ROCKVILLE, MD. — At the Mechanical Contractors Association of America’s Convention held March 6-10, in Wailea, Maui, Hawaii, awards were presented to Student Chapters that competed in the MCAA’s Student Chapter Competition and to MCAA’s Student Chapter of the Year, along with the Distinguished Service Award and the E. Robert Kent Award for Management Innovation. Mark Rogers and William J. “Mac” Lynch were also elected president and vice president of the MCAA during the convention.
During the Annual Awards of Excellence Breakfast, the MCAA Student Chapter at the Milwaukee School of Engineering received top honors for its efforts in the MCAA’s 2010-2011 Student Chapter Competition. MCAA President Bob Armistead and Career Development Committee Chairman Brett Christiansen presented the award and a check for $5,000 to the team.
The scores for the remaining finalists were so close that the Career Development Committee declared a three-way tie between The University of Washington Mechanical Contractors Student Chapter, the Rocky Mountain Chapter of MCAA at Colorado State University, and the Pittsburg State University MCA Student Chapter. Each student chapter received $2,500.
Armistead also recognized six teams that just missed the finals, saying that they received official Certificates of Merit. These teams are from Northeastern University; the University of Nebraska – Lincoln; Purdue University; Illinois State University; Pennsylvania State University; and the University of Wisconsin – Stout.
The 2010-2011 Student Chapter Competition was MCAA’s 10th such annual competition, and during the competition, a record 29 teams submitted proposals for this year’s project: the centerpiece of a 15,000-sq.ft., two-story, green building project in northern California that is to be the headquarters for an investment group. Half way through the proposal response period, an addendum was announced that changed the project from a plan and spec to a design-build RFP. Then, the engineer on the project declared bankruptcy, but the owner still wanted the project to continue.
While presenting the awards to the teams, Armistead thanked Career Development Committee member John Powell of Marelich Mechanical for making the project available for the competition and for making possible a website where chapter team members could access project drawings, forms and other competition information.
Also during the awards breakfast, the Greater Michigan MSCA Student Chapter at Ferris State University was named the MCAA’s 2010 Student Chapter of the Year, recognizing its efforts to promote the industry and the career opportunities within it.
The chapter’s advisor, Mike Feutz, was named MCAA’s 2010 Educator of the Year for his mentoring ability, industry knowledge and involvement, and active participation in MCAA’s Student Chapter program activities.
When presenting the Student Chapter of the Year award, Armistead remarked on MCAA’s unwavering commitment to the students that are the industry’s future — despite the economy.
“We are honored to support their drive and their talents,” said Armistead.
President, VP elected
Also during the convention, Mark Rogers became President of the MCAA. Rogers is the chief operating officer of West Chester Mechanical Contractors Inc., an HVAC, service and plumbing contracting company, started in 1996, which serves the Philadelphia area.
Appointed to MCAA’s Board of Directors in 2003, Rogers is active in the association on both the national and local levels. At the national level, he serves on the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors. He is chairman emeritus of the Education Committee and has served on a number of task forces that have developed MCAA education programs. He represents the Education Committee to the MCAA Manufacturer/Supplier Council Governing Board, comprised of leaders from MCAA’s supplier partner member companies. And, he is a graduate of MCAA’s Advanced Leadership Institute.
At the local level, Rogers served as president of the MCA of Eastern Pennsylvania. He is also a trustee and serves on several committees. Rogers is married, has three sons, is an avid sports fan, and enjoys attending his sons’ ice hockey, lacrosse and baseball games.
Also, William J. “Mac” Lynch was elected President-Elect of the MCAA during the convention. Lynch is the president of the William F. Lynch Co. Inc., an HVAC, service, plumbing and pipe welding contractor, serving the Worcester, Mass., area.
Appointed to the Board of Directors in 2003, Lynch is active in the association on both the national and local levels. At the national level, he serves on the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors. He is a past chairman of the Advanced Leadership Institute Committee and a past member of the Safety & Health Committee. He is a graduate of MCAA’s Advanced Leadership Institute.
At the local level, Lynch served as president of the New England Mechanical Contractors Association and the New England Mechanical Service Contractors Association. Lynch is married, has two sons, and enjoys kayaking and other outdoor activities.
Service, Innovation awards
During the Opening General Session, Robert “Bob” Turner, president and CEO of Tucker Mech., Meriden, Conn., received the MCAA’s Distinguished Service Award, which recognizes an individual for his or her contributions to the progress, development and expansion of the industry, as well as for outstanding achievement and distinguished service to the MCAA.
"As an enduring testimony to his commitment to the mechanical contracting industry and his association at the local and national levels, the Mechanical Contractors Association of America presents its Distinguished Service Award for 2010 to Robert Turner,” said Armistead as he presented the award to Turner.
Armistead added that Turner has twice led the MCA of Connecticut as its president; he is a 25 year member of its Board of Directors; and he has shared his expertise as a Pension and Health and Welfare Fund trustee, as chair of its Labor Committee, Education and Membership committees, and as chair of its Industry Fund.
At the national level, Turner has been a valued member of the Board of Directors for six years, according to Armistead, and he played a major role in the growth of MCAA’s world class Advanced Leadership Institute as chair of the association’s ALI Committee, and MCAA has benefitted from his business acumen during his tenure as chair of MCAA’s Audit Committee.
At the awards breakfast, H.T. Lyons Inc., a mechanical contractor located in Eastern Pennsylvania, received the E. Robert Kent Award for Management Innovation for its Serviceeye web application. This award honors an MCAA member firm whose innovation improves productivity, increases cost-effectiveness, or otherwise improves the mechanical industry.
The Serviceeye application was developed by H.T. Lyons Inc. staff to assist the company in maintaining strong relationships with repeat customers by providing outstanding service. Input was provided by the company’s service mechanics, project managers and dispatchers. The application allows service technicians to use wireless workbooks to access O&M data, service reports, and detailed service history on equipment. Technicians use Serviceeye to create electronic service reports, which are automatically e-mailed to customers and supervisors. The same information automatically feeds into the company’s payroll and billing systems.
Serviceeye has improved the O&M handoff from construction to service, and can provide a cost-effective remote monitoring solution as well. The application has saved H.T. Lyons tens of thousands of dollars in paperwork time and service labor while adding to customer satisfaction.
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