ACCA launches Radiant & Hydronics Council

Washington — The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), the nation’s largest organization of indoor environment and energy services contracting businesses, has launched a new Radiant & Hydronics Council (RHC) within ACCA to provide specific services to this vital segment of the HVAC/R industry.
“Radiant contractors have been seeking a dynamic, contractor-focused organization for some time; many have asked ACCA to expand an emphasis into that sector,” said Joe Nichter, ACCA 2011 – 2012 chairman. “The RHC will provide first-class representation and services for radiant and hydronics professionals that wish to be the best in their field.”

The changing indoor environment sector requires contractors of all kinds to master a wide variety of technologies, including air, hydronic, solar, geothermal and other alternative energy services. The addition of the RHC to the ACCA umbrella is a key part of the association’s strategic plan to help its members compete in the modern business climate.

The RHC will be guided by an advisory committee comprised of the nation’s leaders in this vital industry segment. The first chairman of the RHC Advisory Council will be Phc News columnist Dan Foley. Foley is president of Foley Mechanical in Lorton, Virginia, a recognized leader among hydronics contractors and a past chairman of the Radiant Panel Association (RPA).

In addition to Foley, others serving on the RHC Advisory Committee are:

• Greg Jannone, William Jannone & Son, Bound Brook, N.J. (past chair, RPA)
• John Abularrage, Advanced Radiant Design, Stone Ridge, N.Y.
• Brian Stack, Stack Heating & Cooling, Avon, Ohio
• John Siegenthaler, Appropriate Designs, Holland Patent, N.Y.
• Mark Hottel, Harvey W. Hottel Inc, Gaithersburg, Md.
• Dave Yates, F.W. Behler Inc., York, Pa.
• Bob “Hot Rod” Rohr, Caleffi, Milwaukee, Wis. (past chair, RPA)
• Bill Shady, PE, Sustainable Design and Product Management, Santa Cruz, Calif.

“As a longtime active member of associations in both the air and radiant field, I am excited to see ACCA create this new organization,” said Foley. “It is definitely time for the many different elements of the indoor environment industry to come together under one umbrella for the betterment of all contractors. ACCA offers us an incredible opportunity to do just that. Since it is an organization of, by and for the contractor, it gives us one strong voice in advocacy, while providing services specific to radiant professionals through the council.”

The RHC’s initial scope of work includes:

• The addition of a new Radiant & Hydronics educational track at the 2012 ACCA Conference, held March 5 – 8 in Las Vegas;
• The launch of a new monthly e-newsletter, Radiant Trends, specifically for RHC members;
• Development of a new, two-day educational meeting specifically for radiant and hydronics professionals — the Hydronics Roundtable — to be held in fall 2012 as part of ACCA’s annual Contracting Week;
• Development of a new radiant-specific section of the ACCA website, featuring webinars, articles and resources exclusively for RHC members;
• Addition of a hydronics-specific Contractor Directory on the ACCA website;
• Inclusion of RHC input in ACCA’s broader activities in government relations, industry advocacy, education, communications and standards development.

Membership in RHC will be open to all ACCA member companies; in addition to ACCA membership dues, a nominal RHC fee of $95 per year will be charged for participation in the council. Details about the RHC, including information on how to join, will soon be available on ACCA’s website at www.acca.org.

IAPMO, PMI sign MoU to explore more dynamic collaboration

Rolling Meadows, Ill. — The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) and Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI) have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) specifically detailing ways in which the two venerable organizations will work together to jointly advance and promote mutual industry interests as related to education, training and advocacy.

Through this MoU, IAPMO and PMI pledge cooperation in the achievement of numerous objectives, including the following:

• Where mutually beneficial, identify and consider a possible agreement between IAPMO and PMI to promote new and existing sustainability opportunities and services collaboratively to our members and the industry, including IAPMO's green training programs.
• Consider ways the organizations might aid best practices in the plumbing industry, and seek collaborations with other industry groups to promote effective delivery of continuing education programs for workers and recruitment of new workers.
• Identify joint areas of interest in legislative and regulatory advocacy.
• Consider expansion of IAPMO educational content and offerings to including hosting of existing PMI courses and collaborate with PMI on development of new courses that may be offered jointly and co-promoted.
• Investigate the feasibility of jointly produced educational conferences.

IAPMO CEO GP Russ Chaney and PMI Executive Director Barbara C. Higgens signed the MoU on Oct. 13 in Washington, D.C.

Lorrie Jones Gore named 2011 PHCC ‘HVAC Contractor of the Year’

Lorrie Jones Gore, general manager and an owner of Gundlach Plumbing and Heating Co., Richmond, Va., was honored as the 2011 PHCC “HVAC Contractor of the Year” during CONNECT 2011, the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors—National Association’s (PHCC) annual conference in Minneapolis, Minn. Gundlach Plumbing and Heating Co. has been a family-run business for more than 82 years. Its slogan is “Making Friends Since 1929.” Gore was selected for the “HVAC Contractor of the Year” award based on her accomplishments in business management and HVAC practices, as well as community and trade association involvement.