HOUSTON - The Annual Fall Conference of the Heating, Airconditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) organization will be held Oct. 23-26 at the Hilton Americas – Houston. Some of the meeting highlights include a new health insurance initiative, industry outlook from JP Morgan Equity Research, and a full slate of committee meetings and social networking activities, beginning with the opening supplier reception on Oct. 23.

HARDI has partnered with Veritas Risk Services to form an HVACR Distributor Advantage Medical Benefits Captive intended to bring some long-term cost controls to HARDI member companies in the face of projections for rampant increases in group health insurance premiums. While still in its early start-up phase, the new captive will be a powerful solution for nearly all HARDI members if launched early next year. Member companies are encouraged to attend this meeting to get an introduction to the health insurance captive concept and to begin considerations for joining this HARDI initiative.

Stephen Tusa, lead of J.P. Morgan’s Electrical Equipment and Multi-Industry Equity Research Group, which produces the annual HVAC Market Review and Outlook, has been confirmed as a workshop presenter to review the outlook’s forecast and the findings from the Joint HARDI-J.P. Morgan Mid-Season HVAC Distributor Survey. Tusa will report the latest news from the industry’s publicly-traded companies, and provide his projections for the rest of 2010 and the start of 2011.

Derek Supple, sustainability manager for Johnson Controls, will discuss his company’s efforts to be more energy efficient and environmentally friendly. Specific examples of the opportunities that exist for controls distributors to help their customers maximize and benefit from the continued growth of green and sustainable building and retrofits will be exchanged.

Distributor company registrations are already far outpacing last year’s pace, and total registrations are also ahead of last year. Visit www.hardinet.org for registration information.

Publication date:09/13/2010