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Summer 2012 | IMAGE

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Bringing Style, Design, and Innovation into homes for the past 150 years

6535 Arlington Blvd. ♦ Falls Church, VA 22042 703-584-1500 ♦ WWW.SOMERVILLESHOWROOM.COM OUR NEW RICHMOND LOCATION IS NOW OPEN!

IMAGE B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S

Plumbing & Mechanical Professionals of Virginia Chairman James S. Steinle Atomic Plumbing 1377 London Bridge Rd Virginia Beach, VA 23453 757-464-2934; Fax 757-363-8403 jim@atomicplumbing.com

Vice Chair Theresa Dagenhart Long’s Corporation 11215-G Lee Hwy Fairfax, VA 22030 703-323-1776; Fax 703-385-7446 longs@longscorp.com

Past Chair Alan Givens Parrish Services 7865 Coppermine Drive Manasass, VA 20109 703-656-2008; Fax 703-656-2006 Alan@ParrishServices.com

Committee Chairs Laurie C. Crigler L & D Associates, Inc. 935 Good Hope Church Rd Aroda, VA 22709 540-948-6230; Fax 540-948-5617 lcc@ldassociatesinc.com

Michael Hurt Long’s Corporation 11215-G Lee Hwy Fairfax, VA 22030 703-323-1776; Fax 703-385-7446 mike@longscorp.com

Lorrie Gore Gundlach Plumbing and Heating Company 7603 Compton Road Richmond, VA 23228 804-288-1951; Fax 804-266-9236 lgore@gundlachco.com

Dan Foley Foley Mechanical, Inc. 8390 Terminal Rd., Unit 1 Lorton, VA 22079 703-339-8030; Fax 703-339-8031 dfoley50@verizon.net

Matthew Kemp Aireco, Inc P.O. Box 414 Savage, MD 20763 703-209-7386; Fax 301-953-1962 mkemp@aireco.com

Executive Director Ali Wines PMPV-VAPHCC P.O. Box 6 Centreville, VA 20122 800-947-7450; Fax 800-947-7415 info@pmpv.org

SUMMER 2012 Volume 77 / Number 2 Senior Editor - Ali Wines

SUMMER 2012

C O N T E N T S

Chairman’s Report - Jim Steinle 4 Graduation - A Special Recognition

6

Ask Ali and Jim

8

PMPV Committee Reports Laurie C. Crigler, Legislative Chair 10 Lorrie Gore, Communications Chair 12 Mike Hurt, Apprenticeship & Education Chair Mike Dearring, Industry Member

14

15

Dan Foley, Networking & Mentoring Chair

16

thank you advertisers

A D I N D E X

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Image is the official magazine of the Plumbing & Mechanical Professionals of Virginia and is published four times annually. PMPV does not necessarily endorse any of the companies advertising in this publication or the views of its writers.

Image is designed and published by Blue Water Publishers, LLC. Articles and information published in this magazine may not be reproduced without written consent of the PMPV or Blue Water Publishers, LLC. The publisher cannot assume responsibility for claims made by advertisers and is not responsible for the opinions expressed by contributing authors.

For more information on advertising, contact Jim Aitkins, Blue Water Publishers, LLC, 22727 - 161st Avenue SE, Monroe, WA 98272 360-805-6474 / fax: 360-805-6475 / jima@bluewaterpublishers.com

Summer 2012 | IMAGE

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C H A I R M A N

TRADE SHOWS AND THE TURNING TIDES OF BUSINESS

Jim Steinle

I

’ve got some exciting news I’d like to share with all of you!

This is news that we can all benefit from regarding the importance of tradeshows as well as helping ourselves turn the corner to more prosperous days ahead.

I went to Ferguson’s Trade Show last month and WOW, I learned a lot. I guess it’s been a few years since I’ve attended a trade show and I had no idea of how important it was; not only for me as an owner, but for my employees as well.

The best part of any gathering of trades people is that you have a chance to talk with all of your industry friends, sales people, manufacturer’s representatives, and of course, all of your competitors - all in one place.

