MCAA National Update for April 6, 2015

This Week

Want to Share Your MCAA 2015 Convention Memories?

Build Projects Better with a Company-Wide Database! Find Out How at MCAA's Construction Technology Conference

"I can see that the Great Futures site for summer interns is going to be a huge hit!!!..."

Door is Closing on ALI Course 15 and ALI-G

Accelerate Performance of Entry-Level Employees with MSCA Sales Basecamp

MCAA Legislative Agenda Picks Up as MCAA/Quality Construction Legislative Conference Begins

Learn How to Build an Effective TEAM with MSCA's Next Webinar

Frank Schaetzke Contributes to MCERF

Share Your Convention Memories with MCAA's New Photo Site!

Want to Share Your MCAA 2015 Convention Memories?

MCAA's new photo site lets you do just that (at no cost) via the most popular social media sites, including Facebook and Twitter. If you'd like to download copies of the photos, you can also do that (at no cost) - simply find the photo you want, and click the download icon (an arrow pointing to a bar). We've also included all the Sunday evening souvenir photos! If you need assistance navigating the site, please contact Adrienne Breedlove at abreedlove@mcaa.org.

Build Projects Better with a Company-Wide Database! Find Out How at MCAA's Construction Technology Conference

The MCAA Technology Conference Will Help You Thrive in a High-Tech World

Shared, company-wide databases can bring significant benefits to your business, but chances are your company has not been able to implement such a system. During MCAA's Construction Technology Conference (June 8-9, Chicago, IL), Rick Dustin of McKenney's (Atlanta, GA) will explain how his company uses a central BIM database to develop estimates, design systems and fabricate materials, which provides a competitive edge with greater consistency, more efficient workflow and increased productivity. You will hear about McKenney's experience in developing and installing the system, the successes gained and enjoyed and the challenges encountered along the way. Find out more about this valuable, informative conference at www.mcaa.org/education/mcaa/technology and then register. Hurry because space

is limited.

"I can see that the Great Futures site for summer interns is going to be a huge hit!!! I already hired an intern off of the website. I had better luck with that than I did by contacting the university directly. Great idea."

If You're Looking for an Intern, Visit www.mcaagreatfutures.org!

That's a quote from Curt Mirwaldt of Project Design & Piping, Inc. (Fort Wayne, IN) who tried MCAAGreatFutures.org to find internship candidates and succeeded. If you're still looking for a bright, energetic, eager-to-learn college student with an interest in our industry to fill an internship position in your company, go to www.MCAAGreatFutures.org. The 200+ candidates listed are among the best to be coming through the top U.S. schools of construction management, engineering and architecture. Their interests, contact information and resumes are posted along with their photos. Stop by for a visit. And, when you find and hire the right candidate, then apply for a Student Internship Grant. The $1,500 grants are funded by the Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation at www.mcerf.org and are available to MCAA members to help defray the cost of hiring an intern. There's no deadline for submitting the grant request and you may apply for as many grants as you have interns. Questions? Please contact Ann Mattheis at amattheis@mcaa.org.

Door is Closing on ALI Course 15 and ALI-G

Learn to Lead at the ALI and Enhance those Skills at the New ALI-G

Make your move now if you plan to apply to either Course 15 of MCAA's Advanced Leadership Institute (ALI) or the ALI-Graduates program. Both programs are almost filled. The ALI-Graduates program is new and created in response to ALI graduates' calls for an advanced version of the original. The committee developed the ALI-G curriculum in consultation with the academic leaders of Babson Executive Education, and the faculty members were hand-picked for the program. Attendance will be strictly limited to 30 ALI alumni. Attendees are accepted on a first-come/first-served basis. ALI-G takes place June 17-20 at the Babson Executive Education Center in Wellesley, MA. Please contact Dennis Langley at dlangley@mcaa.org for a flier, curriculum schedule and registration form. And, if you are planning to apply to the ALI, don't delay. Course 15 will take place September 27 - October 1 and November 8 - 13 at the Babson College Executive Education Center. To obtain an application for Course 15, contact Dennis Langley at the link noted above.

