Service World Expo officials announced that American actor, author, motivational speaker, war hero, and retired U.S. Army soldier, J.R. Martinez, will speak at Service World Expo on “Plugging into Your Superpowers.”

Uponor North America is expanding its manufacturing facility in Apple Valley, Minnesota, with completion expected by January 2018. The $17.4 million investment will be used toward the expansion of an additional 58,000 square feet to increase manufacturing capacity to meet customer demand. This is the 10^th expansion since Uponor began operations in Apple Valley in 1990. The most recent expansion took place in 2016 when the company invested $18 million and added 88,000 square feet to its manufacturing facility.

According to the “Heating Equipment Market in the U.S.” study from The Freedonia Group, forced-air heating is the preferred comfort delivery method in the U.S. Of those, warm-air furnaces comprise the vast majority of the overall demand with 64 percent of the total value of sales in 2016.

The Whalen Co. was commended for making a difference in the Talbot County (Maryland) community at the Talbot County Business Appreciation Breakfast. This year’s Business Appreciation Breakfast awards reflected a community impact theme and the many ways that a company can impact a community through work.