MCAA National Update for March 9, 2015

This Week

MCAA Members Discover Maui Anew at MCAA 2015 Opening Events

Featured Speakers Will Inform, Inspire and Invigorate MCAA 2015 Attendees

MCAA 2015 Educational Sessions Take on Tough Business Issues to Keep Members' Current and Future Profits Growing

Exceptional, Informative Events Mark MCAA 2015

Hire an Intern at MCAA 2015 and Apply for an Internship Grant

What Does it Take to be TEAM Leader? Find Out with MSCA's Next Webinar

Time is Running Out to Submit Your 2014 Safety Data

Speer Mechanical Contributes to MCERF

MCAA Members Discover Maui Anew at MCAA 2015 Opening Events

Sunday evening's Opening Party gave attendees a taste of Hawaiian culture with delectable foods and delightful performances from the Islands' most gifted performers - Taimane Gardner, Ciana Pelakai and Josh Kahula and the band Nuff Sedd. This morning, MCAA President Chuck Fell opened the association's 126th annual convention to cheers of appreciation from 2200 attendees. His blockbuster video, Chucked Away, proved a great beginning to this always amazing event. He greeted MCAA members and guests, introduced MCAA leaders and then delivered a message about how our association is helping members respond to the challenges of a changing economy and evolving technology. He also highlighted MCAA's new initiative, MCAA Great Futures, and encouraged members to hire as interns the well-qualified and eager young people from MCAA's student chapters across the country. President Fell presented MCAA's highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award, to James J. Murphy, Jr. in recognition of his many contributions to MCAA over 40 years of service. President Fell then introduced the Honorable Leon Panetta, an American statesman who served in the Obama Administration as director of the Central Intelligence Agency and as Secretary of Defense. He inspired attendees with his perspectives and insights on unfolding world events and how they will affect our business and personal lives.

Featured Speakers Will Inform, Inspire and Invigorate MCAA 2015 Attendees

An array of talented and insightful featured speakers at MCAA 2015 will speak to MCAA members on topics that are designed to help them improve their professional and personal lives. Lynn Fell will welcome author John Green (The Fault in Our Stars) who Time Magazine named one of The 100 Most Influential People. Bruce Weinstein, the Ethics Guy, will share his Five Principles for making the right decisions every time. Bill Taylor, co-founder and editor of Fast Company, a leading business magazine, will help members rethink how they compete, work and get results. And, back to help members capture amazing images of Maui is photographer Charles Townsend who will share his tips and techniques about how to shoot great photos.

MCAA 2015 Educational Sessions Take on Tough Business Issues to Keep Members' Current and Future Profits Growing

Education sessions begin today and will feature business techniques and technologies that help members manage their operations more efficiently and profitably. Sessions feature: business marketing guru David Avrin, who will outline ways to help members better understand and promote their company's true competitive edge; FMI's Jake Appelman, who will offer some valuable tips on how to find, nurture and groom talent within a company for future leadership positions; technology futurist James Benham, who will explain how to harness the latest technologies - software and devices - to keep a company ahead of its competitors; and workforce transition expert Robert Wendover, who will offer his insights on how to most effectively transfer knowledge from the outgoing seasoned experts to the incoming digitally distracted young workers. And, a panel of experts on Acquiring Talent for Your Company, organized by MCAA's Career Development Committee, will provide tips about where to find and how to recruit the best and brightest future young professionals for entry-level positions. On Tuesday, Paul Doherty will explore emerging technology movements that will change how contractors control, manage and lead projects now and into the future; Aaron Hall will offer tips to help members understand, appreciate and work with mobile phone apps to become more productive in their business and personal life; and Robert Wendover will be back to offer his insights on how to make effective decisions in today's challenging business and social environment. Read on about upcoming valuable educational sessions and amazing social events.