I had a chance to talk to some of the smartest people in the business who took time out of their schedules to attend and be a part of the event. I also had the pleasure of meeting a few new colleagues while also continuing to learn about our ever-changing industry.

I spent time with six different reps while I was there (even missed out on a few) and continued to be amazed that I learned something new from each and every one of them. It is surprising how quickly things change; from how we connect pipes - to the tools that are used to install them. There’s even an App for your smart phone that will diagnose a problem, reset the computer chip, and even let you change settings on a faucet. How cool is that? It was a great reminder to me that trade shows offer valuable information for business owners, office staff and technicians. And an even greater reminder that we should NEVER STOP LEARNING OUR INDUSTRY & BUSINESS! That said, PMPV/VAPHCC will be hosting a trade show in the Northern Virginia area in 2013, and we will provide members with more details as they become available.

On another note, I hope your business is on the up swing because I believe we have turned the corner and are on our way to more profitable years. We have seen an increase in business over the first quarter and have been making changes to help expedite this fortunate turnaround.

One of the things we are doing is trying to make the most out of each and every customer. What I mean by this is, when you run a call; make sure that you explore every possible option or services your customer could possibly need. We do a lot of residential service and we typically go to a job where the customer has a problem or possibly two that needs to be [ 4 ] IMAGE | Summer 2012

fixed, but while we are there, we will surely inspect all of their plumbing and give recommendations to solve any problem that we uncover. We can typically find two to three other small issues that should be addressed before they turn into bigger issues. And not all the time, but more often than not, they do have us fix some of the extra things that we suggest. The one thing I do know is that we wouldn’t do any extra work if we didn’t ask for it. So make the most out of each one of your customers; no matter what trade you are in, and please make sure you do it in a professional manner. After all we are the professionals!

If your business is struggling and you would like some help that’s what PMPV/VAPHCC is all about – bettering the industry by bettering our businesses. Please feel free to give me a call if you would like to discuss what’s happening in your offices (both good and bad). As Chairman and more importantly as a member myself, I will do whatever I can to help or find you the help that your business needs in order to be successful.

Thanks and enjoy the summer ~ it’s the best time of the year!

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[5]

N O I T A U D GRA

A Special Recognition

Plumbing Graduates

By Ali Wines

O

n June 13th, 2012, teachers, employers, distinguished guests, and most importantly family came together to celebrate and congratulate students for four years of hard work in the HVAC and Plumbing Apprenticeship program which lead to their graduation day! These graduates put forth the time, effort, and determination to better their careers in an industry that has proven time and again that if one is well trained – the sky is the limit! It is the hope of both the State and Northern Virginia Board that these well trained professionals will continue their journey to whatever goals they have set for themselves and never, ever stop learning! The old adage of ‘knowledge is power’ is so true! “Congratulations Grads! You have earned the respect and admiration of your peers!”

And just as the graduates are receiving the accolades there are others who deserve special recognition as well: the families of the graduates! We all realize that every story is different and yet there are very few graduates who accomplished this goal on their own. There were families behind the scenes who missed spending time with their loved ones knowing that they had class or work, or maybe they were there encouraging them behind the scenes when frustration and tiredness set it…

Or maybe they were just there to say “you are doing a great job! Keep it up.”

Regardless of the story – a “thank you” is in order to those families who have helped allow these graduates to join the ranks of “well trained professionals.” [ 6 ] IMAGE | Summer 2012

Charles J. Barnett Eric Baskerville Daniel Bennett Jose M. Chicas-Escamilla Malcolm Coleman Lyndon Crosby Paul Demember Daniel Fuentes

Sean P. Gidders Jose Guzman Abdul Hadt Vanna C. Hong Joseph R. Klein John Koduah Walter D. Lopez Jason Martin

Duncan P. Miller Kendrick I. Morton Christian Rivas Robert Sarver Mohammed Sharifi Jerome T. Sweeney Wael G. Thabet Tommy F. Young

Alejo Duarte Ernesto Fernandez Luis H. Hernandez Julius S. Israel Arthur A. Johnson Jr William J. Mahoney Bob A. Malapira Joshua T. McCracken Hoa V. Nguyen

Ayrlon G. Ordonez Nitin Patel Jaime C. Ramos Miguel Angel Soliz Soumphit Tay Diep D. Tran John Tyers John C. Wealthy

HVAC Graduates

Kristopher G. Akin Omar Amaddah Eric Archie Oscar G. Arevalo Jeremy P. Buchanan Mahboob H. Butt Ronnye C. Camacho Josue L. Camarena Carlos A. Cobarrubias

There are a few others who deserve to be recognized.

