June 2018: Advocating for the Workforce

June 2018

CED

Construction Equipment Distribution Published by AED: Business Fuel for a More Profitable Dealership

Advocating for the Workforce

Special AED Foundation Workforce Development Issue

n Funding Woes n Introducing...

Federal and state funding The AED Foundation declines and stalls; CTE educators work to bridge skills gap

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Road Show

n A Closer Look

Visibility Software’s foresight paves the way to success

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your aed membership provides solutions and options AED’s membership services and benefits are designed to enhance and develop the profitability and continuity of construction equipment dealers by providing tools and resources.

aed legal call counsel AED’s call cousel is a FREE legal hotline for AED members provided by Kopon Airdo, LLC — AED’s general counsel.

Take advantage of this member benefit today, call 312-506-4480 or visit www.koponairdo.com.

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DRIVING DEALERSHIP SUCCESS

VAN KEPPEL COUNTS ON e-EMPHASYS “I would say our revenue, particularly in service, has increased 30% this year. One of the areas that has helped us tremendously is the eService Tech.

Being able to manage that day-by-day, without paper has improved that process greatly.”

BRIAN LODERHOSE, VP - PRODUCT SUPPORT THE G.W. VAN KEPPEL COMPANY

Fully-Integrated Software Solutions Designed for the Equipment Dealer and Rental Industry

Business Intelligence

Mobile Field Service

ERP

CRM Solution

Customer Portals

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>> FROM THE EDITOR

c

SARA SMITH

E

arly on in life, the famous Dr. Seuss book “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” quickly became one of my favorite go-to stories. I would read it over and over again, envisioning and wondering where my life would take me. What was in store for me in the future?

My journey in life has lead me to various adventures throughout the years. But nothing could prepare me for what was in store on that fateful day in January 2015, when I officially joined the AED team.

EDITOR'S As the director of marketing and CED editor-in-chief, I have encountered several memorable DESK experiences meeting members and discovering the construction equipment world. I must admit, I love seeing my friends’ reactions when they ask, “What is it that you do exactly?” and the level of passion I have describing the various aspects of the construction industry.

The excitement never fades when I learn about my next assignment. In fact, this April, I ventured to Sara Smith, Editor in Chief Paris, France, where I was able to learn about innovative construction equipment and the latest machine CED Magazine technology at INTERMAT. One of the special features that makes INTERMAT so unique is the outside ssmith@aednet.org demonstration areas. There was a strong presence of manufacturers who represent AED members that were showcasing a diverse range of products and services as well as unique technology.

As a young professional woman, I am thrilled to be a part of a team that is paving the way for change within the industry.

To be successful, businesses need to leverage the diversity of leadership to improve the quality of decision-making, fuel growth and inspire the next generation. In May, AED hosted its first Women in Construction Equipment Distribution Roundtable.

The event took place in Chicago, where more than 25 participants gathered to enhance their leadership skills and discuss challenges they face in today’s ever-changing workforce. You can re-live the experience on our publication’s website at www.cedmag.com.

With each day, a new opportunity awaits. The association provides a pathway for your employees to understand their unique strengths, network with industry professionals and become educated on new techniques to improve the day-to-day operations within your dealership. Discover the benefits of what your AED membership has to offer by visiting www.aednet.org.

But it doesn’t stop there! We want to hear about your journey within the construction equipment industry and the experiences your AED membership has provided. Tell us your story by sending a quick email to ssmith@aednet.org.

Art by Dr. Seuss

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contents CED Magazine | June 2018

vol. 84 no. 6

www.cedmag.com

>> FEATURES

15-36

The AED Foundation Advocating for the Workforce The AED Foundation is committed to reversing stale stereotypes and attracting young people and talented professionals to the construction equipment industry and keeping employees’ professional skills sharp and effective through long-term education.

22

The AED Foundation Road Show The AED Foundation has recently undergone rebranding. To publicize this new rebranding, the Foundation is hitting the road to visit all of their accredited colleges and present them with new materials, including branded banners and signage with the new Foundation logo.

46

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Bridging the Skills Gap The AED Foundation is committed to reversing stale stereotypes and attracting young people and talented professionals to the construction equipment industry and keeping employees’ professional skills sharp and effective through long-term education.

A Closer Look Visibility Software CEO Sean Pomeroy is counting on slow and steady to win the HR software race.

