BROADVIEW, Illinois (May 2023) — Owners of HVAC companies excel in project planning and execution — but when it comes to building a succession plan, many struggle. To help address this important topic and ensure a successful transition of ownership in the future, The Unified Group hosted its first-ever Succession Planning Forum in late March. Participating members included current company owners along with their chosen or potential successors, and all were excited to dive in and learn more about the process.
“The highlight from the session is knowing that we are on the right path to a successful transition,” said Andy Carver of Adrian Mechanical Services.
The group of owners focused on accommodating the three sides of business: technical, administrative, and human relations.
The group of owners focused on accommodating the three sides of business: technical, administrative, and human relations. The group consisting of each company’s next generation focused on adapting to change, leadership, and fears. After lunch, the two groups reunited to speak on conforming to change, with large group discussions and interactive exercises.
“I really liked everybody’s openness of sharing processes during the discussions,” said Scot Hottel of Harvey W. Hottel. “It was very enlightening.”
The second day began with a full group recap, then again split into owners and next generation. The owners dug into each of their own succession plans, with a lesson in timeline, successors, backfill, business valuation, finances/funding, and more. The next generation of leaders focused on trust and integrity, and how the two are correlated to provide optimal success. After lunch the two groups came back together to dive further into the details of the succession process.
“This was a very informative session that allowed a caring group of people to work through very challenging topics,” said Kelly True of General Sheet Metal.
Upcoming sessions include Small/Special Projects, Construction, Safety Directors and more. If your company is interested in learning more about membership with The Unified Group, contact Janet Kelleher at [email protected].
About The Unified Group
Formed in 1998, The Unified Group is an organization of the leading independent HVAC commercial contractors in the industry. The association helps strengthen its member businesses through a variety of training and resources and is dedicated to raising the standards of excellence in the HVACR industry. For more information, visit www.theunifiedgroup.com.