First the employers who support the Apprenticeship Program by allowing their apprentices to get to class on time and providing them the additional knowledge gained by working in the field. These employers value a well trained professional and their support to the apprentice and the program is paramount! Next the teachers who give up their own evenings to make sure that these students are getting a good and strong understanding of the material for which the public will be dependent upon.

Finally, those behind the scenes who make so much of graduation and special events like the apprenticeship program possible – our sponsors! Whether it be companies like Washington Gas who sponsored the 2012 Apprenticeship Program, or Aireco who sponsored the HVAC portion of the 2012 Graduation, or even Servpro of North Prince William County who sponsored the Plumbing portion of Graduation… Or even the numerous other companies who donate material, space, etc to the betterment of the industry and the education of our industry leaders of the future – “Thank you ALL for your dedication to education and the industry. You each help this industry thrive and we thank you for everything you do.”

Congratulations 2012 Graduates!

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Dear Ali & Jim

Send your questions to askaliandjim@gmail.com

A G M S Y

Dear Ali and Jim, I work in a small office and there are some among us who like to complain and talk trash about others. And by others I mean the office staff, fellow techs, and even the company owner. Now, aside from the fact that it is frustrating to hear and can be hurtful the bottom line is that this individual is no shining example himself. He basically likes to the stir the pot and get people worked up only to then not come through on some of his own job responsibilities. I don’t know what to do about this, if anything. Part of me thinks I should just keep quiet and recognize that’s just him whereas the other part of me wants to tell the boss how much this tech is bringing morale down in the office.

Signed, Trashed Out Dear Trashed Out, There is nothing that can rot away at an office like people who are constantly stirring the pot. And lets face it – we have all known SOMEONE in an office just about everywhere who fits this description!.. You know, that person who will talk about someone behind their back but not to their face… That person who says false or misleading things about another in order to deflect responsibility from themselves… Or even that person who talks about others in a negative way in hopes of making friends or allies to later trash someone else. Neither Jim nor myself really understand what makes someone want to, as you said, ‘stir the pot.’ Its almost like they get some kind of sick pleasure at other peoples expense. You were right to bring this up.

Our first response is to the Management of the Company...If the owners or managers are not seeing this, THAT is the first problem. In the best companies you will find that management IS AWARE of these “talkers” and that they are taking the appropriate steps to either counsel them

A F K P U

B G L Q V

C H M R W

[ 8 ] IMAGE | Summer 2012

D I N S X

E J O T Y

B H N T Z

C I O U

D J P V

E K Q W

F L R X

or taking the steps to replace them. One person CAN bring down an entire office and should NOT be allowed to get away with running off at the mouth for their own gratification.

However, if that is not the case in your company we suggest you first review your company handbook and see if there is any reference to “conduct unbecoming an employee.”

Obviously if it does, you will want to follow those procedural steps. If it doesn’t not – you should consider raising your examples with your supervisor. And by examples, we mean that you should document every time you witness or hear this person talking smack! Once you have multiple occurrences – then raise it with management with a confidential understanding that your name not be referenced.

If you have a strong manager, they will deal with this appropriately and the work environment will improve. If you are not comfortable going to management you can always try a more casual but professional approach. Another option, the next time you hear trash, may be to simply say “man, that’s not cool to be talking trash about X person” and then walk away. If he says anything while you are walking away – just keep walking. You will have shown the other employees that you are above his little games.

There is an old saying out there, “misery loves company.”

Often times others are not happy unless they are able to make someone other than themselves UNHAPPY. As you continue your walk away – just be glad that you are above such juvenile behavior and that you find happiness not in others misfortunes but in your own successes.

Bottom line: Management SHOULD already be aware and taking the appropriate steps to deal with the trash talker!

