A RECORD OF SUCCESS

In 2016 ACCA revamped the Service Managers Forum and rebranded it as Service Leadership to reflect the true nature of the programming. With the new format, the event drew the highest number of attendees in the past 10 years.

Here is what attendees had to say about the event:

"This was the kind of information I have needed for a very long time," said Joe Egosque of Efficiency Mechanical Inc. in Gilbert, Arizona. "I was very impressed with the quality of speakers, the companies many of them represented, and the content of the message. Even the sessions that I did not necessarily agree with 100 percent were valuable and had points that applied. I will be back and am planning on bringing many others within the company."

"I really liked how most of the workshops I went to were interactive, and the speakers really got us involved," said Maggie Rodriguez of Global A/C & Heating in Palmhurst, Texas. "It definitely kept me engaged and entertained."

"All the speakers at the sessions I attended were very good," said Amy Adolph of B & J Refrigeration in Tuscon, Arizona. "I really liked that every session had talking points and audience participation."

"Service Leadership was a great mix of both residential and commercial topics," said Lon Johnson of Pro-Tech Mechanical Services in Lansing, Michigan. "I learned something from every session I attended."

POWERFUL NEW PROGRAM

Building on the success of the 2016 event, ACCA created a new lineup of learning labs featuring many new and returning speakers to help service leaders throughout the industry get new perspectives on the service business, fresh ideas for motivating their teams, and tried and tested techniques for growing profits. 

Kicking off Service Leadership is Jason Young, a former top level executive for Southwest Airlines. During his opening session, Young is going to dig into a topic that is critical to the growth of every service department in the industry: working successfully with a multi-generational team. He is going to share strategies and techniques that will not only help service leaders, but also their teams, avoid judging people's generational views and, instead, embrace them, coach them, and leverage their ideas and abilities to be more successful.

Service Leaderships also includes 12 learning labs running concurrently over two days and features topics exclusively aimed towards service managers and service employees who aspire to be service managers. Some of the managers and industry experts you will learn from are: Laura DiFilippo, DiFilippo Service Co.; Matt Marsiglio, Flame Furnace; Ben Kelley, CroppMetcalfe Services; Mike Agugliaro, Gold Medal Service and CEO Warrior; Eric Knaak, Isaac Heating & Air Conditioning; Rob Stader, Lee Co.; Edward McFarlane, Haller Enterprises; Carol Grooms, Carolina Comfort Air; Bill Raymond, Frank & Lindy Plumbing, Heating & Cooling; and Sal Vigilante, Vigilante Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning.

The event closes with Jerry Rollins, the director of training at Morris-Jenkins in Charlotte, North Carolina, giving attendees a strategy for developing a powerhouse team. He will share programs and techniques that his company has used to invest in its team members' skills, which has led to overall company growth and success.

"Service Leadership continues to be one of our most popular events, which is why it has continued to grow and thrive for the past decade," said Kevin Holland, ACCA's senior vice president – business operations and membership. "We've packed the schedule with an exciting lineup of learning labs that focuses on leadership principles that all service team members need to be successful. We've brought back some of our most popular speakers and have sought out some new speakers who have experience in not just HVAC, but also plumbing and electrical. This event is about learning, growing, and helping attendees move to the next level of success."

SERVICE MANAGER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Once again this year, ACCA will present the Service Manager of the Year Award to one deserving manager who:

• Is a true leader in their service department and promotes teamwork among his/her team and with other departments within the company;
• Helps his/her team increase their knowledge and experience through training opportunities available from ACCA, manufacturers, distributors, industry consultants, and other in-house and online programs;
• Develops and initiates programs that motivate and recognize team members to excel and go above and beyond the regular scope of their job; and
• Provides superior customer service to all customers and represent the company as the leader in its marketplace.

The nomination form will be available later this summer for company owners, presidents, and general managers to nominate their service managers.

SPONSOR SHOWCASE

To round out the event, attendees can spend time talking to some of the top manufacturers, suppliers, and service providers in the industry in the Sponsor Showcase. Sponsors include: Davisware, Emerson, HVAC Mirage, Jackson Systems, NATE, Nexstar, Service Automation, ServiceTitan, and USA Refrigerants. There are still sponsorship opportunities available, and interested companies should contact Tom Murphy at tom.murphy@acca.org or 703-824-8875.

Registration is open for this event at www.serviceleadershipforum.com or by calling ACCA at 703-575-4477.

Publication date: 5/17/2017

Want more HVAC industry news and information? Join The NEWS on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn today!