Phc News Blog

March 11, 2010 marks World Plumbing Day! A good friend of mine called this morning to ask me how I was going to celebrate. He, in turn, told me that he celebrated by taking a tour of the plumbing museum. Here is a little of what he described…

…Today is World Plumbing Day, not quite St. Patrick’s Day, but, nevertheless, a day all of us who scratch a living in this business should pause and reflect on far we have come. To accomplish this, I became a member of the Plumbing Museum; although I have attended several functions there I had never really toured so I took the first of many to come unlimited admissions.

The American Sanitary Museum was started by Charles Manoog, a wholesaler in Worchester, Mass., who in the 1950s started collecting old plumbing ware. It was nurtured by his children, Russell and BetteJane, who in 1979 established the Museum. Since then, they have been giving more than 400 tours a year. Upon their retirement, the stewardship of the Museum was passed over to the PHCC of Boston in conjunction with the Cannistaro family, who offered to house the artifacts in a unique, unused portion of their building in Watertown, Mass., referred to as the Ice House. In 2008, it reopened as The Plumbing Museum. For a complete history, check out www.theplumbingmuseum.org.

Cranston, R.I. — Taco, Inc.’s John & Happy White Foundation is now the White Family Foundation. The non-profit charitable foundation, established in 2000, recently received permission for the name change from State of R.I.

John Hazen White, Jr. President and CEO of Taco, Inc., commented that the name change is a reflection of the Foundation’s continuing efforts as it enters its second decade of gift-giving. “My late parents established the John & Happy White Foundation to benefit worthy community-based organizations operating here in RI for the benefit of Rhode Islanders. While we have altered the Foundation name slightly to reflect where we are today, the mission they established remains the same.”

Recent gifts have included awards of $10,000 each to the House of Hope Community Development Corporation of Warwick, which provides permanent housing and social services to families and individuals in need, and to the RI Free Clinic of Providence, providing free care to the uninsured.

“Both of these organizations are on the frontlines of providing the homeless and the uninsured with housing and medical care at one of the most difficult economic times in our state’s history. The work of these organizations are in service to two of society’s most critical tasks,” the White Family Foundation stated in its announcement of the gifts.

The Foundation also made a $20,000 contribution recently to Butler Hospital for the creation of a new Center for Advanced Diagnostics and Therapeutics in Alzheimer’s Disease.

Since its inception in 2000 the Taco-based White Family Foundation has provided assistance to almost 300 non-profit organizations active in RI. “Giving back to the community” is one of the Taco’s core values.

Taco, Inc., headquartered in Cranston, is a leading manufacturer of heating and cooling equipment for use in residential, commercial and institutional buildings. The company employs approximately 500 in Cranston, Fall River, MA and Milton, Ontario, Canada. www.taco-hvac.com.

Becky Foehringer, franchise consultant for Mr. Rooter Corporation, received her Certified Franchise Executive certification during the International Franchise Association’s annual convention in San Antonio, Texas.
“Being able to receive my CFE has been a goal of mine, and I am excited,” Foehringer said. “The training has been very helpful in my job, and it has expanded my knowledge of the franchising world. “
Foehringer completed the comprehensive course in franchise management from the Institute of Certified Franchise Executives, which is the academic branch of the IFA’s Educational Foundation.
To earn the CFE designation, candidates must complete a rigorous course of study. This includes attending institute-sponsored educational seminars and workshops.
With three college degrees, education is nothing new to Foehringer. She has a MBA from Central Michigan University, a master’s degree from University of Michigan, and a bachelor’s degree from Western Michigan University.

Foehringer, who has 19 years of franchising experience, joined Mr. Rooter as a franchise systems manager in 2002. As a franchise consultant, Foehringer oversees Mr. Rooter franchisees in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, West Virginia and Virginia.

“We are excited about the knowledge Becky will bring to our team,” said Mary Kennedy Thompson, president of Mr. Rooter Corporation. “This is a well-earned title in the franchising world, and we are proud of her accomplishment.”