And in the meantime, don’t stoop to his level by engaging him and recognize that these ‘pot stir’ers’ are everywhere.

It’s how you react that shows/builds character! Good Luck, Ali and Jim

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[9]

COMMITTEE REPORT: Legislative Committee

By Chairwoman, Laurie Crigler

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MPV and the Legislative Committee have WONDERFUL news for our industry! As a direct result of the presentation the Legislative Committee and the concerned plumbers from across Virginia made, DPOR and the Board for Contractors rescinded the policy that we were so upset about, PERMANENTLY. Plumbers may continue to pull submersible pumps, without getting any further licensing from DPOR. The Attorney General, if I understand correctly, decided that this was really a DPOR issue and the Board for Contractors should ultimately make the decision. Our arguments were convincing enough that the Board for Contractors agreed with us.

This reiterates to me that it is extremely important for our association to stay on top of not just legislation, but regulatory issues as well. We will be watching closely to make sure that at the next GA session, there are not bills introduced that change the parameters of what plumbing contractors may and may not do legally.

Thanks to everyone who helped and kept in touch during the past five months. It is heart-warming to know so many contractors really do care about our industry. I was thoroughly impressed with every contractor from whom I heard and what impressed me the most was how important it was to them to remain legal, within their licensing category. There are so many derogatory remarks made about plumbers, so many bad commercials about how we fleece the public, how we are uneducated, how we are slovenly in our appearance on the job, etc. Well, this proved to me, not that I had any doubt, that plumbing contractors are professionals who want to provide a great service and help protect the water quality for the public, for a fair price while making a good living for their families.

PLUMBERS……YOU ROCK!!!!!!!

If you are NOT a member of this association….I ask you WHY NOT? We fight issues like this…issues that affect the livelihoods of a whole lot of folks. So….if you are not a member, get on the phone or e-mail and ask for a membership package. Those of us who ARE members, are working extremely hard to make sure no one takes away your businesses.

Join a professional organization which looks out for the public AND the industry. Don’t just call when there is a crisis…..

Thanks for your support and I look forward to your comments and participation.

Laurie C. Crigler Legislative Chair, PMPV 540-948-6230 (Office) 540-718-3000 (Cell) lcc@ldassociatesinc.com

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COMMITTEE REPORT: Communications Committee

By Communications Chairwoman, Lorrie Gore Dear Fellow PMPV Members, As your Communications Chair, and a strong supporter and user of Linkedin, I thought it was time to delve into a better understanding of Linkedin. I have asked my friend, Rick Curry, to share with our membership more info on how/why Linkedin is so important. Rick is known as the Linkedin specialist here in Richmond and has taught several classes on the topic. I hope you enjoy this article.

Linkedin is all about connecting and building win-win relationships

N

etworking is the cultivating of positive, give-take relationships between two or more people that are beneficial to one another. In the past you had to set aside specific time with which you could network with a group of people, think Chamber of Commerce mixers, industry gettogethers, and conferences.

With the onset of web 2.0, a plethora of social networks and the desire to become more connected, networking can now be an everyday occurrence.

Step 1: Finding The Right People To Connect With While what I’ll be covering in this article can be used on other social networks, with slight modification of course, I will be talking in terms of LinkedIn. If you don’t have an account yet I highly recommend that you get one. First, make sure that your profile is completely filled out, with no typos or grammatical errors. If you’re like me, you may need somebody to edit it for you. Once your profile is filled out completely it’s time to go searching for the right people. Also, keep in mind that you’re about to go big so it’s important that you’ve defined your personal brand. When searching for people to connect with, look for and search out the centers of influence. These are the people that have a lot of connections, a lot of recommendations, give out a lot of recommendations, engage in groups and use LinkedIn fairly consistently.

Complimentary Businesses When looking for people to connect with, try to find people that compliment what you do, people that would be a good referral source and work with the same clients that you work with. An example in many of your cases would be connecting with home contractors or property managers.

