Just as it is important to have an annual budget for your business, it is equally important to have a solid business plan. The plan should include marketing, advertising, and merchandising - all methods of promoting your business.
James Bergmann is this year's News HVACR Instructor of the Year. There are many more like Bergmann who are out there teaching the next generation of technicians and adding a little color to the graying of our HVACR workforce.
The National Capital Chapter of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America put in a new HVAC system in the home of a two-year-old cancer patient. The installation was part of the association's Heat the Country program.
On a late October Saturday, 23 members of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America-National Capital Chapter (ACCA-NCC) kicked off the association's first Heat the Country program. ACCA chapters across the country participated in this program, which is designed to provide free heating service to repair or replace faulty furnaces for low-income, elderly, and disabled homeowners.
The best instructors not only prepare students for tests on the subject matter, they help them prepare for real-world situations. Teachers can leave indelible impressions with their students, serving as important role models. These factors were among the criteria used to determine the winners of the 2004 Instructor of the Year contest.
At first glance, Jim Bergmann's HVACR training lab looks out of place. It is too complete. The compliment is nothing new to Bergmann, winner of the 2004 Instructor of the Year contest sponsored by The News and ARI.
What does Terry Boone's business have in common with other small heating and cooling shops? Like many small business owners, he has struggled with controlling - and understanding - the cost of doing business.
During the American Home Shield "Be the AHS Brand" National Contractor Conference, several breakout sessions were held for members of the HVAC, electrical, appliance, plumbing, and pool/spa trades. The HVAC panel members chose an industry update on refrigerants.
It was labeled the "AHS/Contractor Summit" and it turned into an interesting Q&A session between audience members and a panel of American Home Shield (AHS) executives. The event took place during the AHS National Contractor Conference in early October.