ACCA Highlighted at Rheem Pro Partner Conference
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ACCA recently attended the Rheem/Ruud Pro-Partner Conference in Orlando to support our partners at Rheem and visit with many ACCA members. ACCA recently attended the Rheem/Ruud Pro-Partner Conference in Orlando to support our partners at Rheem and visit with many ACCA members.
ACCA was invited to Rheem’s contractor trade show by Rheem’s Mike Branson, president, Air. Mike and his entire team at Rheem have been longtime supporters of ACCA as a Corporate Partner. In fact, took the opportunity during his welcome remarks on the mainstage to highlight the important role that ACCA plays in the industry. He promoted ACCA as the one industry organization/association that focuses on protecting contractor interests on Capitol Hill and across the state capitals.
Mike encouraged attendees to stop by ACCA’s booth learn about what’s happening in Washington, D.C. and recommended that attendees become an ACCA Member. We are proud of the faith that Mike Branson and his team have placed in ACCA!
It was clear from the interactions with ACCA members and non-ACCA members that there is significant concern about changes coming to the market place, particularly with refrigerant changes. What I found most surprising was the lack of awareness amongst most attendees about the looming changes that will take place in a few years. When refrigerant phaseouts are mentioned most contractors still think R22 to 410A phaseout.
ACCA has a lot of work to do to ensure that the contracting industry is fully aware of these changes, because the introduction of mildly flammable (ASHRAE A2L) refrigerants presents new challenges for the industry. It’s great to see the ACCA members who are already fully engaged on these issues and helping address the safety and training issues that ACCA is (and will continue to) managing.
The other main issue that contractors wanted to discuss at the ACCA booth were workforce issues. ACCA staff was proud to highlight the increased funding for career and technical education (CTE) programs that we helped pass through Congress. Most importantly for CTE programs though is the requirement that community colleges and trade schools focus on local in-demand jobs. Without the federal government micromanaging education requirements, contractors should be able to work closely with local schools and build up HVAC education programs. ACCA is preparing marketing pieces for ACCA members to help have an impact in their schools (here’s a sneak peak of the marketing materials coming your way).
ACCA also discussed the ACCA MIX® Groups for contractors and the tremendous benefit of having a peer group. About half of the contractors that stopped by ACCA’s booth were in an ACCA MIX Group and they took the opportunity to speak to non-ACCA members about the MIX Group program. It’s fantastic seeing ACCA members talk to other contractors about ACCA and hear the pride in their voice as they talk about how their involvement with ACCA has helped their business.
A special thanks to Bryce Johnson, AC by J, member of Eagle’s Nest MIX Group, Tim Cropp, Cropp Metcalf, member of Eagle’s Nest MIX Group, Brian Naccarato, Bryan’ts Heating and A/C, member of the Wise Guys MIX Group, and Terry Dowd, Dowd Heating and Air, for promoting the MIX Group program during the Rheem Pro-Partner Conference!
ACCA staff also spent time with ACCA members Brent Fury and James Blosser from the Home Energy Center. Brent and James are working through Home Depot in several states and have seen record success through their partnership with Home Depot.
It’s great to see so many ACCA members when ACCA is on the road at trade shows. It certainly re-affirms that ACCA members are the best contractors in the country! Additionally, ACCA is proud to have such strong partners as Rheem. Together, we are committed to working to protect contractor interests.
Thanks to the entire team at Rheem/Ruud for making ACCA and ACCA members a highlight of the 2019 Pro-Partner Conference!
Check out the pictures from the event! https://www.flickr.com/photos/acca/albums/72157708302399175
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