PROGRAM

You can’t measure your efficiency until you start to track it. For service contractors, much of your efficiency is heavily tied to your workflow and process. Mapping your project workflow is the first step to benchmarking, process improvement, and implementing supplemental technology that can improve technology.

In this special hands-on bonus program, contractors will work to map and compare their processes through process mapping—creating a visual flow chart of the end-to-end processes of an organization. It gives employees visibility of what they do, where it fits into the overall picture, and how it impacts other areas of the business and the customer.

By visualizing your processes, you drive time and money to the bottom line and better understand how new software can impact your company’s workflow. It also helps leaders avoid bottlenecks, automate as practical, and stop redundant work, leading to better end products for customers and happier team members.

MSCA has partnered with the John R. Gentille Foundation (JRGF) to bring this bonus program to you. Led by process mapping expert Jonathan Marsh and MSCA Contractors, it is the key to bringing this simple yet powerful tool into your office and across your organization.

By attending the session, you will come away with these key takeaways:

– A clear and concise understanding of how to process map

– A template for process mapping to take back to the office

– Contractor case studies on how they process mapped and the real-world benefits they received

Welcome to your first MSCA Conference! Start your week off right with an introduction to the conference and meet some of the MSCA Board of Managers and Education Committee members in this relaxed reception sponsored by Data-Basics, Inc..

Take sail with MSCA23’s Welcome Reception on Lanai Beach to enjoy sundowners and each other’s company! This event takes place in the sand, so beach casual and flat shoes are encouraged.

MSCA Chair Rich Happel will open the 37th Annual MSCA Education Conference with a welcome to paradise. Our opening general session will feature Erik Qualman, bestselling author of five books on digital leadership, including his most popular Socialnomics. This inspiring keynote will focus on digital leadership and the five habits that drive success and happiness for employees, partners, and customers in a Wi-Fi world… ways to positively impact and transform your organization.

In a busy and hectic world, it can be hard to find time for yourself. We’re giving you that opportunity with your choice of these two activities:

Self-Care Massage Class: This class is designed to teach you how to take better care of your body by using self-massage techniques and specialized tools which will assist in relieving tension and increasing mobility.

Yoga Nidra/Sleep Class: Many people have a hard time falling and staying asleep, in large part due to the stresses of daily life encroaching into their nighttime routine. An expert team of Yoga Nidra practitioners will facilitate this sleep class, designed to give direction on achieving better sleep. They will also discuss the science of sleep and what happens to you mentally and physically when you don’t sleep well.

Each class is limited to 30 guests. You will be able to sign up for your choice of class onsite, at the conference, starting Sunday, October 22 at the MSCA Registration & Information Desk.

Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with the companies that are driving change in our industry! Gain new insights and knowledge while engaging with and discussing the latest products and services. Learn how innovation could move you ahead of your competition and onto new levels of success, while also earning raffle tickets for some amazing sponsored prizes. The raffle will be throughout the exhibit and you must be present to win, so don’t miss an opportunity to make connections and win big!

Get an overview of the mechanical service industry in this informative and interesting afternoon session beginning with Dr. Chris Thornberg of Beacon Economics. Dr. Thornberg will present and discuss the results of a specially created MSCA paper studying key economic markers from 2023. Following Dr. Thornberg, a panel of MSCA Board members and contractors will cover a wide range of topics, including recession proofing your business, how to gain more work hours without hiring, and how to integrate after an acquisition.

• Market Penetration: What are you doing to maximize your companies’ offerings with each and every client
• Geographic Expansion: What are you doing to grow your coverage area and/or add Service branch locations
• New Clients Types: What are you doing to expand beyond your current key markets served (if you are strong in residential and light commercial, how can you expand into heavy commercial and manufacturing?)
• New Offerings: What new products or services have you added to your companies capabilities in the last 3 years to gain market share

• What is the definition of “ large service project”?
• Are contracts “lump sum” or “cost plus fee” or “ T& M” or “D-B”? Other?
• What have you done different operationally to insure profitably?
• Describe the “least successful” project you’ve done and what you’d do (have done) differently?
• What’s the “most successful” project you’ve done and why was it so successful?
• What’s the best “piece of advice” you’d give to other service contractor?

Join your fellow contactors in a collaborative, thought-provoking and enlightening session on what some of the industry’s best and brightest are doing to mitigate the impact of the current/pending financial downturn in the economy. In this session you will hear some unique strategies, ideas and tactics from across the country of how of others are preparing for and/or reacting to an ever-changing economic landscape.

• Business growth- how to recruit and retain your labor
• Tracking service performance
• Keeping customer’s satisfied

Do you ever attend the MSCA education conference with new thoughts and ideas brimming over, only to find out that once you are back in your office you can’t remember or don’t know how to implement everything you’ve learned? In this session, share ideas and learn from your peers on how to take the lessons learned at this conference, and successfully bring it back to your office and team.