Visibility Software’s Cyber Recruiter and Cyber Train are just the reliable and proven HR products that AED’s members need to add to their workforce development toolbox.

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contents CED Magazine | June 2018

vol. 84 no. 6

>> EDITORIAL

>>INSIDE

Editor in Chief SARA SMITH ssmith@aednet.org

10 >> Regional Report

Design and Layout KRIS JENSEN-VAN HESTE kjvanheste@gmail.com

>> WRITERS Heidi Bitsoli Clifford Dewitt Black Steve Johnson The AED Foundation Joseph Kay

AED’s online and personalized member experience

Vermeer MidSouth teams with area schools, The AED Foundation to shape the next generation of workers

14 >> The AED Foundation Donor Profile

15 >> Accreditation at Work

The AED Foundation accreditation program enhances schools’ equipment technician programs

The AED Foundation accreditation program helps schools achieve goals

An equipment dealer’s approach to the industry’s technician shortage and accreditation of diesel equipment programs

16 >> Achieving Goals

18 >> A Dealer’s Approach

Karen Algeo Krizman

20 >> Steady Growth

Megan Mattingly-Arthur

Marty McCormack The AED Foundation Larry Ramer

The AED Foundation Accredited and Recognized programs have grown steadily since their inception

21 >> A Tale of Two Schools

Two AED Foundation accredited high school diesel technology programs are teaching valuable skills, networking and more

23 >> Hinds Community College

The AED Foundation hosts an official accreditation ceremony on site at Hinds Community College.

24 >> Salt Lake Community College

>> ADVERTISING Vice President JON CRUTHERS 800-388-0650 ext. 5127 jcruthers@aednet.org Production Manager MARTIN CABRAL 800-388-0650 ext. 5118 mcabral@aednet.org

The AED Foundation hosts an official accreditation ceremony on site at Salt Lake Community College

30 >> Technicians, Both Seasoned and Green

Technicians talk about how they got started and what they love about the industry

LDI earns high accolades from its inaugural cohort

Ontario’s Amaco fuels growth by specializing

40 >> Leadership Development Institute 45 >> A Successful Foundation

Since 1920 Official Publication of

650 E. Algonquin Road, Suite 305 Schaumburg, IL 60173 630-574-0650 fax 630-457-0132

As the official magazine of Associated Equipment Distributors, this publication carries authoritative notices and articles in regard to the activities of the association. In all other respects, the association cannot be responsible for the contents thereof or the opinions of contributors. Copyright © 2018 by Associated Equipment Distributors. Construction Equipment Distribution (ISSN0010-6755) is published monthly as the official journal of Associated Equipment Distributors. Subscription rate – $39 per year for members; $79 per year for nonmembers. Office of publication: 650 E. Algonquin Road, Suite 305, Schaumburg, Ill. 60173 Phone: 630-574-0650. Periodicals postage at Schaumburg, Ill. 60173 and other post offices. Additional entry, Pontiac, Ill. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Construction Equipment Distribution, 650 E. Algonquin Road, Suite 305, Schaumburg, Ill. 60173.

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CED Magazine’s

DigitalTransformation has arrived

Introducing the new...

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Get INVOLVED AED 20 Group About Us The AED 20 Group is a diverse group of dealer principals who meet twice a year to share best practices and new ideas. It also gives members access to financial benchmarking tools to improve business performance and profitability. The AED 20 Group is the ultimate dealer to dealer networking experience.

For More Information For more information, contact Liz McCabe at lmccabe@aednet.org or 630-468-5132.

Why Join The AED 20 Group?

When you join the AED 20 group, you will receive…

• Access to a personalized reporting system used for benchmarking the industry and AED 20 Group members • Monthly comparison statements for review • Specific “C-Level” focus for each meeting • Professional executive development

Share New Techniques Share new techniques and best practices that can be utilized in your dealership

Associated Equipment Distributors 650 E. Algonquin Rd. STE 305, Schaumburg IL, 60173 800-388-0650 info@aednet.org

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Network and Tours Network with your peers and have access to facility tours

Benchmark Benchmark your dealership against the group, as well as average and high-performing AED dealers

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>> FROM THE CHAIRWOMAN DIANE BENCK

Here Are The Top 3 Reasons My Team And I Attend AED Events I find great value in sending my team to these events to help them grow in their careers.

