FALLS CHURCH, VA — At a recent meeting, leaders of the Educational Foundation of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors — National Association (PHCC) developed a new strategic plan that includes a progressive mission statement, solutions to some of the biggest problems p-h-c business owners face, and realistic, measurable objectives and strategies.

According to the association, a large part of the mission involves developing and delivering powerful educational opportunities for p-h-c contractors. The plans will be presented to the PHCC’s board of directors for approval in January.

“The PHCC Educational Foun-dation is ready to be the one-stop shop for contractor profitability,” said chairman James T. Driscoll Jr. “We have designed lean, effective strategies that are pure bottom line.”

Meeting participants discussed how to transform employees into savvy small-business operators, capable of managing and growing their businesses into transferable assets.

They also discussed how to recruit Generation X and Y members to the profession and train them.

“New or young employees don’t want an academic track that takes forever and doesn’t get to the point,” said immediate past chairman Larry W. Howe. “We will deliver what they need to know in the form of relevant educational programs.”

Distance Learning

Foundation leaders said they plan to use electronic communications, maximizing the amount of information available through the Internet to design distance learning programs. In addition, education and training alliances will be formed with other organizations.

The expansion of existing programs, as well as the creation of new ones, will be priorities, they said. Leaders will also be working to expand the PHCC Educational Foundation’s financial base as well as increase contractor and industry participation in the organization.

The PHCC Educational Foundation is a partnership of industry contractors, manufacturers, and wholesalers with a mission of funding, researching, and developing educational materials for the p-h-c industry.

For more information, contact PHCC, 180 S. Washington St., P.O. Box 6808, Falls Church, VA 22046; 800-533-7694,; 703-237-8100; 703-237-7442 (fax); www.phccweb.org (website).

Sidebar: Obituary

FRESNO, CA — Samuel Alexander, considered a pioneer in central California’s hvac industry, died Aug. 28, 2001. He was 82.

Mr. Alexander entered Fresno Technical High School in 1934, where he studied electricity, plumbing, and millwork.

Upon graduation, he worked for a division of Cherry-Burrell Corp., servicing dairy equipment in the Bakersfield, CA, area. In 1940, he and two partners opened Fresno Equipment sales.

During World War II, he served in the Army 280th Quartermaster Refrigeration Mobile. He was stationed in northern Africa and Italy before being discharged in 1945. In 1946, he opened Sam Alexander Refrigeration. In succeeding years, he opened Sam Alexander Refrigeration/Phoenix, ABRAC Inc., Alren Air Condi-tioning, and Sam Alexander Distributing. The latter two businesses remain in operation.

In 1949, Mr. Alexander married Rose Markarian; she assisted him in business and in raising their two daughters, Sandra (Robert) Papazian and Linda (Philip) Tavlian.

Mr. Alexander also served as president of the Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES) Fresno Chapter, and was a charter member of the San Joaquin Chapter of the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

Remembrances may be sent to the Californian Armenian Home, P.O. Box 7877, Fresno, CA 93747.

Publication date 10/08/2001