Contractors Glean Industry Best Practices at ACCA 2016

Event provides mix of keynote speakers, learning labs, and forums

Ray Isaac, president of Isaac Heating & Air Conditioning in Rochester, New York, addresses how his company manages the slow season. — **SHARING BEST PRACTICES:** Ray Isaac (center), president of Isaac Heating & Air Conditioning in Rochester, New York, addresses how his company manages the slow season during the ‘What’s Your Problem’ MainStage session. Isaac joined four other HVAC contractors who shared real-world experience and answered audience members’ questions.

**LEARNING FROM THE BEST:** The ACCA 2016 program featured 35 workshops in seven different tracks, including leadership, commercial contracting, residential contracting, business operations, radiant and hydronics, quality assurance, and building performance.

ACCA's CEO-Contractor Forum featured eight HVAC manufacturing executives who discussed a range of topics — **INDUSTRY UPDATE:** ACCA’s CEO/Contractor Forum: Building Our Future featured eight HVAC manufacturing executives who discussed a range of topics from Internet sales to connected buildings to certifications. Attendees answered questions through a live polling option via the ACCA mobile app.

Edward McFarlane, vice president of marketing and development for Haller Enterprises Inc., led a Learning Lab session on HVAC training — **TRAINING TIPS:** Edward McFarlane, vice president of marketing and development for Haller Enterprises Inc. in Lititz, Pennsylvania, led a Learning Lab session on HVAC training.

Kip Shanklin, owner of Shanklin Heating & Air Conditioning, replies to a question during one of ACCA 2016’s many interactive sessions — **CONTRACTOR DIALOGUE:** Kip Shanklin, owner of Shanklin Heating & Air Conditioning in Dalton, Ohio, replies to a question during one of ACCA 2016’s many interactive sessions.

HVAC industry professionals converged March 10-13 in Charlotte, North Carolina, for the return of the ACCA 2016 conference and IE3 Expo: The Indoor Environment & Energy Expo. The combined events drew more than 1,500 people from all over the country and featured 35 workshops in seven different tracks, including leadership, commercial contracting, residential contracting, business operations, radiant and hydronics, quality assurance, and building performance, which were assembled by the nation’s most successful contracting professionals.

Denise Webb, service manager, St. Louis-based Welsch Heating & Cooling Co., which won ACCA 2016 Residential Contractor of the Year, said she really enjoyed this year’s mix of keynote speakers, learning labs, and forums.

“The thing I like about the ACCA conference is that these are contractors who do the presentations [during the Learning Labs]. They walk in our shoes, they know the struggles and hurdles we face. They work the same as we do, but in different parts of the country. And, they’re not here to try and sell you something; they’re here to help the industry as a whole.”

Matt Marsiglio, operations manager for Flame Heating, Cooling, Plumbing and Electrical in Warren, Michigan, said ACCA 2016 was one of his best conferences yet.

“It’s about learning from people who do it better than you,” he said. “Some of it is just reassuring the things you already do and knowing that you’re on the right track.”

ON THE MAINSTAGE

During the kickoff MainStage keynote session, Carey Lohrenz, the first female F-14 Tomcat pilot, discussed leadership as she related her flying combat missions to business ownership, and Tim Kight, a business visionary, shared six things contractors must to in order to control the ‘Response Factor’ in every situation.

However, one of the most popular sessions was the interactive ‘What’s Your Problem’ MainStage, where a panel of contractors shared real-world experience as audience members asked questions. This year’s contractor panel included Rick Busby, owner of Busby’s Air Conditioning and Heating in Augusta, Georgia; Linda Couch, COO of Parrish Services in Washington, District of Columbia; Sam DeAngelis, CEO of Colorado Climate Maintenance Inc. in Englewood, Colorado; Brian Hooper, vice president of operations at MSI Mechanical Systems Inc. in Salem, New Hampshire; and Ray Isaac, president of Isaac Heating & Air Conditioning in Rochester, New York.

Vince DiFilippo, president and owner of DiFilippo’s Service in Paoli, Pennsylvania, served as host of the session, which covered topics ranging from the pros and cons of various contracting software packages, managing recurring service agreement payments, handling the slow season, and creating incentive programs for employees.

Busby addressed the topic of how to best handle the slow season. “Weather always plays a role in our industry — it’s going to have an influence without a doubt, but there are things that can be done to take a lot of the unpredictability out of it. A good maintenance agreement program is one of the best things you can have. We have a maintenance department that works year round, so people don’t expect just to have it done in the spring or the fall.”

“The beautiful thing about weather is all of your competitors have to deal with the same conditions,” Isaac added. “So, if you have a better game plan and strategy than them, you can overcome those abnormal weather seasons.

“We’ve expanded our services and gotten into home services, such as pool heaters. Summer in Rochester is great, and it’s even better if it falls on a weekend so people can go out and use their pools. And, of course, they want their pools warm, so we offer that type of service when we’re not fixing air conditioning. We’re also doing doors, windows, insulation, and home performance. If you can find things that are countercyclical to the HVAC side, it’s just a better strategy. You have to think outside that proverbial box and find new strategies and alternative services you can offer customers who are not dependent on the weather.”

This year’s conference also featured a revamped CEO/Contractor Forum: Building Our Future. The event was moderated by Wade Mayfield, president of Thermal Services Inc., and included a panel of eight top manufacturing executives: Chris Nelson, president of North American HVAC systems and services, Carrier Corp.; John Galyen, president, Danfoss - North America; Brent Schroeder, president, air conditioning business, Emerson Climate Technologies Inc.; Pete Alexander, senior vice president, Goodman Mfg. Co.; Gary Michel, senior vice president and president, residential solutions sector, Ingersoll Rand/Trane; Gary Bedard, vice president and general manager, Lennox Intl. Inc.; Steve O’Brien, vice president, residential business, Mitsubishi Electric U.S. Cooling & Heating; and Mike Branson, vice president and general manager, air conditioning division, Rheem Mfg. Co. This MainStage session also featured live polling, allowing attendees to voce live via the ACCA & IE3 Events app. Poll questions covered topics ranging from direct Internet sales, connected buildings, certifications, and more.

Mayfield also polled the audience about its choice for the 2016 presidential election. ACCA reported that the audience’s top pick was a tie, with approximately 30 percent for Ted Cruz and 30 percent for Donald Trump; 21 percent selected “None of the above.”

“The conference was fantastic,” said Rich Biava, vice president, GAC Services, Gaithersburg, Maryland. “We got to meet a fighter pilot in the morning and attend breakout sessions that were terrific later that day. These sessions allow me to rethink and refocus on new ideas or take an idea that we’re working on and rethink it from someone else’s perspective. We learned a lot from a variety of industry leaders.”

NEW IN 2017

ACCA announced it will be trying something different in 2017. Next year’s show will feature a completely new program and format, and be known as The IE3 Show. The event will take place March 20-22, 2017, at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee, and will feature a completely new three-day schedule, technique-based workshops led by innovative contractors; and an expo that includes hands-on demos, interactive learning theater, skills competitions, new product introductions, and more. For more information about 2017 The IE3 Show, visit www.ie3show.com or acca.org.

Publication date: 3/21/2016

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Nicole Krawcke is Web Editor for The NEWS. She joined BNP Media in 2014 and most recently served as Business Management Editor of The NEWS. She can be contacted at 248-244-6475 or nicolekrawcke@achrnews.com. Nicole is responsible for posting online exclusive content, including Extra Edition, Breaking News, Manufacturer Reports, and more; producing The NEWS' multiple eNewsletters; and contributing to the print edition. She has eight plus years of writing and editing experience and holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Michigan State University.

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