For years, my team and I have been taking advantage of the educational offerings that AED has provided, from Summit to the Financial/HR Symposium to the Washington Fly-In and much more. I find great value in sending my team to these events to help them grow in their careers. What do I think are the most valuable aspects of AED’s educational offerings? Below are the top three benefits my team and I gain from attending AED events: 1. Many AED events are focused specifically on a career path or subject matter that brings like-minded industry members together. These conferences bring people together from across the country, and sometimes from other countries, who all work with the same subject matter. Gathering like-minded individuals in one room gives you the opportunity to meet with many people at once who know your situation. Use the time to build a professional network of individuals you can reach out to when you need them.

2. Getting all these people in one room gives you the opportunity to collaborate and share ideas with your peers. These people may know what you are going through, what challenges you’re facing or what to expect in the future, so they can give you advice and options to help you move forward. It’s always beneficial to talk with people who have been in your shoes. Many AED

events also have workshops or roundtables built into the schedule to provide attendees with a structured way to discuss topics or issues facing the industry. If you’re looking for a more relaxed atmosphere in which to meet with others, take advantage of the opportunity to network at a breakfast, lunch, dinner or reception.

3. There is always more to learn. Our industry and its technology and trends are constantly changing, and it’s important to keep up with the times. AED’s events present new speakers and sessions from year to year to keep up with the hot topics and best practices that will help you enhance your business. These sessions also help you cut through the clutter of doing your own research and let you hear directly from industry experts who can provide focused and concise information about these topics. My team and I always find that we leave these conferences with new ideas and approaches that can be implemented into our dealership.

If you haven’t attended an AED conference, or if it has been a while, I highly encourage you to get involved and attend one that you find beneficial. AED has done a great job with enhancing the educational opportunities for its members over the years. We want to continue down this trajectory, offering top-notch education to the current and next generation of workers in the industry.

We invite you to see the differences that have occurred!

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DO YOUR TECHNICIANS MAKE THE GRADE? “The AED Foundation Technician Certification Program helps evaluate our technicians and helps us get them the specific training they need to improve their individual capabilities. With a lean workforce, you have to be very effective. Having AED-Certified technicians will help us be more efficient and effective.�

David Hyland Vice President, Equipment Corporation of America (ECA)

Not all technicians are created the same. Certify your technicians today, the proof is in their results. Learn more about The AED Foundation and its Certified Technician program by visiting www.aedfoundation.org or call 800-388-0650.

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>> FROM THE PRESIDENT BRIAN P. McGUIRE

How Does Continued Education Enhance Your Business?

A more educated workforce leads to a more productive workforce.

We all know the importance of education, especially in this industry, as skilled workers are in short supply.

But it is important to keep in mind that recruiting well-educated employees is only part of the task. It is also important to provide and maintain continuous education for your current employees. How does this benefit your company? There are quite a few ways.

First, it has been proven that having a well-educated workforce provides more growth for a company and the economy as a whole. Investing in your employees is an important part of contributing to your bottom line.

How does investing in your employees contribute to your bottom line? A more educated workforce leads to a more productive workforce. Educated workers are more driven to perform well and demonstrate their desire to complete tasks. People who know what they’re doing and how to do it tend to be more productive at their jobs, and this will grow your bottom line. And when you grow your bottom line, you will be able to invest more in your company, thus creating a cycle of profit and investment. The bigger your profit becomes, the more opportunity you will have to help your employees and your company succeed. Many studies show that there are widespread benefits for employers and society as a whole from workforce development programs, which lead to more productivity and economic growth.

Another benefit of having a well-educated workforce

is that it provides your company a competitive advantage over other companies. As we know, having educated workers saves your company time and money.

Being able to meet your customers’ needs effectively and quickly turn around a task helps create more profit. This will lead to more customer satisfaction, and satisfied customers are more likely to become repeat customers. All of these factors combined will differentiate your company from others in the market and give you a competitive advantage.

In short, the more educated your employees are, the better your business growth will be. And while we know the challenges involved in recruiting new hires, there are still plenty of ways for your current employees to grow and learn.

AED is pleased to be the association of choice for your organizational needs, especially for educational needs.

We have been working to enhance our educational offerings; we want to continue to offer top-notch education to the current and future workforce. Whether you’re looking for something that can be done in the office, like self-study courses or webinars, or something that takes you away from the office and gives you time to focus on your career, like conferences and seminars, or if you are looking to use technical assessments to determine areas of growth for employees, we have what you need to help your organization grow and thrive.

