The STARs Shine at MSCA Conference
Mechanical service contractors, local Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA) affiliated association executives, students, and representatives from the United Association (UA) gathered together to learn and visit with friends during the Mechanical Service Contractors Association's (MSCA's) 19th Annual Educational Conference. This year's conference was held Oct. 17-20 at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort in Santa Ana Pueblo, NM.
MSCA Chairman Frank Norton offered the 425 attendees at the opening session, highlights of strategic objectives the Board will be addressing over the next several years.
- Continue to offer outstanding educational opportunities such as the annual conference, service seminar series, Service Managers Training Program, Selling Skills Training Program, and Microbiological Management Plan Seminar for the HVACR Service Industry.
- Continue to focus on joint labor/ management initiatives such as the National Service and Maintenance Agreement, the UA STAR and MSCA STAR programs, and local programs to help grow the service industry.
- Continue to develop valued member-resources and benefits.
- Represent industry interests in legislative and regulatory forums to achieve desired outcomes. Norton then recognized the current MSCA STARs, saying "These companies now belong to an elite group who are raising the standard in the mechanical service industry. They have clearly demonstrated their commitment to the industry and to maintaining excellent business practices."
According to Don House, UA director of HVACR service, the two-year-old UA STAR program has awarded technicians with 36,704 college credits with a value of over $2.7 million. Plans are underway to expand the program to include a standard curriculum, online review classes, and training DVDs.
Also at the meeting:
- Ed Quinn, of Fluidics, Inc., Philadelphia, PA, received the fifth MSCA D.S. O'Brien Award of Excellence.
- Mark Kerney, president of Hill York Service Company, Fort Lauderdale, FL, was installed as the new chairman of the MSCA Board of Managers. Other new officers include Vice Chairman Brad Bolino, of John J. Kirlin Service Co., Inc., Rockville, MD; and Treasurer Wayne Turchetta, HMC Service Company, Louisville, KY.