Using LinkedIn’s advanced search you can search by geographical area, group affiliations, job title, company, industries and even schools. Once you have narrowed down the people you want to connect with make sure that you read their profile, some of their group posts and maybe even their website. With the internet you never have to go in “cold.” [ 12 ] IMAGE | Summer 2012

Step 2: Connecting With the Right People First, and most importantly, it’s important to note that you’re not trying to collect a huge number of connections, but are instead looking to create mutually beneficial win-win relationships. Also keep in mind that LinkedIn doesn’t like you to connect to just anybody, so it’s important to have a reason for doing so. An idea would be to look for local groups, on LinkedIn, that you can join. Once you join the group, LinkedIn will allow you to choose which group you and the person you’re trying to connect with have in common. Another idea would be to join the group of the person you are trying to connect with, before you attempt to connect with them. Group affiliations are usually on their profile and will typically help to establish a sort of social proof. Just make sure that you comment or start a discussion in the group beforehand.

Again, the idea is to stand out from the crowd, to say something that requires thought, not just the click of the mouse. Of course this will take more work, but what’s three minutes of your time compared to the obvious benefit of connecting with the movers and shakers? Also, not everybody will accept your request to connect, that’s okay, but if you word your initial message correctly your chances skyrocket!

Once they have accepted your request, take another look at their profile and think of a few questions that you can ask them. Usually they will respond back if you worded your request correctly, in that case just reply to their message.

The questions you are going to ask, maybe just one or two, should be open ended and all about your new connection. Remember, you’re a giver and your new connections favorite topic will always be themselves.

How can I know if someone I’m speaking to is a good prospect for you?

This one question will set you apart from everybody else, I’ve used it religiously for years and have had really great success with it, it shows the person you are talking to that you trust them enough to send them your valuable referrals, and they will want to reciprocate.

Step 3: Give, Give, Give Now that you have connected, started a conversation and sent them a note, it’s time to give! If you feel comfortable enough with your connection I want you to consider leaving them a recommendation on LinkedIn. One, this is giving and two, your new connection will be influenced to do the same for you.

Now, I know that you may or may not have done business with this person or their business before; in that case leave them a character recommendation. In other words say something about how helpful they were in answering your questions and how much you learned from them.

If done correctly the odds are very much in your favor that they will write you a recommendation as well.

While you’re out and about, surfing the web you will no doubt come across an article or video that may be of interest to your connection, share it with them . Don’t do this every day of course but by sharing things with your connections that will help them in their business they will come to see you as a valuable friend and will also help to keep you top of mind.

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Step 4: Be A Connector Over time you will, while growing the number of people you’re connected to on LinkedIn, see opportunities to connect two or more of your connections. Do it. Do it as often as possible. This helps to establish yourself as a center of influence and goes back to you being a giver.

Step 5: Don’t Be A Single Serving Friend Don’t be on one day then off for the rest of forever.

Relationships take time. I’m not talking about talking to every one of your connections everyday but intermittently you should pop your head in and say hi, virtually of course.

Comment on their threads in LinkedIn groups, or even on their status updates.

Always remember to add to the conversation, never take away from. Give, give, give.

Conclusion Yes, what I’ve outlined in this post will take time. But it’s well worth it. Put it this way, it’s much better to be connected with 20 people that send you referrals, than 1000 people that don’t even know you exist. Build quality connections. Ones that are mutually beneficial and win-win. Remember, success takes work, success takes time; in other words put in the time required to be successful, along with the things that need to be done and success will be yours!

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[ 13 ]

COMMITTEE REPORT: Apprenticeship & Education Committee Apprenticeship & Education Committee Chairman, Mike Hurt

From Online Education to Apprenticeship Training: There is still work to be done

H

ello again to everyone out there. First things first, allow me to apologize for the lack of the online Continuing Education classes. Our plan was to have that up and running for the membership. However, we have been trying to make it as ‘user-friendly’ as possible and realized that it was not as ready for PRIME TIME as possible. Please stay with us though – we are ALMOST THERE! The program is coming, and as soon as we are “live” we will send out a mass email to everyone letting you know how to access it. Thus, allowing you to earn your CEU credits at a place that supports you and your industry at a reasonable price without leaving the comfort of your home or office.

