CHICAGO - The Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) will be hosting multiple panel discussions during the 2006 Air-Conditioning, Heating and Refrigerating Exposition (AHR Expo) Jan. 23 - 25, at the McCormick Place Convention Center, Chicago.

Contractors selected as winners in The NEWS' "Best Contractor to Work For" contest will be on hand for the "Retain Employees" panel discussion, Jan. 24, 9-10 a.m., Room S103A.

The employees of the company nominated the contractors as the best in North America based on benefits, work environment, incentives, payment plans, training, and advancement opportunities.

"13 Seer Is Here! Are You Ready?" will also be held at the AHR Expo. This two-part session covers the implementation of the 13 SEER energy efficiency standard and is intended to provide members of the supply chain with an opportunity to define the issues they see arising from the upcoming 13 SEER implementation and to describe how they will address, or have addressed, these issues.

The session will also identify industry-wide tools available to help supply-chain participants meet the conversion challenge.

The two sessions will take place from 10 - 11 a.m., Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 23 – 24, in Room S102A. Panelists include members of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) and Heating, Air-Conditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI).

For more information about ARI's 13 SEER panel discussions, visit www.ari.org.

Publication date: 01/23/2006