March 11, 2010 is World Plumbing Day!
In honor of this celebration, The Plumbing Museum is offering a unique promotion!
Throughout the whole month of March, museum memberships will be $10 OFF.
For $40, you will receive:
-An official membership certificate and ID
-Unlimited Museum Admission
-A complimentary souvenir t-shirt
-A member’s-only museum newsletter
-10% off all museum merchandise
-An exclusive invitation to the
“Tradesmen” member’s Gala
To take advantage of this enticing offer, call 617-926-2111 and mention the World Plumbing Day Discount! Remember, this offer is available for one month only.  For more information, visit the museum website at www.theplumbingmuseum.org.

Falls Church, Va. — Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors—National Association President Skip Pfeffer announced that Gerry Kennedy has been named the new executive vice president of PHCC.

Kennedy, who has served as interim executive vice president since Jan. 28, has been the PHCC Vice President of Education and Chief Operating Officer for the PHCC Educational Foundation for the past 12 years.
“PHCC wants to head in a new direction and become an even more recognized leader in the plumbing and HVACR industry,” Pfeffer said.  “We believe that Gerry’s experience and knowledge, particularly in membership development, chapter relations and education, are well suited for leading us toward our goal.”
Kennedy is an educator by profession, with an earned doctorate in adult and continuing education.  After a successful career as a college and university professor, administrator and dean, he became an association executive in 1982. His association work has included responsibility for a wide variety of educational programs; development of state and local chapters; strategic planning; and fundraising.
The New Jersey native is active in a number of industry groups.  He is currently is Vice President of the Partnership for Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Accreditation; a member of the Board of Trustees for North American Technician Excellence (NATE); and Chairman of the Education Committee for the HVACR Industry Alliance, a coalition of 22 industry trade and professional associations.
“I look forward to embarking on this expanded role within PHCC,” Kennedy said. “When the Board of Directors meets in April, President Pfeffer will initiate a multi-month strategic planning process that will set the direction for the association to provide plumbing and HVACR contractors and their employees with the support they need in this ‘new’ economy.”

KETTERING, OH and MANCHESTER, NH. — GE Money, the consumer lending unit of General Electric Company, and BizUnite, a leading aggregator of business cost savings programs, announced a multi-year agreement to offer the GE Money Home DesignSM program to BizUnite’s recently formed co-op of home services businesses. The private-label credit card is managed by GE Money’s Sales Finance unit, which provides billions of dollars in consumer financing through more than 145,000 small and medium businesses on Main Streets across the United States.

The Home Design card provides BizUnite member groups competitive promotions and can be used to purchase a wide variety of home improvement project solutions, including countertops, kitchen and bath remodeling, heating and air as well as spas and pool equipment. Consumers can find approved Granicrete, Blue Hawk, SEN Design Group and Aquatech Society members in their area through GE Money’s online Business Locator. The application process is fast and easy. Credit decisions occur within seconds and cardholders can manage their accounts online.

“We are excited to introduce GE Money to our great network of independent distributors and installers,” said Marc Winkelman, chief operating officer for Granicrete International. “With the Home Design program, they can distinguish themselves above the competition by offering consumers a new source of financing that they will surely want. The Home Design credit card is a convenient, cost effective way to pay for home improvement projects.”

As part of the program agreement, dealers use GE Money’s Web-based finance management portal, Business Center. Business Center provides dealers with an easy, secure way to manage their credit programs and better serve their customers. Thousands of businesses use GE Money’s Business Center to securely access all the sales, operational, marketing and training tools they need at the click of a button.

“The Home Design program offers customers competitive rates and promotions,” said Bruce Christensen, vice president and General Manager of GE Money’s Home Improvement division. “Our partnership with BizUnite and Granicrete is a great option for consumers looking for flexible financing solutions on their home improvement projects.”

Secaucus, N.J. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has named Panasonic Home & Environment Company as a 2010 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year for its outstanding contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by manufacturing energy-efficient products and helping to educate consumers about those products. Panasonic’s accomplishments will be recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on March 18, 2010.

BROOKSHIRE, TEX. — Despite the challenges of the global economic downturn, Danish pump manufacturer Grundfos Pumps continued its commitment to the North American market with the grand opening of the brand new Peerless Engineered Systems (PES) building. The 45,000+ sq. ft. facility was built outside Houston. The building shares land with Grundfos Commercial Building Services (formally PACO Pumps), and will be home to the PES division of Peerless Pump Company.