In April we had a successful State Apprenticeship competition with contestants coming from all over the state to show off their abilities. The competition was held at Servpro of North Prince William County. There were five contestants that competed in the State finals; I would like to thank their employers for sponsoring them. The First place winner, with an all expense paid trip to the National Competition was Justin Duke of D.E. Kirby. Second place with a paid admission to the National Competition was Raymond Hedin III. We can’t leave out the rest of our competitors, as it was a very tight race: Thomas O’Bryen from Baker and Company, Jeremy Balmer with A-1 Sewer and Drain and Warren Leake with Peed Plumbing. Be sure to come support our two competitors at the National Competition at CONNECT 2012, October 3-5, 2012, at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown.

Without successful Apprenticeship Programs none of this would be possible, which brings me to my final topic: Apprenticeship. Our apprenticeship programs are starting to disappear due to lack of participation. I understand that with the current economy that it may be hard for a smaller company to sponsor an apprentice but without students in the classroom, the classroom will disappear.

The average number of new enrollees in the Northern Virginia area has been dropping by approximately fifteen students average per year over the past four years. With decreasing rates like that it won’t take much longer before [ 14 ] IMAGE | Summer 2012

a program goes bankrupt and once a program is gone, getting it back is very difficult. I myself am a product of apprenticeship. I started my first year in the program in 2000, finished the program, and immediately went into a teaching position in the same program seeing the great value of it. Without continued support from the industry, the need for new skilled bodies will be much harder to fill without a way to educate them. So, please support your local Apprenticeship program, as they are supporting your industry with new skilled workers.

And of course, Congratulations to this year’s graduates! JOB WELL DONE!

COMMITTEE REPORT: Industry Committee

By Mike Dearring, Guest Writer & Industry Member

The blue flame is as green as it gets

W

hen homeowners remodel or shop for new appliances today, being “green” is on their minds. They look at energy use guides and take note of Energy Smart™ decals on everything from washers to computers.

But some folks may be missing the forest for the trees when it comes to comparing appliances, the first distinction that should be made is between power sources: natural gas and electricity.

The story starts well before the home. Think back to introductory science class — any time something changes form there is a loss of energy. Natural gas, although treated and transported, is not converted to energy until its use in the home or office.

Compare that to electricity, which must first be generated.

Yes, solar- and wind- derived electricity are “green” power sources, but the reality is that most of the electricity generated in the United States still comes from the burning of coal, and those “clean coal” plants we hear a lot about don’t yet exist. In fact, 93% of sulfur dioxide and 80% of nitrogen oxide generated by the electric utility industry comes from coal power plants.

But generation is just half the story. Most electricity generated at a coal plant will travel great distances over the transmission grid before it is used. By the time most people turn on an electric appliance, they are using only 30% of the original power source — more than two thirds of the energy has dissipated during generation and transmission.

they are “green”, but because they achieve the results homeowners want. Over the years, research has shown that people believe homes equipped primarily with natural gas appliances have a more comfy and cozy feel. And there’s no drop off in style, as the range of modern and classical designs is as broad as ever.

Natural Gas—Efficient by Nature Contrast that to natural gas. Natural gas is delivered directly to homes and workplaces through underground pipelines. When your customers turn on a natural gas appliance, more than 90% of the energy is being used directly to provide a service, from water or space heating to cooking to clothes drying and more.

As a result, homes using gas appliances have far smaller carbon footprints than all-electric homes. Converting an electric home to clean, efficient natural gas is the equivalent of removing 2.8 cars per year from our highways.

Cooking Precise temperature and flame control make natural gas ovens and cooktops the chef’s choice.

Preferred by Homeowners We’ve been trained to think that things that are good for us aren’t as enjoyable. The big news is that most homeowners prefer more efficient natural gas appliances not just because

Space Heating When it comes to forced air systems, natural gas furnaces get the nod from consumers because the air coming out the vent is noticeably warmer—something heat pumps simply can’t deliver.

Natural Gas Fireplaces Long preferred in homes because there’s no backbreaking labor, no soot, no stoking and no clean-up, natural gas fireplaces have recently taken on a new function — efficient space heating.

