| Take 5 Vol. XXIII, No. 6 | September 2010
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LOCAL UNION 72 AND THE MCA OF GEORGIA JATT PROGRAM APPRENTICES PUT GEORGIA ON THE MAP
AT NATIONAL UA COMPETITION | | Local Union 72 and the MCA of Georgia apprenticship program were well represented in the recent National United Association (UA) of plumbers, fitters, welders and HVC service techs competition held in Ann Arbor, Mich.
The two competitors -- Mike Park (Player & Company) and Joel Vigneoux (The Padgett Group) -- earned the right to compete in the nationals. Park competed in the pipefitter category, while Vigneoux competed in HVAC. Nationwide, approximately 40,000 apprentices representing more than 330 locals competed for a spot in the national UA competitions. In fact, LU72 and the MCA of Georgia apprenticeship program were the only local programs in the entire nation to field two national finalists.
Above: Bill Hite, General President of the United Association (left) and Mike Park, national winner in the pipefitting competition. Below, from left: Bill Hite and Joel Vigneoux, national competitor in the HVAC category.
The national competition included five days of competition. Participants were evaluated on all aspects of their respective crafts, and the evaluation included not only practical examinations but also written tests and blueprint interpretation.
How did the competition pan out? In the national competition, awards are presented only for first place -- and Park went home with the first place national honors in the pipefitting category.
A large delegation from the LU 72 plumbers and pipefitters of Atlanta and Georgia attended the nationals. Among those attending were George Head, Jeff Housworth, Steve Newsome, Lance Streetman, Shane Strickland, Cajun Seeger, Lavon Bates, Phillip Barton, Paul Shuffler, Jason Yarbrough, Daniel Alligood, Jerry Stephens, Tony Hoyle, Boyd Delk, Greg Webster, Mike Cockerham, Herman Streetman, and Theophilus Tyson.
In earlier competitions at the local level, LU 72 and MCAG apprenticeship program winners were Eric Dugan (welding), Mike Park (pipefitting), Taylor Allen, P.I.E., Inc. (plumbing) and Joel Vigneoux (HVAC). Park, Vigneoux, and Allen won their state competition and went on to compete at the district level. District winners included Mike Park (pipefitting) and Joel Vigneoux (HVAC) who of course went on to the national UA competition.
"The United Association has been training qualified pipe tradesmen longer than anyone else in the industry," said General President Bill Hite of the United Association. "The UA boasts the premier training programs available in the industry today, including five-year apprenticeship programs, extensive journeyman training, organized instructor training, and certification programs."
Above, from left: Jeff Housworth, LU 72 pipefitter agent; Mike Park, national winner in pipe fitting; George Head, LU 72 business manager; Joel Vigneoux, national competitor in HVAC; and Lance Streetman, JATT director.
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JOEL VIGNEOUX EARNS SPECIAL AWARDS AT NATIONALS
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Joel Vigneoux, one of the two LU 72 and MCA of Georgia apprentices competing in the UA nationals, was the recipient of a special award recognizing the best copper project of all contestants.
The award, sponsored by the vendors and judged and presented by Copper Development, includes not only a special trophy but also a $1,000 prize.
But that's not all that Vigneoux won. Each year at the Instructor Training Program the UA holds a 5K run/walk to raise money for the UA scholarship fund. This year there were 24 participants in the 5K event, including nine LU 72 members. Vigneoux was one of the LU 72 members participating, and he finished the 3.2 miles in less than 17 minutes to win the event.
Other LU 72 members participating in the event were Lavon Bates, Phillip Barton, Daniel Alligood, Jason Yarbrough, Shane Strickland, Paul Shuffler, Jerry Stephens, and Theophilus Tyson.
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MCAG PRESENTS SPECIAL AWARDS RECOGNIZING CRAFT EXCELLENCE
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MCAG recognized a number of apprenticeship competitors with special awards.
Mike Parks, who won the UA National pipe fitting competition, received a special MCAG award of $3,000.
Joel Vigneoux, who competed in the UA National HVAC competition, was recognized with a special MCAG award of $1,000.
Taylor Allen, who competed in the UA District plumbing competition, was recognized with a special award of $500.
