ROCKVILLE, Md. - The Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA) announced that four MCAA student chapter finalist teams have been selected to make oral presentations of their bid proposals at MCAA’s 2009-2010 Student Chapter Competition, which will be held March 29, 2010, at the MCAA Annual Convention in San Francisco.

The four finalist teams are from the:

• University of Washington;

• Colorado State University;

• University of Wisconsin – Stout; and

• Oregon State University.

Judges selected the finalists after evaluating proposals submitted by 25 MCAA student chapters and a chapter sponsored by the MCA of Hamilton in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. In addition to the four finalists, teams that submitted proposals were from:

• California State Polytechnic University at Pomona;

• California State Polytechnic University at San Luis Obispo;

• California State University, Sacramento;

• Central Washington University;

• Fairleigh Dickinson University;

• Illinois State University;

• Iowa State University;

• Kent State University;

• McMaster University;

• Milwaukee School of Engineering;

• Northeastern University;

• Northern Kentucky University;

• Pennsylvania State University;

• Pittsburg State University;

• Purdue University;

• Southern Polytechnic State University;

• University of Maryland, College Park;

• University of Nebraska – Lincoln;

• University of Nebraska – Omaha;

• Washington State University;

• Weber State University; and

• Wentworth Institute of Technology.

Kathleen McCauley of McCauley Mechanical Construction Inc. (Bridgeview, Ill.), Roeland F. Hoeke of H.T. Lyons Inc. (Allentown, Pa.), John A. Powell of Marelich Mechanical Company Inc. (Hayward, Calif.), and James Jarvis of J.F. Ahern Co. (Fond du Lac, Wis.) served as the first round judges. A different panel of judges will evaluate the oral presentations.

Each finalist team will have 20 minutes to convince the judges that they are best qualified to perform the proposed work on the project - 15 minutes for a formal oral presentation, and 5 minutes of answering the judges’ questions. Each team’s standing will be determined on a combination of their oral and written scores. This year’s competition is based on an actual project performed by Braconier Plumbing & Heating Co. in Englewood, Colo. - the five-phased renovation of a 42,000-square-foot cafeteria serving the Denver Health Medical Center. As in past years, the prizes will be: $5,000 to the first place team; $2,500 to the second place team; and $1,000 to each of the other finalists. All finalists also will receive a trophy commemorating their achievement.

For more information, visit www.mcaa.org.

Publication date: 02/15/2010