends training from the classroom to the jobsite, so apprentices can continue to learn while they’re in the field.” 

XOi’s deep data cataloging capabilities, advanced AI-driven analytics, and intuitive remote support options enhance the value of UA’s training programs, giving the organization resources to help contractors close the skilled labor gap.

“This partnership is an opportunity to maximize the UA’s proven training programs and to strategically extend XOi’s position as a top innovator in the industry,” said Aaron Salow, founder and CEO of XOi. “By equipping their apprentices and instructors with our powerful solutions, the UA is empowering the next generation of skilled labor talent with in-depth, hands-on education that will help contractors face the continuing labor shortage in the service industry.”

XOi’s advanced cloud-based solution allows field service technicians to utilize, aggregate and analyze critical job data and maximize customer value through industry-leading efficiency, accuracy, and accountability. With a full suite of standardized workflows, job documentation capabilities, and technician training and enablement solutions, teams can build deep and easily accessible institutional knowledge bases that support real-time decision-making and data-based continuity. Service teams can apply these extensive data-science capabilities to analyze those foundational elements and strategically respond to evolving data trends and forecasts.

For more information about XOi, visit https://xoi.io.

For more information about the UA, visit https://ua.org.

Connect With the Latest Training from SLOAN and The Harris Products Group at MCAA.org

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

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

SLOAN
Find out how to improve public restrooms in educational buildings based on government-provided stimulus funding.

Learn More

The Harris Products Group
Harris Products Group, maker of brazing and soldering equipment and consumables, provides NATE training on the basics of brazing, base and filler metals and fluxes, and torch safety. Includes brazing demonstrations and hands-on practice.

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

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

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

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

Morris Group International
Quick, easy installation! Specifically designed with tilt-up concrete buildings in mind, our Stainless-Steel Cored Hole Hydrant Box can cut your installation time by at least 75%!

Learn More

Team Industries, Inc.
Designed in accordance with “Lean Manufacturing” concepts, Team’s pipe welding positioners deliver economical, high quality pipe welding. Team’s positioners are designed for the highest quality and peak efficiency in pipe 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

Stacy Zerr Will Join the MCA of Kansas City

Stacy Zerr will become the MCA of Kansas City’s (MCAKC) next Executive Director on October 31, 2022. She brings over 24 years of mechanical contracting experience to the role, most recently as the Director of Pre-Construction Services for The Waldinger Corporation in Des Moines, Iowa. Stacy is active in MCAA as Chair of the Innovative Technologies Committee and as a member of both the Project Managers Education Committee and the Women in the Mechanical Industry Steering Committee. “We look forward to the leadership and professionalism that Stacy will bring to the association, and we’re excited to have her join our team at the end of October,” said Greg Stanger, MCAKC President.

Model-to-Machine Fabrication Will be a Focus of MCAA’s 2022 Fabrication Conference

Registration is now open for the 2022 MCAA Fabrication Conference, powered by MSUITE. The conference is returning to Seattle, November 2-4, 2022 with a tour of one of the country’s most dynamic mechanical contractors – McKinstry Company. It will feature how innovative contractors are integrating digital information throughout their fabrication process by using a “Model-to-Machine” approach.

Digital integration has been driving a lot of productivity increases to the industry. With VDC coordination, a lot of time, energy and expense is spent building a BIM model. Fabrication has already been one of the best ways to make up ground by improving the productivity and safety on projects. Up until new software was developed, information from the BIM model could only be used to generate detailed spool drawings. It created an immediate disconnect as soon as spool drawings left the detailing department and went to the fabrication facility. 

Modern contractors have begun using software that is not only used in design and coordination, but also fabrication, communication, and manpower tracking. Fabrication facilities now use computers and large displays that can manipulate the latest drawings in 3D, track progress, update the team and even drive some manufacturing tools to cut, prep and even weld-assist on projects.

“What we are finding is that people are driving efficiency by being able to go directly from model to machine. They are able to also actually measure their efficiency directly from the machine and the shop floor using software”, as Benny Baltrotsky, COO of MSUITE puts it. 

This means that the software can now directly drive tools that can measure and cut pipe like TigerSaw or Razor Gauge. This can be applied to copper, med gas, PVC and soil pipe. The same software can also push cuts and bevels to plasma cutting CNC machines or sheet metal manufacturing equipment. It can track status on anything produced in the fabrication shop so that project managers and foremen can be kept up to speed without constantly calling the fab shop foreman. 

Many of these workflows will be demonstrated as part of the McKinstry tour, as well as in the education for the conference itself. McKinstry’s Seattle headquarters is a multi-building campus that includes fabrication, design, coordination, facility maintenance, incubator space and a public showroom for some of their services.

This is one of MCAA’s most popular conferences and it sells out quickly.  Registration is limited to 2 people per company, including those from multiple locations.

REGISTRATION OPEN

MCAA Partners with OSHA for Safe + Sound Week

MCAA has partnered with the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) for Safe + Sound Week, August 15-21, 2022. This nationwide event, held each August, recognizes the successes of workplace health and safety programs and offers information and ideas on how to keep America’s workers safe.

The week is part of the year-round Safe + Sound campaign to encourage every workplace to have a safety and health program. Successful safety and health programs can proactively identify and manage workplace hazards before they cause injury or illness, improving sustainability and the bottom line.

Participating in Safe + Sound Week can help get your program started, energize an existing program, or provide a chance to recognize your company’s safety successes.

MCAA contractors looking for an opportunity to recognize their company’s commitment to safety are welcome to participate. Last year, more than 5,300 businesses helped to raise awareness about workers’ health and safety.

If you have questions, please contact:

  • Raffi Elchemmas, MCAA’s Executive Director of Safety, Health, and Risk Management

Click the below links for more information and resources.

MCAA Safety & Health Resources
Safe + Sound Week

Build A Network of Peers at MCAA’s Field Leaders Conference

Those working in the field come to MCAA’s Field Leaders Conference prepared to discuss their companies, their projects and the challenges they face, but they leave with a new network of peers. In sharing their own experiences and listening to others, attendees build new relationships that allow them to exchange advice and support long after they leave. The conference will be offered in both Indianapolis, IN (October 12-14, 2022) and Kansas City, MO (November 2-4, 2022). Register your field leaders today!

Those who attend will also learn from industry experts who will share their real-life tips and tools for success on the job site, including ways you can professionally control crucial job site conversations. Attendees will leave with actionable education. Learning from some of the industry’s best, attendees will be inspired to take this knowledge and apply it to better themselves at work, and in life. 

During this intensive conference, field leaders will learn to:

  • View themselves as professionals
  • Understand how their performance is critical to the bottom line
  • Establish tangible goals
  • Appreciate the importance of customer relationships and their role as the face of the company

They will also learn what it really means to be a great foreman, giving them the skills needed to be business and results oriented leaders who focus on growing company culture, brand and profits.

Field Leaders Detroit 2019

Lead field personnel cannot afford to miss this conference! Watch the video above to hear about the conference experience from previous attendees, then click the button for your preferred location to learn more and register today.

Learn More & Register for the Indianapolis Conference
Learn More & Register for the Kansas City Conference