“With the acquisition of PACO Pumps in 2006, Peerless Pumps in 2007 and the most recent acquisition of Yeomans Chicago Corporation in 2008. We bought these businesses as a sign of our commitment to North America market and now, the Grundfos North American business has grown both organically and through these acquisitions, by a factor of three,” said Jes Munk Hansen, managing director of North America for Grundfos. “We also made a commitment to investing in the businesses we acquire; investments in people, machinery, and the buildings. I am proud to see the most recent of these investments, this wonderful new building. I am pleased to stand here amongst you with the excellent examples of the highly engineered systems that are made here,” Hansen added in his comments to Grundfos and PES team members and assembled VIP’s at the grand opening event.

The PES facility will continue its focus upon the design and manufacture of pre-packaged fire pump systems. “A near 50% gain in square footage will definitely aid in our growth ambitions,” said Arron Phillips, PES general manager. “Our proximity to the Grundfos facility will not only support with our integration activities, but allow us to take full advantage of the synergy that exists within our products and our talented group of employees,” Phillips added. “It says a great deal about Grundfos, Peerless and our people, that we can move a facility nearly 30-miles and retain virtually every employee, this is a very exciting time for all of us,” said Andrew Warrington, president of Peerless.

The nearly $4 million facility will be home to 32 highly skilled workers including; engineers, machinists, welders and electrical professionals.

In 2005, Walmart announced three broad sustainability goals: to be supplied 100 percent by renewable energy; to create zero waste; and to sell products that sustain people and the environment. Thursday, February 25, the company announced another major step toward its sustainability mission. Walmart CEO Mike Duke announced the company’s goal to eliminate 20 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions from life cycle of products Walmart sell around world by 2015. This represents one and a half times the carbon growth over the next five years. To understand the scale, 20 million tons is equal to what 3.4 million cars emit in greenhouse gases over one year. ”We will be a leader in retail, because we will be first to take a look at the supply chain on a global scale,” said Duke.

Morton Grove, Ill. — ITT Corporation, parent of Bell  Gossett, Goulds Pumps and other brands serving the HVAC and plumbing industry, announced that through its partnership with Mercy Corps, the company is donating five portable water treatment systems in Haiti, providing enough potable water each day for up to 200,000 victims of the January 12 earthquake. The units were donated by ITT and deployed through Mercy Corps’ large-scale humanitarian aid response.

This collaborative disaster response is part of a strategic partnership between ITT’s corporate citizenship program, ITT Watermark®, and Mercy Corps. The partnership consists of an ongoing commitment to help provide safe water during emergencies. Immediately following the earthquake, ITT authorized Mercy Corps to tap up to $100,000 of ITT’s 2010 Emergency Fund, established to provide fast funding to support an initial, on-the-ground assessment of short- and long-term needs after a disaster. The initial assessment in Port-au-Prince identified an acute need for access to water and sanitation, and set in motion the process of delivering the life-saving equipment to Haiti.
“Lack of clean water and sanitation presents a critical health risk to victims following disaster, and as a global water leader, ITT is uniquely positioned to help,” said Steve Loranger, chairman, president and chief executive officer, ITT. “There is much to be done in Haiti and we are proud to use our expertise in fluid technology to support our partner, Mercy Corps, with the rebuilding and recovery of water and sanitation infrastructure in Haiti for the long-term.”
In the aftermath of disaster, lack of clean, potable water, combined with poor living conditions, exacerbates the threat of water-borne disease. As a result, providing safe water and access to adequate sanitation becomes even more crucial.
“Providing access to clean water and sanitation is an essential focus of both our short- and long-term recovery efforts in Haiti,” said Nancy Lindborg, president of Mercy Corps. “With ITT as a partner, we are able to deliver the resources necessary to provide local communities with sustainable water solutions and help families in need.”
ITT has also committed to doubling its match to contributions employees make to Mercy Corps, up to $5,000 for a maximum of $10,000. To date, employee contributions and the company match total $480,000.