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English has got to be one of the most difficult languages to master, I mean really - A–E–I–O-U and sometimes Y? And, if that weren't enough, let's say a kid wants to get a job in some promising industry. Think of all the abbreviations and acronyms that await.

Inevitably the question comes up when a bunch of contractors are having a group discussion or listening to a seminar speaker: How do you find good workers?

Immigration and selling IAQ.

As a contractor, you have an allegiance to the brand you sell and, for the most part, the manufacturer of that brand. Well, suppose one day that manufacturer came by and hired away your best employee.

Hot summer months are to a/c contractors what Christmas is to retailers. I like this time of year because contractors have to put off reading my column until the next week or so, or until they catch up on all of the service calls they are running in this heat.

Who are the Fabulous Five for 2006? You determine that. For the past seven years, The NEWS has been honoring the best contractors in the business. Not just any contractors, mind you, but the best contractors to work for.

What would you do if you had 500 air conditioning experts in a building where the a/c was a bit on the fritz and temperatures outside were in the 90s? This situation happened at the 18th International Compressor Engineering Conference and 11th International Refrigeration Conference.

Sometimes even a minor change, which benefits everyone involved, can wreak havoc with daily operations. It is interesting to really look at your operation and see how many things you are doing because you have always done it that way.

Residential HVAC contractors traditionally solve space heating and cooling problems. However, a study conducted a few years ago suggested that temperature issues may only occur in 17 percent of homes. If so, there may be a lot of opportunity being missed.

Women in this field are too far and few between. This needs to change. How, though, may be the $64,000 question. Even the far-too-few females in this field struggle with supplying a single, solid solution.