Homeowners can lower the thermostat for the whole house and still enjoy a comfy, romantic room on the coldest winter night. An assortment of stand-alone models, mean you no longer need to convert existing fireplaces.

Water Heating Natural gas heats water faster than electricity, so the odds of “running out” are smaller. For places where space is limited, the latest tankless water heaters heat on demand using a very small footprint. As their popularity widens, they are rapidly becoming more affordable.

So when your customers ask the “green” question, tell them they don’t have to give up a thing to do a good turn for the planet, and for themselves. Tell them the blue flame is as green as it gets. *Mike Dearring is an Industry Member on the PMPV board’s State Committee. He is also a product specialist at Washington.

Washington Gas has powered the Washington area for more than 160 years. Today, it serves more than 1,000,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in DC, Maryland and Virginia. For questions/comments, Mike can be reached at rdearring@washgas.com or at 703-750-5945.

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COMMITTEE REPORT: Networking & Mentoring Committee

By Networking & Mentoring Committee Chairman, Dan Foley

PAYING IT BACK

I

was honored this year to be asked to emcee the 2012 Apprenticeship Graduation. It made me think back to when I started in the industry. Much of my success today is attributable to the lessons learned at my mentor, Mr. Woolye M. Croker’s side, during the time he spent with me. I regret not letting him know at the time how much I valued our relationship. When you are young, the concept of mortality is hard to comprehend. You believe the good times will last forever.

Twenty years later, I understand that time is precious, especially time with someone who means so much to you.

While I missed my opportunity to thank Mr. Croker directly, I have chosen to express my gratitude in other ways.

Over the years, I have tried to be as generous with my time with my younger employees as Mr. Croker was with his. In particular, I had a young man by the name of Joe come to work for me about five years ago. Joe applied for a job with me, but he had no experience. The last two years on his application were left blank. When I asked about this omission, he looked me in the eye and answered honestly that he had been in prison.

My first thought was to end the interview right then and there and thank Joe for his time. We work in multi-milliondollar homes and for many high-profile clients. I cannot take the risk of hiring a convicted felon. But something made me stop and reconsider. Over the years, I have honed the skill of reading people, and my BS detector is finely tuned. Something told me that this was a good kid who had made some bad decisions. It turned out I was right. Joe had paid dearly for his bad choices, paid his debt to society and was now looking for an honest job.

Joe started out as a truck driver and shop man. He quickly proved worthy of my trust. I enrolled him in the apprenticeship program that fall and he produced all As and Bs. He even won a $1,000 scholarship from our local ACCA chapter.

Joe quickly became my right-hand man. When I dusted off the tools to go on a service call, which still happens now and then, I would take him with me. I would let him run the call, offering guidance and sharing my experience with him.

He offered to run night or weekend emergency calls with me. I had heard this from others before, only to get excuses when I tried to take them up on the offer. Joe was always [ 16 ] IMAGE | Summer 2012

there, whenever I called, to help with these calls.

I knew I had done the right thing when I received a card from Joe’s mother that first Christmas that read in part, “Thank you for giving Joseph the opportunity that has changed his life.” I still keep that card in my desk to remind me that we all have the power to change people’s lives. All it takes is a little bit of time invested. It also serves to remind me to listen to my heart. Your head can lie to you but your heart never does.

Last May, I had reconstructive surgery on my ankle. I put it off as long as I could as I knew it would be disruptive to my business. I’m the kind of person who believes the sun won’t rise if I am not at the office at 5:45 a.m. every morning. I had no idea how I was going to be able to run my business and run our construction jobs while laid up.

I was out for a week after surgery, but I was not able to drive for close to a month. For three weeks, Joe got up at 3:30 a.m., drove 45 minutes to my house, drove me to the office and carried my laptop and any other belongings I needed. At 5 p.m., he did the reverse, through D.C. rush-hour traffic. I know he did not get home until well after 7 p.m.

We devised a way to run virtual service calls. Joe would show me video of the problem on his cell phone, and I would guide him through the solution with my leg up on my desk.

