With a down economy, customary tensions at a workplace can be magnified, making now a vital time for those in the construction industry to analyze the potential for workplace violence, and how to prevent it. Awareness and communication are vital, said Rick Maltz, president of the Maltz Group.

The 43rd Annual ACCA Conference and Indoor Air Expo of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) attracted a record number of people to the Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center in San Antonio. Attendees were considerably upbeat about the recovery from the recent recession, which had redefined the way organizations have approached business in the last two years.

During the winter months, Dan Hagenhoff, regional manager for Goodman Sales and Distribution, typically hosts numerous dealer meetings. This year got off to a bang as regional staff and personnel from the Goodman Global Group corporate offices were on hand to introduce new Goodman and Amana brand products, sales support programs, and to meet, greet, retain, and recruit HVAC dealers.

Attendees of The Unified Group’s Service Management Forum were given opportunities to take “The Leadership Journey.” The goal: to take leadership to another level. “You lead people and manage things,” pointed out Woody Woodall, W.L. Gary, Washington, D.C. “Everybody in the company has to be a leader.”

The Road to Success Lennox dealer meetings are part business seminar and part pep rally by design, said Jay Gidick, vice president of merchandising and national accounts. “We’re trying to make these meetings entertaining for dealers, and we think it’s working.”

Contractors have looked forward to attending the Indoor Air Expo, a collaboration between the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) and the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA), for several years. This year, a new partner has been added - the Radiant Professionals Alliance (RPA).

The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) will be offering seven education tracks during its 43rd Annual Conference and Indoor Air Expo, taking place from Feb. 15-17. These tracks include Business Fundamentals; Residential Contracting; Commercial Contracting; Technical Excellence; Contracting Leadership; Refrigeration; and Quality Assurance.

The NEWS met with Talbot Gee, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Heating, Airconditioning and Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI). Gee recently assumed his new responsibilities while Don Frendberg has elected to transition to chairman of the association.

“What good is all the high efficiency equipment in the world, if it isn’t being installed correctly?” asked Tom Grunstra, Fujitsu General America’s national trainer for HVAC products, to a classroom full of installation and sales pros.

The theme of the 2010 Annual Fall Conference of the Heating, Airconditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) association was Forging New Frontiers: Sales/Growth/Profit. There was much talk among attendees about the expected slow recovery from the Great Recession, and the general mood was upbeat.