The News Plans To Have An Active 2002

Because you’ve asked for it, expect more service and maintenance articles in 2002. It’s not quite official yet, but expect more of these technical articles to appear on our website.

It is our intention to make these added articles available only to subscribers. In the Hvacr Forum on our website, we are currently asking readers what exactly they want to see in this proposed “Subscriber Only” area.

PROACTIVE, NOT REACTIVE

To say the least, The News does not plan to sit tight in 2002. We are going to be proactive.

Instead of wondering what a contractor should be concerned about in this new age of terrorism, The News, along with the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), is hosting a national emergency summit on hvacr system safety and security from terrorist attacks. It will be held Jan. 26 at the Sheraton International Hotel, at the BWI Airport in Baltimore, MD.

Because space is limited, register now. You can go to our website to sign up or you can fill out the registration form found on page 62. Learn from representatives from the White House’s Office of Homeland Security, major manufacturers, commercial contracting companies, academia, law firms, and other related organizations.

Instead of wondering if there will be enough technicians in the years ahead, The News is taking steps in 2002 to help high school students enter the trade. Last year, the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI) was instrumental in helping Milwaukee Public Schools establish an hvacr program at Custer High School in Milwaukee. From that experience, ARI published “Establishing an Hvacr Program In Your School, a How-To Guide.” The News shall put this guide to the test, with the goal of establishing a strong hvacr program for Oakland County schools in Michigan.

Right now, there is an hvacr class available to the 28 school districts in Oakland County, MI. Yet, only 40 students out of a total student population of 225,000 participate in the hvacr class. With help from local Detroit contractors, we plan to boost that program in any way possible.

We had our first visit with the representatives from Oakland County schools last week. Rome was not built in a day. Neither was Custer High School’s program. Training and education editor James Seigel will be providing periodic reports in The News on our progress. Everything we learn from this experience shall be passed along to our readers. Our hope is that contractors around the country can take this ARI “how-to” guide to task, too.

AND GREER’S HERE, TOO

Because The News is always looking for ways to help the contractor, it’s why it now has Charlie Greer aboard. This year Greer will be contributing a monthly report, titled “Survival School.” Greer considers himself the only business consultant dedicated to the hvacr industry “who is willing to put his money where his mouth is and actually demonstrate his sales techniques in the field, proving they work!”

For the record, Greer has accumulated a wealth of practical, hands-on experience that he brings to The News. If you are unfamiliar with Greer, just know that he answered a classified ad for residential replacement people in 1985 and the rest is, as they say, history. He became the top salesman in one of the country’s largest residential replacement contracting companies and eventually took over the position of sales manager and marketing director.

He now travels around the country, conducting hundreds of workshops and seminars. This year Greer will conduct his intense four-day “Survival School” classes in Ft. Meyers, FL. The dates are: Feb. 5-8, March 5-8, and April 16-19. (For more information, go to www.charliegreer.com.)

We are certain you’ll learn from Greer. By all means, let us know what topics you’d like him to discuss.

Skaer is editor-in-chief. He can be reached at 248-244-6446; 248-362-0317 (fax); markskaer@achrnews.com (e-mail).

Publication date: 01/14/2002