Join us for an engaging roundtable session focused on the transformative power of automation and AI in addressing the prevalent labor shortages in the industry. We will explore the latest advancements in automation and AI technologies, their practical applications, and their potential to revolutionize the way we operate in the mechanical services sector. Participants will gain valuable insights into how these cutting-edge solutions can enhance operational efficiency, increase productivity, and help bridge the labor gaps faced by businesses today.

• Do you teach your sales team to hunt or farm?
• How to maximize efficiency in seeking new leads and nurturing existing client relationships?
• How do you compensate your sales team?

We all know that labor shortages can keep your business from growing, but what are the best ways to gain more productive working hours without hiring? In this session we’ll discuss how to make the most out of your current resources, whether that’s sharing tribal knowledge, learning when to let go of a customer that is a drain on your resources, or making more efficient office procedures.

What are the pathways to success and growth for smaller contractors? This session is aimed at service businesses with 25 or fewer trucks. How do you recruit and retain talent? What are ways to be an active part of the community? And what are issues that arise when you are in a smaller market?

Join us for a special WiMI networking happy hour. Women in the Mechanical Industry is an initiative MCAA started in 2018 as a way to foster networking, education, and elevating women in our industry.

Join us for day two as MSCA Chair Rich Happel invites us to share our gifts and give back to the community. MCAA President Robert Beck will share his insights on the industry, what he has seen throughout the year, and what he thinks will be coming in 2024.

Then, Aimee Copeland will share how she has taken physical trauma and disability and turned it into triumph and an opportunity to affect change in the world. At 24 years old, Aimee was diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis, a flesh-eating bacterial infection. While doctors were able to save her life, they had to amputate both her hands, her right foot, and her entire left leg. On her road to recovery, she has founded three organizations, as well as become a social worker and psychotherapist. Hear her powerful story of not just overcoming adversity, but also finding a way to live an exemplary and inspirational life.

Following her story, Aimee and Rich will announce the winner of our 2023 Everyday Hero Award. Come celebrate and find motivation while recognizing the difference our Everyday Hero makes in our industry every day.

The Convoy of Hope Packing Party is back for another year of feel good, do good! MSCA has partnered with Convoy of Hope since 2010, bringing in over $600,000 in donations and packing tens of thousands of hygiene and meal kits for people in need all over the country and the world. Join us for an energetic and exciting morning while giving back to those in need.

Sponsored by MCAA’s Women in the Mechanical Industry

48% of the U.S. workforce struggles with “compassion fatigue.” The result? Burnout, absenteeism, mental and emotional distress, poor sleep, unhealthy diets, and high turnover. Empathetic and compassionate people are invaluable on any team. But when compassion makes it feel as if the weight of the world is on your shoulders, genuine empathy can devolve into unhappiness, unproductivity, and an inability to help the very people you care about in the first place. Mindfulness is one of the simplest and most practical tools for self-care. In this session, you’ll learn how to gradually make it an important part of anyone’s daily routine by:

– Identifying the sources and symptoms of compassion fatigue

– Rethinking the assumptions that trigger impostor syndrome and guilt

– Implementing self-care strategies that drive a renewed sense of energy and purpose in the workplace and beyond

Are you wondering what all the fuss is over heat pump water heaters? While half of American homes have electric water heaters and replacement makes sense, what’s up with decarbonization efforts to replace gas? Learn about the unprecedented market changes, the new 30% federal tax credit, and most of all, how these products work, save, and even pay for themselves!

You will learn:

– How HPWHs work

– Where they work best

– Proper installation

– How they pay for themselves

– IRA Federal Tax Credit and instant utility rebates

– Common myths

– Proactive sales approaches

• Meeting regularly with construction project managers to plan a transition to service
• When and where to get service personnel involved in the construction cycle
• Knowing who the key decision makers are and getting time with them.
• Utilizing project managers to keep you in front of the client during key project milestones
• How to keep these clients for the long run
• Getting your program off the ground

Safety & Health continue to be the top priorities for service contractors in every state. This roundtable session will focus on hot topics in safety and health and will include, mental health, lone worker safety, heat stress, injury and illness reporting, and much more. If you have questions about safety & health, this is the session for you.

Engage in peer discussion centered around electrification’s impact on the our industry. We will share insights on the benefits, challenges, and trends related to adopting electric technologies, touching on effective strategies for communicating with customers about electrification, and what the advantages are, focusing on energy efficiency and environmental benefits. Additionally, the discussion will cover training approaches for technicians to ensure they stay ahead of the curve.

How do you optimize your service fleet for efficiency and sustainability? Share insights into outfitting service trucks the right way, while delving into the potential of electrifying the fleet, exploring the benefits of electric vehicles in reducing emissions and operational costs. Large corporations nation-wide, with very aggressive carbon reduction targets are incorporating electric fleets into their plans to meet their objective and this may very well include you! Please join us to explore the possibilities.

