Emerson Hosts AHR Contractor Panel
ATLANTA — Emerson hosted an E360 breakfast before the AHR Expo opened its doors Tuesday morning. The event started with a regulatory update on refrigerants. Emerson regulatory affairs manager — air conditioning Jennifer Butsch gave a history on SNAP Rules 20/21 and talked about the pending CARB rulemaking.
That led into a contractor roundtable session moderated by HARDI Chief Executive Office Talbot Gee. The panel included Michael Duffee, owner of Restaurant Equipment Service; Martin Hoover, owner of Empire Heating & Air Conditioning; and Jim Wharton, area vice president of Linc Network.
The contractors were asked the most important item manufacturers and distributors could provide them. The answer coming back was unanimous — education.
“We like the in-person training but at the same time we can’t shut the company down to make sure everyone can go,” Hoover said. “Instead of just having an event on Monday, make it could be Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. That way over the three days everyone could go. Online training is always nice as a back-up.”
Wharton said in regards to education, it is important for the manufacturers to put themselves in the shoes of the contractor.
“The need to get out of the OEM world and into our world,” Wharton said. “They need to teach it by using the KISS principle. We need to know how to explain it to the customer so they understand.”
Publication date: 1/15/2019
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