As we prepare for 2010, it’s time to quit fretting about the times we have had the last couple of years. It’s time we took our destiny into our own hands. Let the negative talk and pessimism be for others; let’s be positive and optimistic when we talk to our employees, our customers, and everyone we encounter.

When I found out that nobody from The NEWS was attending the SMACNA Convention in October, I suggested to Mike Murphy that perhaps he would like to have me file a report. I should have known when he answered “Yes” so quickly that maybe it wasn’t going to be as easy as I might have thought.

The older I get, and according to relatives the more difficult to buy things for, the more often I receive gift cards. The whole issue of gift cards made me think how they might apply to our business. I have been trying to figure out a way that we could integrate the sale of gift cards into the culture of the HVAC business.

Whether you are a union contractor dealing with union leadership or a non-union company that deals directly with its employees, a true labor–management partnership will be the best way to move your business forward in the future.

We are only hurting ourselves if we sit back and complain that business is bad for any number of reasons. Sure it has been cool and sure the economy is an issue, but look around and you will find contractors who are surviving quite well and, in many cases, even prospering in these times.

One of the advantages of being in the business for a number of years is learning from your mistakes. Hopefully, this self-evaluation of a contractor will help encourage others of you to not make the same mistake repeatedly as I seem to have done.

One of the advantages of being in the business for a number of years is learning from your mistakes. Hopefully, this self-evaluation of a contractor will help encourage others of you to not make the same mistake repeatedly as I seem to have done.

Those air conditioners in your warehouse are about to become pumpkins. Well, maybe not pumpkins, but about as worthwhile. Not long after Halloween this year, those R-22 air conditioners will no longer be made. I certainly hope you have taken steps in your company to prepare for the conversion to R-410A.

If you read this column frequently, you know that I seem to attract bad service. I’ve written several times about some of the terrible service, which seems to permeate our society today. Well, I am happy to be able to write today about two instances of excellent service I recently received.

We’ve all had our opportunity to cry through the winter about how bad everything is in the economy and the effects on our businesses. Now spring is here and it’s time to quit crying and get out there and turn our businesses successful again. I know it’s not going to be easy, but we have an awful lot going for us - despite all of the negatives.