This session will be a follow up to the refrigerant education session, and is an opportunity for peer discussion around the ongoing refrigerant changes in the HVAC industry. How are R-22 phaseouts going, and are you prepared for the transition to more environmentally friendly alternatives. How do these new refrigerants fit into the current HVAC system design, and what will this mean for retrofitting and maintenance, and how do you keep your techs up to date with proper training on how to handle new refrigerants safely.

Women in the Mechanical Industry (WiMI) was an MCAA initiative started in 2018. While there is a strong national push for this, the true strength comes from having local WiMI Committees. Join this session to learn more about the practical ways to start a WiMI chapter in your area and to drive engagment and participation at your business or local MCA.

Imagine yourself getting the opportunity to ask the top performing companies in our industry what their most creative, productive, and exciting initiative were over the last two. Would you take advantage of that opportunity? If so, then join us as we share with each other our most effective best practices. Walk away with tangible ideas that you can take back to your companies to help your staff be more productive and our business more profitable. Hope to see you there.

What Software are you using? How did you implement it, and what have the results been? Take an opportunity to discuss with your peers the software successes and pitfalls you’ve experienced, and where to go from there!

Navigating during a company merger or acquisition requires a delicate approach that values both strategic and cultural integration. It’s crucial to prioritize maintaining employee morale and fostering a positive company culture throughout. Communication should be transparent and consistent to engage teams and ensure that successful operations continue. What are the challenges that emerge when companies are merged or acquired? And how do you overcome these challenges? Resistance to change, potential power struggles, and retaining top talent requires thoughtful leadership, a comprehensive integration plan, and a commitment to creating a unified, thriving organization.

Explore Marco Island on your own or join one of our exciting afternoon activities. You can sign up for the activities when you register. Please note, capacity for activities is limited.

A visit to Southwest Florida isn’t complete without a tour through the Everglades. Guests will enjoy a thrilling and educational airboat ride through the grasslands of Everglades City. In addition to a beautiful sightseeing tour with the excitement of riding a true Florida Airboat, you will experience an alligator show… can’t get much more Florida than that! A boxed lunch will be provided before your 12:45 p.m. departure from the JW Marriott.

Fee: $270

Please note: Hats, sunglasses, and sunblock are recommended. Guests should be prepared for light rain. In the case of inclement weather, the tour company reserves the right to cancel, and your registration for this adventure will be reimbursed.

Experience the relaxing and cool Gulf waters aboard the Calusa Spirit! This Catamaran departs directly from the white sandy beaches of the JW Marriott and transports you to a whole new world—the land of 10,000 islands! Calmly navigate backwaters in search of dolphins, manatees, and bald eagles. With a stop at Cape Romano, you’ll have a chance to explore the secluded beach before returning to the JW Marriott. Check-in is at 1:00 p.m. at the JW Marriott Beach Hut, and lunch is not provided.

Fee: $290

Please note: Hats, sunglasses, and sunblock are recommended. Guests should be prepared for light rain. In the case of inclement weather, the tour company reserves the right to cancel, and your registration for this adventure will be reimbursed.

6:45 a.m. Grab & Go Breakfast

7:15 a.m. Shotgun Start

Calling all early risers to join us for the 10th Annual MSCA Sun Run & Walk sponsored by Copeland. Enjoy a new kind of race route… on the sand! Take in the breathtaking water views while racing each other on the white sands right in front of the hotel. As always, we will reward our winning runners and walkers with prizes and a mention on the big stage!

With increasing complexity, most leaders are tasked with doing more than they can successfully execute. The right thinking tools can make all the difference between continued success and constant struggle.

In this session, you will learn to:

– Clarify thinking on your #1 priority

– Discover how not to take on too many projects

– Identify tradeoffs and ways to reduce friction

– Plan and prioritize your week for impact and value

Eric Papp will help clarify what’s most important so you can achieve a greater impact and feel in control again.

Are your team and organization exactly what you want them to be? Or do frustrations, sticking points, and other issues keep everything the way it has always been? Are you creating the story that you want told? As leaders in our organizations, we have a vision or goal of where we want to take our business. For a time, that vision motivates and inspires us. Eventually, obstacles, traps, and temptations appear on our journey. And in those times, we often do what we have always done and think as we have always thought. We get stuck!

This session is designed to challenge you to identify what obstacles may be in your way, keeping you and your team from leaning into your greatest potential. You will be challenged to make the shifts that need to happen in your leadership to take you and your organization to another level. You’ll be challenged to expand your perspective and understanding of the principles and practices that effective leaders use that lead to greater levels of influence, more fulfillment and satisfaction, and more fun! Are you up for it?

