1. The Mechanical Town Hall
Moderated by John Mesenbrink, Editor-at-Large of CONTRACTOR magazine, the Mechanical Town Hall allows participants to hear updates and ask questions on the latest trends in: plumbing/piping, hydronic heating, radiant heating, solar heating, and geothermal.
Panelists for the Mechanical Town Hall include: Steve Miles — General Manager of Contracting Business’ 2006 Residential Contractor of the Year, Jerry Kelly Heating and Air Conditioning Company in St. Charles Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. Jerry Kelly Heating and Air Conditioning is a family owned and operated company, founded in 1977 by its namesake Jerry Kelly and his wife Janet. Currently employing 65 associates, they are a retail sales oriented repair-replacement business focusing exclusively on owner occupied residential properties.
Dave Yates — A well-known plumbing, heating and solar contractor, Yates is president of F.W. Behler in York, Pa., and he is a monthly columnist for CONTRACTOR magazine. His expertise includes solar, plumbing, heat load calculation data, boiler and water heater installation, energy efficiency and conservation, etc. He enjoys engaging the audience on what they need to be doing to enhance their business portfolio and bringing in more business.
Alana Ward — Alana is president of Baggett Heating & Cooling Residential Retrofit Contractor in Clarksville, Tenn. She is the 2012 Contracting Business HVAC Woman of the Year, and member of Women in HVAC.
Mark Eatherton — Mark is the technical director for the Radiant Professionals Alliance (RPA). As a former contractor, Mark shares his vast knowledge and industry experience in radiant heating & cooling technology and practices.
2. Executive Leadership Symposium
HVACR and plumbing contractors always want to hear what leading manufacturers have to say about industry trends and issues. For that reason, we bring to you our third annual Executive Leadership Symposium where executives from five leading OEM's will participate in a panel and address questions submitted by leading contractors from around the U.S.
Fred Silberstein takes a look at what a contractor can do to give themselves a general sense of their company’s value – and even more things to do to help a professional give a contractor an accurate understanding of the company’s fair market value might be. And a look into how growing through acquisitions may be an option for some contractors, and what that process is.
Whether you run a local two-person shop or you have several hundred employees serving customers across multiple states, every organization needs to have a strategic marketing plan. Matt Spaulding walk contractors through the steps to take to create the best strategic plan a contractor can have.
Mark Eatherton, the executive director of the Radiant Professionals Alliance, will tell contractors how they can create a happy marriage of hydronics and forced air systems.
6. How to Get Hundreds of Job Applicants
Steve Miles, the GM of Jerry Kelly Heating and Air Conditioning in St. Charles, Missouri, will explain the system he has used to get his firm hundreds of new job applicants. Steve Miles is VP & CEO of Contracting Business’ 2006 Residential Contractor of the Year, Jerry Kelly Heating and Air Conditioning.
7. Preventing Employee Theft and Fraud
Michael Bohinc, a CPA and well-known speaker on the topic of fraud, will give examples of how contractors have been ripped off for millions of dollars by their own employees and ways to prevent it from happening.
8. Secrets of Business Mastery
This presentation will highlight the mindset, skill set and action set that will get you the success and freedom you have always wanted. It works because Mike Agugliaro used it to propel his home service business Gold Medal Service into a $23 million a year company. Agugliaro will provide tangible takeaways that you can use to elevate your business, and overcome the revenue, administrative, and hiring barriers that are holding you back.
Depending on the Trap – the average fines run from $15,000 to over $40,000. This is your chance to hear from the Home Improvement Industry’s leading Employee Management Support and Services organization on the mindset of OSHA and the DOL. Melanie Gentry will talk to contractors about why this industry has been targeted, what traps have been set, and what it will cost you if you don’t take steps to protect your business.
Contractors prefer to hire for a good attitude and then train on technical topics. Kerry Webb, a business coach for the Service Roundtable, will tell contractors how to start a new hire from zero and get them trained and making money in a truck within a few weeks.