MCAA National Update for April 13, 2015

This Week

Want to Know How 3D Laser Scanning Can Ease a Building Retrofit?

Help a Student Choose the Right Career Path

Peer Group Membership

Hone Your Leadership Skills at ALI

Develop Entry-Level Sales Employees with MSCA Sales Basecamp

Northern California MCA Contributes to MCERF

Create an Effective TEAM with MSCA's Next Webinar

Want to Know How 3D Laser Scanning Can Ease a Building Retrofit? Find Out at MCAA's Construction Technology Conference

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

A project requiring the installation of new equipment into an existing building with existing machinery can prove challenging, but 3D laser scanning can generate a virtual representation of the facility and its components so that you can design systems that integrate with them. During MCAA's Construction Technology Conference (June 8-9, Chicago, IL), Adam Cartwright of H.T. Lyons, Inc. (Allentown, PA) will explain how his company has been using 3D laser scanning to take the guesswork and hassles out of complex renovations and move ahead of the competition. Find out more about this exciting, valuable conference at www.mcaa.org/education/mcaa/technology and then register. Attendance is limited, so don't delay.

Help a Student Choose the Right Career Path...Hire an Intern

College students often don't make firm career decisions until their third or fourth year of school. You can influence their choices by hiring them as interns during their early college years. Giving a bright, energetic, eager-to-learn college student the opportunity to discover our industry through a positive, rewarding experience with your company will prove to be a win-win for you, your company, the student and our industry. If you're looking for a well-qualified student to hire as an intern, 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 at www.mcerf.org/internships. 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 cover 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.

Peer Group Membership

Scott Vander Hyde, Vice President of Operations for Rite-Way Plumbing & Heating, Inc. (Grand Rapids, MI) is interested in learning more about and joining a peer group. Scott can be reached at (616) 791-0959 or at scott@ritewayinc.com.

Hone Your Leadership Skills at ALI

For most of us, leadership is a learned skill. And, the best way to learn business leadership is through total immersion in the strategic and "human" side of running your business...by forging lifelong relationships with peers who are equally committed to leading an organization, rather than merely managing events. Those who make the important commitment to attend MCAA's Advanced Leadership Institute (ALI) will develop the crucial skills and resources they need to successfully lead their firms, regardless of external economic conditions or internal human dynamics. ALI graduates continue to learn and expand their knowledge and skills through the contacts they make during the ALI experience and become part of an elite group that leads our industry to a more prosperous future. Learn more about ALI at http://www.mcaa.org/ali/ and then apply. A limited number of spaces remain, so act quickly. Please contact Dennis Langley at dlangley@mcaa.org with questions.

Develop Entry-Level Sales Employees with MSCA Sales Basecamp

Develop Entry-Level Employees with MSCA Sales Basecamp

Set up your entry-level service sales staff for success with training that will allow them to "hit the ground running." Offered for the last time this year, MSCA Sales Basecamp will prepare recent hires who are 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.

Northern California MCA Contributes to MCERF

The Mechanical Contracting Education & Research Foundation (MCERF) has received a $10,000 contribution from the Northern California MCA, raising its total contribution to $346,000. The MCERF Board of Trustees greatly appreciates the financial support which helps ensure the continuation of the Foundation's education and research programs. With efforts this year aimed at encouraging MCAA members to hire student interns, which positively influence students' career choices, your support is more important than ever. Find out how you can help by visiting www.mcerf.org or contact Dennis Langley at dlangley@mcaa.org.

Create an Effective TEAM with MSCA's Next Webinar

In his upcoming webinar, Steve Thomas will present The Effective TEAM Player to teach you how to bridge the gap between being an effective leader and having an effective team. There are four kinds of people that come to work every day, so you must be able to identify who helps or hinders performance. Join Steve Thomas on June 3 at 1:00 p.m. EDT to learn how to align your employees in a way that strengthens the team and, ultimately, your bottom line. 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.

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