This session will provide an overview of the latest updates to the National Service and Maintenance Agreement, highlighting the key changes that have been made to the agreement, including changes to wages, benefits, and working conditions. The session will also discuss the importance of Oversight Committees in ensuring that the the creation and maintenance of local Schedule A agreements are being upheld.

Are your team and organization exactly what you want them to be? Or do frustrations, sticking points, and other issues keep everything the way it has always been? Are you creating the story that you want told? As leaders in our organizations, we have a vision or goal of where we want to take our business. For a time, that vision motivates and inspires us. Eventually, obstacles, traps, and temptations appear on our journey. And in those times, we often do what we have always done and think as we have always thought. We get stuck!

This session is designed to challenge you to identify what obstacles may be in your way, keeping you and your team from leaning into your greatest potential. You will be challenged to make the shifts that need to happen in your leadership to take you and your organization to another level. You’ll be challenged to expand your perspective and understanding of the principles and practices that effective leaders use that lead to greater levels of influence, more fulfillment and satisfaction, and more fun! Are you up for it?

The key to successful recruiting seems to be in social media outreach and connecting with the younger generation, but where is the best place to start, and how do you actually do it? In this session, MSCA contractors and UA members will discuss some of the most successful recruiting campaigns they have implemented in their states and local communities. They will share which social media platforms have proven to be successful, how to use geo-fencing, how to read campaign results, and how to build a successful pipeline with local schools.

With increasing complexity, most leaders are tasked with doing more than they can successfully execute. The right thinking tools can make all the difference between continued success and constant struggle.

In this session, you will learn to:

– Clarify thinking on your #1 priority

– Discover how not to take on too many projects

– Identify tradeoffs and ways to reduce friction

– Plan and prioritize your week for impact and value

Eric Papp will help clarify what’s most important so you can achieve a greater impact and feel in control again.

• Who owns data on our ERP?
• How does M&A do research?
• How do we connect to our OEM’s?

• How to form an oversight committee
• What the purpose of an oversight committee is
• How to create a Schedule A, and what considerations to include

Join us for a robust conversation on how to create a succession planning program at your company. Collaborate with industry leaders on how to identify key talent gaps, future leadership needs, and create a plan of action to keep your business ahead of the curve.

Work Culture starts at the top with strong leadership. In this session, follow up with Steve Thomas on discussing how to onboard your employees and keep your work culture solid by leading your team and office.

• Energy Monitoring
• Predictive maintenance/Failure
• Monitoring services
• On-demand PM
• No Controls group yet? What’s it take to get started

Often times people conflate education and training. Both are different and it couldn’t be clearer when we talk specifically to safety education vs safety training. Both are important to create a safer jobsite and safer workers. This roundtable will review the differences and similarities and be an open discussion to what is working for your colleagues around the country.

• What are some of the challenges
• What kind of success have you had
• What are some of the tactics that have worked for you
• What are types of contracts you sell
• How do you handle territories or divvy up the work
• How do you turn over work
• What is the true value of maintenance contracts?

• The new generation of service tech and what motivates them to sell
• Provide monetary incentive for techs or time off for their selling efforts?
• Removing tech “tunnel-vision” and encourage them to look for stuff to fix while onsite
• Getting your program off the ground

• Utilizing Sch A for residential/Light Commercial/Multi Family Market Share Best Practices
• Items we would have done differently knowing what we know today
• Best Practices on finding SCH A Talent

How are you recruiting the next wave of talent? If you’re doing the same thing that you’ve been doing for the last three decades, it might be time to explore some new ideas. In this follow up session to “The New Way to Recruit” dive deeper and hear from your peers on how to successfully utilize new forms of recruitment, including social media, geo-fencing, and relationships with the votech schools near your business.

Join us for the final general session as we announce the winners of our 30th Annual Golf Tournament, the 10th Annual Sun Run & Walk on the Sand, and the Turtle Team Tournament. MSCA Chair Rich Happel will welcome UA General President Mark McManus to share an update on the United Association’s initiatives.

We will continue with keynote speaker Lt. Col Waldo Waldman, a combat-decorated F-16 fighter pilot, sales manager, and entrepreneur. Waldman will remind us that while you think you are flying solo in your business, you have robust support in staff, managers, and suppliers. By building trust in your partners, you can overcome obstacles, adapt to change, and achieve success. You will be inspired to propel your business to the skies with wingmen and women to help you face challenges and change with courage while maximizing potential in all aspects of life.

Our session ends when MSCA Chair Rich Happel moves chairs and introduces his successor, Renee Fiorelli, who will share her vision for the year ahead and recognize our incoming Board of Managers.

Join us for a delightful night and a celebratory dinner with all your MSCA friends! Enjoy a fun Caribbean night with tasty delights, smooth sounds, and a nautical beach vibe!