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GEORGIA LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR CASEY CAGLE ADDRESSES AUGUST MCAG MEETING | |
Georgia Lieutenant Governor Casey Cagle was the special guest speaker at the August meeting of MCAG.
 The meeting, held at the Georgian Club in Atlanta, drew a capacity crowd to hear the lieutenant governor.
Casey Cagle was born in Hall County. After purchasing his first small business at the age of 20, he went on to become a key figure in the banking and real estate industries of northeastern Georgia. He was first elected to the state Senate in 1994, where he served for 12 years representing the 49th District. He has served as chairman of the Finance Committee and on several other key committees, including the Appropriations, Banking and Financial Institutions, Higher Education and Natural Resources Committees.
In November 2006 he became the state's 11th lieutenant governor and the first Republican ever to be elected to the state's second highest office.
Cagle spoke on his view of the future of Georgia and on what he sees as the keys to the state's success, as well as on how the construction industry will be a part of the state's future. He also entertained questions from the audience, sharing further insights into what he sees in the future for the citizens of Georgia.
Above from left: Gary Fowler, MCAG; Georgia Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle; and Bill Flynn, Mallory & Evans Service Co. and MCAG president. Below: Steve Lisenby, left, Art Plumbing Company, and John McKenney of McKenney's Inc. also addressed the meeting. Bottom: A capacity crowd was on hand to hear the Lieutenant Governor speak.
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UA SITE SPECIFIC WELDER TRAINING AND EVALUATION PROGRAM PAYS OFF FOR ATLANTA CONTRACTOR
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In February, Cajun Seeger, welding director for LU 72, was asked to do a presentation at the NCPWB Georgia/Florida chapter meeting on the new UA Site Specific Welder Evaluation & Training Program.
Among those attending was Marty Mann, owner of Mann Mechanical Company and treasurer of Georgia/Florida Chapter 23. Soon thereafter Mann called Seeger into a pre-job meeting regarding a steam project at the University of Georgia campus. The fast-paced project was on a tight schedule, would require road closings, and was to be installed per ASME Power Piping code B31.1.
Aware of the 100 percent RT inspection criteria, Mann Mechanical asked, "How can we utilize the UA Site Specific Program to avoid unnecessary welding issues on this project?"
The answer was simple: download the evaluation form off the UA Welder intranet, establish the specific task of evaluation, administer and record.
In a right to work state, Union contractors need all the edge they can get to compete. This evaluation produced a crew of highly skilled UA certified welders who are "batting 100 percent and taking names," Seeger says. The first job site weld report in May showed Mann Mechanical shooting 100 percent on the first nine welds. However a non-union competitor on campus, on a similar project, had to swallow eight rejections out of their first ten welds that same week.
Jobsite Superintendent and LU 72 Brother Member Roger Camp reported on June 25 that the company had shot twelve for twelve again.
"Implementing the Welder Evaluation Program is a big part of why they are still on schedule," Camp said.
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MECHANICAL INDUSTRIES COUNCIL HOSTS GALA CASINO NIGHT DINNER AND CASINO PARTY
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A packed house of close to 200 gathered at Maggiano's Little Italy recently for the annual Mechanical Industries Council Reception, Dinner, Casino Party and Karaoke party.
 Following a reception and a three-course family style dinner, guests enjoyed an evening of casino games plus karaoke from several of those present.
 Casino winnings came
in the form of casino money, which was then used to purchase raffle tickets for prizes at the end of the evening. Guests went home with a variety of prizes.
 
Above and below: Guests at the Mechanical Industries Council Casino Night enjoy the festivities.
  
  During the evening, a number of guests picked up the microphone and entertained the crowd with their karaoke skills. There are clearly a number of remarkably talented people in MCAG!
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JOHN GILMAN, VICE PRESIDENT FOR BUSINESS RECRUITMENT FOR THE METRO ATLANTA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, TO BE FEATURED SPEAKER AT NOVEMBER MCAG MEETING
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John Gilman, vice president for business recruitment for the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, will be MCAG's program speaker at the November quarterly meeting.
John will speak on the economic development work of the Atlanta Chamber for the greater Atlanta area. He will also talk about the current state of the local economy and about what appears to lie ahead.