Exceptional, Informative Events Mark MCAA 2015

On Tuesday morning, members will visit with 80 suppliers to our industry that are on display at the Annual Manufacturer/Supplier Exhibit. Members will see the newest and best products and services and discuss their features and applications with members of MCAA's Manufacturer/Supplier Council. Students from 26 MCAA student chapters will be eager to meet MCAA members and discuss their career plans for internships, coops or full-time positions - a first-step toward building their Great Future. Later in the day, the top four teams in this year's Student Chapter Competition will be on stage to present their exceptional proposals. The day winds down with the Annual Dessert Party, featuring the always popular make-your-own sundae bar and Hawaii's premier dance band, Espresso.

Hire an Intern at MCAA 2015 and Apply for an Internship Grant

Search for a great candidate to fill a student intern, coop or full-time position at MCAAGreatFutures.org

To celebrate The Year of the Intern, MCAA is making available Student Internship Grants to contractors who hire a student intern at MCAA 2015. After a student is hired for an intern position, MCAA members may apply immediately for a Student Internship Grant and they will be presented with a check right away. The Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation (MCERF) is sponsoring the grants, which are $1,500 for each student intern hired. Members may apply for the grant online at www.mcerf.org/internships or go to the MCAA Resource & Hospitality Center at the Grand Wailea (Ilima 3) if a computer and printer or a printed form is needed. As of March 6, $127,500 in grants had already been distributed to MCAA member firms! Search for a great candidate to fill a student intern, coop or full-time position at MCAAGreatFutures.org. So far, more than 200 students have posted their resumes, profiles and photos on the website as a first step in building their great future. Candidates with a green banner on their photos are attending the convention and waiting for your call. Please contact Ann Mattheis at amattheis@mcaa.org for more information.

What Does it Take to be TEAM Leader? Find Out with MSCA's Next Webinar

In the second webinar of MSCA's "The TEAM Thing" webinar series, popular presenter Steve Thomas will focus on the team leader and the four qualities that determine whether or not people will follow a leader. He will also introduce practices you can apply to ensure that you are the one that others trust to lead. The webinar takes place on April 1 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern time, and is free to all MCAA/MSCA members as a benefit. Visit https://msca.webex.com to register (or click here to register via mobile device). Tentative dates for the remaining webinars are June 3, September 2, November 4, and December 6. For more information, contact Barbara Dolim at bdolim@mcaa.org.

Time is Running Out to Submit Your 2014 Safety Data

Don't miss the deadline for submission of your company's safety information. The completed forms are due to MCAA by the close of business on Tuesday, March 31, 2015. You'll receive a safety benchmarking report which allows you to confidentially compare your company's incidence rates with the aggregates of others in your size category and with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' averages for the mechanical industry. If your company qualifies, we'll send you an MCAA Safety Certificate of Commendation in recognition of your company's commitment to safe work practices. To receive the certificate, your company must have achieved a Lost Workday Cases Incidence Rate of zero or one that is 25% or more below the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics industry average for mechanical construction in 2014. Please visit www.mcaa.org/safetycommendation and complete a short, simple form using your company's 2014 OSHA 300A form as a guide. The certificates will be delivered during April 2015.

Register for the NCPWB 2015 Technical Committee Meeting

If you are interested in learning and sharing information about welding, brazing and welder qualification as well as networking with friends, colleagues and new acquaintances, then plan to attend the NCPWB's 2015 Technical Committee Meeting. This year's annual meeting will take place at the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort in Tucson, AZ, April 19-21, 2015. Featured speakers will include Walter Sperko, NCPWB consultant, who will cover various issues with API 1104. Walt is also speaking at MCAA 2015 on the latest welding trends. To register online, please go to http://www.mcaa.org/education/ncpwb. For more information, please contact Nick Nikpourfard at mailto:nnikpourfard@mcaa.org.

Speer Mechanical Contributes to MCERF

The Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation (MCERF) recently received a $5,000 contribution from Speer Mechanical (Columbus, OH), raising its total to $136,500. The MCERF Board of Trustees greatly appreciates the contribution which enables the Foundation to continue its education and research programs that help our industry advance. Find out more about MCERF and its programs by visiting www.mcerf.org or contact Dennis Langley at dlangley@mcaa.org.

The MCAA National Update is is a weekly publication of the
Mechanical Contractors Association of America
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Questions? Contact Ann Mattheis, Editor, Phone: 301-869-5800; Fax: 301-990-9690