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| Jack
Wilhelmi |
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It’s no secret that Jack Wilhelmi is enthusiastic about
education. By the time he completes his term as president of the Mechanical
Contractors Association of America (MCAA), he will have logged 98,000 miles and
105 days of travel around the world to share this enthusiasm.
During those travels, he talks about the progress MCAA has
made this year in the areas he’s most passionate about: estimating and career
development. He also discusses continuing efforts to rebuild market share and
the excellent relationship between MCAA and its affiliated local associations.
When Wilhelmi’s term as MCAA president began, he wanted
others in the industry to share his passion for estimating. That wish sowed the
seeds for a conference designed to provide those with bottom-line
responsibility an understanding of strategic estimating fundamentals.
He helped create a program that conveyed the essence and
importance of responding quickly to requests for proposals, especially those
with less-than-complete specifications and plans, with the latest techniques
and technologies. Given that 100 percent of the attendees said they returned
home from the conference with at least one “Aha!” and 95 percent would
recommend the seminar to others, Wilhelmi met his objective.
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The success of this event led the active contractor to
propose the development of an Institute for Project Acquisition (IPA), a
world-class, comprehensive educational program designed to enable participants
to systematically create, manage, and use a process for the securing of
projects and opportunities. He is chairing the committee charged with
developing the content for the IPA, which will debut Nov. 8-13, 2009.
“It’s an ill-kept secret that my passion is estimating,” he
said. “I find it to be the most important, exciting, and challenging phase of
the business. Over the years, I have seen many changes in the way we estimate.
But I have never seen as many opportunities to improve your bottom line by
incorporating emerging technologies into your estimating process as I see right
now.”
As a past chairman of MCAA’s Career Development Committee,
Wilhelmi spent years urging young people to join the mechanical contracting
industry. He continues to champion the many benefits available to students and
contractors who participate in the initiative’s various offerings, which include
an annual Student Chapter Summit, a scholarship program, and the annual Student
Chapter Competition.
“MCAA member companies can be the direct beneficiaries of
the investments we make in today’s students,” said Wilhelmi. “A great benefit
of MCAA membership is the opportunity to participate in our career development
program, meet and mentor the most talented young people, and take steps to
recruit the rising stars that are the best fit for your company’s future
needs.”
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| Jack Wilhelmi’s desire to share his passion for estimating
sowed the seeds for a conference that provided those with bottom-line
responsibility with an understanding of strategic estimating fundamentals. |
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MCAA currently has 44 student chapters that expose the best
young talent to the tremendous opportunities in the mechanical contracting
industry, with three additional chapters slated to receive their charters
during the MCAA 2009 annual convention in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Each day, Wilhelmi builds on the work of his predecessors in
collaborating with MCAA’s labor partner, the United Association, to build
market share and capture new and emerging markets. MCAA’s continuing focus on
green and sustainable construction is just one example.
“In this emerging market, we have an opportunity to do
things not only differently but better, and it is the right thing to do. And by
doing so, we will create many good jobs for our workforce,” said Wilhelmi.
To date, Wilhelmi has visited numerous local affiliated
associations, which are vital to MCAA’s success. These organizations serve
members by providing crucial local programs, products, and services. They also
participate in many MCAA activities, from serving as hosts for meeting
activities to mentoring students at nearby construction management or
engineering programs.
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