The meeting will be held Nov. 16, 2010, at the Georgian Club. It will begin at 11:30 a.m.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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MCAA Student Chapter Summit - Chicago, Illinois - October 7-9, 2010
MSCA Annual Conference - Scottsdale, Arizona - October 17-20, 2010
MCAG and MIC Boards and Committee Chairmen Meeting - Capital Grill - November 2, 2010 - 11:30 a.m.
MCAG Membership Meeting - Georgian Club - November 16, 2010 - 11:30 a.m. - John Gilman, Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, special guest speaker
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MEMBERSHIP LISTING |
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Mechanical Contractors Association of Georgia Inc.
Mechanical Industries Council
Georgia/Florida National Certified Pipe Welding Bureau
# A Accurate Plumbing Company
ARS Mechanical, LLC
# + Action Elec. & Mech. Contractors
Air Duct & Mech. Component Cleaning
AirCond Corporation
Amason Mechanical Services, Inc.
American HVAC
# Art Plumbing Company Augusta Chiller Services # + B & W Mechanical Contractors
Blue Chip Air, Inc.
Boling Heating & Cooling, Inc.
Brantley Services
Building Environ. Systems Services + C & M Piping Solutions Certified Air Conditioning Company
Clark Plumbing Company
# + Cleveland Mechanical Services
Crescent Mechanical Systems, Inc.
# DNS Consolidated
The Dickerson Group, Inc.
Dixie Electrical & Mechanical
Contractors of Macon, Inc.
# + Emcon Services
Enerfab, Inc.
Engineered Technical Services, Inc.
Evans Grading Company
Excelco Industrial Services, Inc.
+ F & S Mechanical and Plumbing Service
# 1st Mechanical Services
# Fletcher Mechanical, Inc.
# Alan Foster Plumbing, Inc.
# Frazier Service Company, Inc. # Galgon HVAC & Mechanical Service Georgia Central Maintenance Services
# Greenco of Augusta, Inc.
HVAC Control Services, Inc.
HVAC Service, Inc.
# + Paul W. Heard & Company
# Honeywell, Incorporated
# + Inglett & Stubbs, Inc.
# Johnson Controls, Inc.
# + K & B Mechanical Contractors L & C Mechanical
# Linc Mechanical Services
Lord Plumbing, Inc.
# + MCI Enterprises, Inc.
MLS Concrete Drilling & Sawing
# + Mallory & Evans, Inc. # Mallory & Evans Service Company
# + Mann Mechanical Company
Jake Marshall Company # + Maxair, Inc.
McAbee Construction
# + McKenney's, Inc.
Mechanical & Plumbing Solutions, Inc.
# + Mechanical Associates, Inc.
Mechanical Services, Inc.
Merritt & Sons Plumbing, Inc.
Morrison Heating & Air Conditioning
# + Muns Welding & Mechanical, Inc.
PAR Mechanical & Plumbing
P.I.E., Inc.
# Padgett Group
Panola Enterprises, Inc.
# + Patton Mechanical Payne Williams, Inc.
# + Peachtree Mechanical, Inc.
# + Player and Company
Popham Mechanical Contractors
Prestige Mechanical Contractors
R & R Refrigeration
REI - Ragan Enterprises, Inc.
Ragan Mechanical Contractors, Inc.
Rome Mechanical
SPX Cooling Technologies Shriver Mechanical
Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
Dale Sims Heating & A/C Service Southern Controls Installations
# + Specialty Mechanical Services, Inc.
# Stallworth Mechanical Contractors Standridge Plumbing Company
Steel City
System Controls & Services
# Tenant Mechanical, Inc.
# + J. S. Thomas Companies
Trans Logic Corporation
Viking Industrial, Inc.
# + W. B. Wallis & Company
Welding Services, Inc. Welding Technologies, Inc. WeldTech Services Corporation
West Georgia Mechanical Contractors
A. L. Williams Heating & Plumbing
# + Willis Mechanical, Inc.
# Also Members of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Georgia, Inc.
+ Also Members of the National Certified Pipe Welding Bureau
Gary P. Fowler 4500 Hugh Howell Road Suite 250 Tucker, Georgia 30084 770.934.1427 (FAX 770.934.1429) www.mcageorgia.org
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