Regional ReportsSouth

ACCA Concludes Its Largest Annual Conference

Terry Nicholson (left) and Mark Atherstone talked with booth visitors about AirTime 500 and Nature’s Home.

NEW ORLEANS - The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) recently wrapped up its 2004 Conference and Indoor Air Expo at the New Orleans Marriott. According to the national association of HVACR contracting businesses, it was its largest and most successful annual conference ever.

A robotic condensing unit stole the show for visitors to the Carrier booth.

According to ACCA, the 2004 conference atracted 1,500 people over the three-day period. Contractors from across the nation crowded into workshop sessions, a sold-out trade show floor, and standing-room-only general sessions.

"We expected record growth after the success of last year's conference in Palm Springs, but even we were taken by surprise at the level of enthusiasm that greeted this year's event," said Paul T. Stalknecht, president and CEO of ACCA.

Vicki Yorio and Rich Ormrod invited visitors to learn about Cincinnati-based Excellence Alliance Inc. (EAI).

This year's conference featured the largest number of educational workshops ever offered, with classes in five training tracks: Residential Contracting; Commercial Contracting; Marketing & Management; Legal Issues; and Contractor Best Practices.

In his presentation, 2003-2004 Chairman John Saucier announced that, for the first time in its history, ACCA now has contractor members in all 50 states.