The United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry of the United States and Canada became the first International Union to announce its endorsement of U.S. Senator Barack Obama for President of the United States. “Barack Obama is the UA's choice because he has always fought for working people throughout his career and will do the best job of bringing badly-needed change to Washington,” said UA International President William P. Hite.
The U.S. Green Building Council has co-sponsored a nationwide Webcast on climate change, called Face It, hosted by Architecture 2030, a research organization that focuses on the role of buildings in global climate change. The Webcast will unveil two new student competitions worth a total of $20,000 in prize money. The Face It Webcast was broadcast live at www.architecture2030.org on Jan. 30, but the video is available for download on the site.
The Associated General Contractors of America has said that the agreement between the U.S. House of Representatives and the President on an economic stimulus package is a good first step and a sign that a stimulus package can be enacted quickly. “A strong construction industry requires strong economic growth,” said AGC CEO Stephen E. Sandherr.
The International Association of Fire Chiefs is bringing the strength of its diverse network of chief fire officers to the nonprofit Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition. IAFC, which represents fire service leaders from around the world, has joined HFSC's Board, which oversees the Coalition's strategic planning and program development.
Linc Network LLC has added a new franchise location in New York — it's fifth in the state overall, and first in nearly four years. Farmingdale-based Master Mechanical Corp. — a mechanical contractor specializing in HVACR services for customers in Long Island and the five boroughs — signed a franchise agreement at the end of December '07. After a start-up meeting earlier this month, the company began selling Linc Service to its commercial clients.
Grainger, a leading supplier of facility maintenance products based in Lake Forest, Ill., has contributed $15,000 to Northern Illinois University to assist in the creation of professional development opportunities for facility managers across the region. The program, to be known as the Certified Facility Manager Exam Review and Seminar Series, is being created through a partnership between NIU Outreach and the Chicago Chapter of International Facility Management Association.