Accelerate Performance of Entry-Level Employees with MSCA Sales Basecamp

Advance Entry-Level Employees' Skills at Sales Basecamp

Offered for the last time this year, MSCA Sales Basecamp will set up your entry-level service employees for success by preparing those new to service sales and/or the HVACR and plumbing industry to confidently sell services while creating added value for the customer. This two-day course will be held May 4-5 in Baltimore, MD, with topics to include understanding the MSCA Sales Cycle, building trust with potential customers, effectively linking features with needs, and handling objections professionally during the proposal presentation. Register today at www.msca.org/salesinstitute/basecamp. Contact Barbara Dolim (bdolim@mcaa.org) with any questions about the program.

MCAA Legislative Agenda Picks Up as MCAA/Quality Construction Legislative Conference Begins

Register for the National Issues Conference

The next phase of multiemployer pension reform will begin to move forward in conjunction with the MCAA/Quality Construction Legislative Conference. A hearing has been scheduled for late April in the House Education and Workforce Pension Subcommittee on the Phase Two alternate plan designs. The conference will begin at 8:00 a.m. on April 28 with a panel discussion moderated by former Senator Norm Coleman from the Washington, DC law/lobbying firm of Hogan Lovells. Several lawmakers will discuss the alternate plan designs that MCAA and the National Coordinating Committee for Multiemployer Plans (NCCMP) coalition are pushing Congress to enact this year. Also planned are panel discussions focusing on tax incentives for energy-efficient commercial buildings and industrial facilities; direct federal construction procurement reforms and workforce standards issues. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) will address those issues as will Department of Labor Wage and Hour Administrator Dr. David Weil. Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ) will address participants on April 29, followed by the North American Building Trade Union Secretary/Treasurer Brent Booker. On both days, MCAA/QCA staff is arranging lobbying visits for participants with their Senators and Representatives. MCAA and Hogan Lovells also are arranging PAC fundraisers for lawmakers on key committees to be held in conjunction with the conference. Conference registration remains open, but hotel rooms are only available outside the group's room block rate. For more information, go to www.mcaa.org/education/mcaa/legislative or contact John McNerney at jmcnerney@mcaa.org.

Learn How to Build an Effective TEAM with MSCA's Next Webinar

Register for the Next MSCA The TEAM Thing Webinar

In the follow-up to last week's webinar focused on the team leader, Steve Thomas will present The Effective TEAM Player that will teach you how to bridge the gap between being an effective leader and having an effective team. There are four kinds of team players that come to work every day, so you must be aware of who is in your group that may help or hinder performance. However, it always starts with the leader, so join Steve Thomas on June 3 at 1:00 p.m. EDT to learn how to accurately identify and align your employees in a way that strengthens the team and, ultimately, their performance. Registration is now open at https://msca.webex.com (or click here to register via mobile device). Tentative dates for the remaining webinars in the six-part series are September 2, November 4, and December 6. For more information, contact Barbara Dolim (bdolim@mcaa.org). The first two webinars in the series, Rethink the TEAM Thing and The TEAM Leader, are available for viewing at www.msca.org along with PowerPoint slides and a handout.

Frank Schaetzke Contributes to MCERF

The Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation (MCERF) has received a $500 contribution from Frank Schaetzke of Zurn Industries, LLC, raising his total to $1,500. The Foundation's Board of Trustees is very grateful for Frank's donation which will help fund ongoing education and research activities. Find out more about MCERF and how you can help by visiting www.mcerf.org or contacting Dennis Langley at dlangley@mcaa.org.

The MCAA National Update is is a weekly publication of the
Mechanical Contractors Association of America
1385 Piccard Drive, Rockville, MD 20850.
Questions? Contact Ann Mattheis, Editor, Phone: 301-869-5800; Fax: 301-990-9690