KANSAS CITY, MO — The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors-National Association, held their annual conference, PHCC CONNECT, over October 20th - 22nd in Kansas City, MO. For many, it was the first return to in-person events since the start of the pandemic.
A Who's Who of the plumbing and heating industry was in attendance. Sponsors of the event included Bradford White, Federated Insurance, InSinkErator, Kohler Co., Milwaukee Tool, Moen, Rheem, Adrian Steel, A. O. Smith, Delta Faucet, Air & Water Solutions, Scorpion, Ferguson, Nibco, Sioux Chief, CMG Local Solutions, Oatey, Schedule Engine, SharkBite, Viega LLC and Zoeller Co.
The main reason for the gathering was to conduct annual business, and business meetings included the National Auxiliary Board of Directors Meeting (the Auxiliary is celebrating it's 100th anniversary this year) and business meeting, the Past National Officers' Meeting, the AEC's Annual Business Meeting, the UAC Advisory Committee Meeting, and of course the PHCC Annual Business Meeting, which included voting and elections for new officers.
In the same hall as the showcase, and in full view of attendees, the annual National Plumbing and HVAC Apprentice contests were held. This year a total of sixteen plumbing and seven HVAC apprentices from across the nation took part. Click here for a full list of contestants and winners.
Networking events were part of the program and included the First Timers get-together (sponsored by Air & Water Solutions), the Opening Reception, held in the Showcase exhibit hall (and sponsored by Bradford White and InSinkErator), the Apprentice Contest Dinner, the Opening Breakfast, the QSC Service & Repair Contractors Reception (both sponsored by Bradford White), the Missouri Chapter
The event was also an opportunity to hand out awards. At the Friday Awards Luncheon (sponsored by InSinkErator), Paul Ongaro of Ongaro & Sons in California and James Lindsey of Lindsey Brothers, Inc., in Virginia were named Plumbing Contractors of the Year. For more than 20 years, Ongaro has served in various leadership positions within the PHCC chapter, including four terms as president. Lindsey has made a reputation throughout his service area of Hampton Roads as one of the most helpful, generous tradesmen in the industry. Anthony Bertolino was named Plumbing Instructor of the Year.
William Mock of Mock Plumbing & Mechanical, Inc. was honored as the HVAC Contractor of the Year, and Jim Fusco was named the HVAC Instructor of the Year.
The PHCC presented its highest honor, the Col. George D. Scott Award, to Bill Jones for his decades of service and leadership. Inspired by PHCC’s inaugural president, Col. George D. Scott, the award acknowledges a PHCC member who has provided years of service and unselfish devotion to the association and to the industry.
(To learn more about the various award winners and their personal stories, visit www.phccweb.org.)
Also in the offering were numerous opportunities both for education and inspiration. Best-selling author Jon Gordon delivered the keynote speech a the opening breakfast, "Positive Leaders Drive Positive Results." Following the annual business meeting, Connor Lokar, Senior Forecaster at ITR Economics, gave the Friday keynote, "Moving Forward," which included an economic forecast of the coming year.
Other educational sessions ran the gamut from working with the latest refrigerants to valuing your business prior to a sale. Two of note included a session on post pandemic political policy presented by Mark Valentini, Director, Legislative Affairs, and Chuck White, VP, Regulatory Affairs, PHCC; and "Industry Perspectives: Confronting Change and Uncertainly When Things Go Sideways," a panel discussion that included Elisabeth Sutton, Director of Marketing, Kohler Co., Bruce Carnevale, President and CEO of Bradford White, Randy Roberts, VP Sales and Marketing for Rheem, and Scott Teson, VP Skilled Trades for Milwaukee Tool, and moderated by CONTRACTOR Magazine's own Editor-at-Large, John Mesenbrink.