COLUMBUS, Ohio - Four national trade associations representing distributors and contractors of HVACR industries are convening in Washington, D.C., for a two-day lobbying blitz of Capitol Hill. According to the Heating, Airconditioning, and Refrigeration Distributors International, HARDI and its industry partners, the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA); the Plumbing, Heating & Cooling Contractors (PHCC); and the American Supply Association (ASA) are coordinating efforts for a joint Congressional Fly-In on April 30-May 1.

The lobbying days will be in conjunction with HARDI’s annual Mid-Year Business Conference in Washington May 1-2, immediately following the Fly-In. According to HARDI, the joint effort will make the four organizations’ message greater than the sum of its parts.

HARDI and ACCA will jointly schedule meetings for their members with Congressional offices to focus predominantly on HVACR issues while ASA and PHCC will coordinate their meetings to focus on water conservation, energy efficiency, and issues of importance to p-h-c contractors across the country.

During the Fly-In, all four groups will pepper Washington with simultaneous and consistent pro-business messages. HARDI and ACCA have also arranged for a luncheon on Capitol Hill during the joint action day that will feature an address from elected representatives.

HARDI, ASA, and ACCA members will gather for a banquet featuring keynote speaker Morton Kondracke of Fox News and the Capitol Hill publication, Roll Call, the night before the lobby day, while PHCC hosts its annual PAC dinner. The four memberships will unite the following morning for a breakfast meeting featuring members of Congress, invited by PHCC, to address the group.

According to HARDI, this coordination of four industry trade associations has the potential to deliver key industry messages from hundreds of HVACR and plumbing professionals to federal policy-makers.

“I couldn’t be happier to see the industry’s distributors and contractors unite to engage our elected representatives at such a pivotal time in our industry’s legislative and regulatory history,” said Donald Frendberg, executive vice president/COO, HARDI.

Members of the respective associations should contact their organizations for registration information and additional details.

Publication date: 03/03/2008