Yes, he racked up plenty of OT, but overtime pay doesn’t even begin to compensate him for this sacrifice. The reality is that I would not have been able to run my company without Joe. Joe eventually graduated from the apprenticeship program and earned his journeyman’s card. I attended his graduation last June and was just as proud of him as his family was. He had advanced to a junior technician position and was an indispensable part of my company. Joe left my company in December to move back to his hometown in Idaho. I was sorrier to lose him as a friend and family member than as an employee. I can only hope that he gained as much from our experience as I did.

Recently, a friend asked me if I would be willing to spend a day with a young man looking to make a change in his life and possibly enter the trade. At 23 years of age, Dan from Philadelphia was looking to make a career choice. His current position did not offer a long-term career path. I offered

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to have him ride around with me for a day to see whether he would like the mechanical trade.

I was out of town the week before the scheduled date, and it hit 90 degrees the day before our ride-around. My phone was ringing nonstop, and I thought, “What an inopportune time to have scheduled this.” But then I caught myself. I was thinking in a selfish manner. My mentor always had time for me. What was one day? Nothing at all, when put in that perspective.

I picked Dan up that morning, and we drove to our first call. My lead tech was on vacation, so we had to do a service call: There was no domestic hot water on a solar/ radiant system we had just installed. The owner could not get a certificate of occupancy without hot water. We quickly found a loose wire connection and purged air out of the heat exchanger. We had a hot DHW tank in no time, and Dan saw firsthand the satisfaction of arriving at job where something was not working and leaving the job with everything in working order.

Our next stop was at ACCA headquarters in Arlington.

Dan sat in on a meeting with Glenn Hourahan, senior vice president of ACCA. I also introduced Dan to Paul Stalknecht, CEO of ACCA, who offered him words of encouragement.

After a quick lunch, it was off to meet my crew installing a commercial steam boiler in a church in D.C. Dan successfully cut and threaded 3” black steel pipe and observed how a steam header is piped. I wanted him to understand the complexity of the project as well as to physically perform some of the work.

I also wanted him to get the feel of working with my team. You have to be able to take some good-natured ribbing to work with my crew, and Dan passed the test.

With cutting oil staining Dan’s hands, it was off to the next project, a remodel project in Chevy Chase, Md. My lead tech, Milivoj, took the time to show Dan how to make a slip and drive joint on a duct run. Then he handed Dan his duct hammer, snips and hand seamers and let him make the next joint all by himself. With just a little guidance, Dan completed the task with all ten fingers still intact. I call that a success.

Then it was off to two new construction jobs, where we walked the jobs, met with the GCs and surveyed the work completed. By this time it was after 5 p.m., and I caught Dan yawning a few times. We had been going hard since 7:30 a.m., and it had been a long day. I wanted to show him a broad cross-section of what we do, [ 18 ] IMAGE | Summer 2012

as well as have him get some hands-on experience.

As we drove from job to job, I felt a wave of emotion sweep over me. It brought me back 20 years to a time when Mr. Croker and I spent Saturday mornings driving to jobs and talking. I heard myself using the same words Mr. Croker would say to me: “Don’t tell me what you can’t do; tell me what you can do.”

“This is how we do the job — the right way. There is no other way.”

“I don’t want to hear excuses. I want to hear that the job is done.”

“If it was easy, anyone could do it.”

“If you are not going to give your best effort, don’t even start.”

As I look around my company, I see gray hair and bald heads. We are not getting any younger. Who is going to do this work in five years? Ten years? We need young men like Dan and Joe in this trade. I need a handful in my company right now. All of us who have earned a good living from the mechanical trades have a duty to share our knowledge and experience with the next generation just getting started.

Someone helped you when you were just getting started.

Now it is time to pay it back. The funny thing is that I guarantee you will gain more from the experience than you give. I know I did.

If you’re a plumbing and heating professional, you know that customers call

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Now, whenever the situation calls for it, you can rely on Bradford White for expert support, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Technical Service and Warranty Support personnel are U.S.-based, right inside our Technical Support facilities in Middleville, Michigan. Each technician goes through a rigorous and extensive training program before they take your call, preparing them with the know-how to diagnose and solve any challenge an expert like you might face in the field.

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