BRIAN P. McGUIRE is president and CEO of Associated Equipment Distributors. He can be reached at bmcguire@aednet.org.

BRIAN P. MCGUIRE AED President & CEO

ROBERT K. HENDERSON AED Executive Vice President & COO

JASON K. BLAKE AED Senior Vice President & CFO

>> OFFICERS

>> AT-LARGE DIRECTORS

>> REGIONAL DIRECTORS

DIANE BENCK Chairwoman West Side Tractor Sales Co.

PAUL FARRELL Modern Group Ltd. GAYLE HUMPHRIES JCB of Georgia STEVE MEADOWS Berry Companies, Inc. JAMES A. NELSON Heavy Machines, Inc. MATT DI IORIO Ditch Witch Mid-States DAN STRACENER Tractor & Equipment Co.

MICHAEL LALONDE West Reg.

MICHAEL D. BRENNAN Vice Chairman Bramco, LLC RON BARLET Senior Vice President Bejac Corporation MICHAEL VAZQUEZ VP Membership MECO MIAMI Inc. DAVID PRIMROSE VP Canada Finning Ltd. JOHN C. KIMBALL VP of Finance Kimball Equipment Company WES STOWERS Past Chairman Stowers Machinery Corporation WHIT PERRYMAN Foundation Chairman Vermeer Texas-Louisiana

Westrax Machinery, Inc. MATTHEW ROLAND Midwest Reg. Roland Machinery Co. JOHN SHEARER Rocky Mountain Reg. 4 Rivers Equipment, LLC KAREN ZAJICK Northeast Reg. Norris Sales Co. DAVID PRIMROSE Western Canada Reg. Finning Ltd. COREY VANDER MOLEN South Central Reg. Vermeer MidSouth, Inc. MIKE PARIC Eastern Canada Reg. Joe Johnson Equipment Inc. June 2018 | Construction Equipment Distribution | www.cedmag.com | 9

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>> REGIONAL REPORT

AED’s Online and Personalized Member Experience

Have you seen the new www.cedmag.com site? Maybe you’re reading this article on the site right now. Slick design, customized news filters for what’s going on in different aspects of the industry, and the ability to share fresh news with the click of a button.

REGIONAL REPORT

Phil Riggs

If you haven’t made your way over there, I’d encourage you to check it out. It’s just one example of how your association is constantly working to improve your membership experience. Now AED is taking it a step further, personalizing your membership experience by giving you the ability to tell AED exactly what you are interested in.

If you’re an avid reader of CED Magazine, chances are that you’ve navigated through the AED Member Portal before, especially if you have ever registered for an event or searched through the Member Directory. Now, when you update your Member Profile on the AED Member Portal, you have more control over your association experience than ever before.

Your member profile is where you can update your contact info, employer information and, most importantly, which AED services you’re interested in and which ones you’re not. By completing your profile, you’ll be ensuring that your AED membership experience is customized to your preferences.

When you update it, be sure to check out a list of available options for defining your interests and fine-tuning your member experience.

This improved member feature aligns with AED’s long-term commitment to continuously improve your membership value and your experience with the association. Whether it’s providing intelligent insight on industry trends, thought-provoking insight during AED programs, or a forum for you to broaden your network, we are determined to give you the best membership experience possible, and a major part of that is personalizing it. Take that extra minute, update your profile, and make your way over to www.cedmag.com. And don’t forget to let us know what you think!

Now dealers can out-e-commerce e-commerce.

We understand the importance of customer relationships and the parts sales that go along with them.

SmartEquip offers custom branded e-commerce solutions where dealers can connect and sell parts to their customers. We keep your customers off the internet by embedding your storefront right in their service workflow. No more competing with open marketplaces and will-fitters, now you can leverage SmartEquip and keep your customers attached at the hip.

That’s what we call e-commerce.

To find out more, email us at beready@smartequip.com or visit our website.

smartequip.com

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>> INDUSTRY NEWS LiuGong North America Introduces New 9035EZTS Compact Excavator LiuGong North America’s compact 9035EZTS excavator is its first zero-tail-swing model in the 3.5 metric ton class. The rig is an ideal tool for utilities work, residential construction and all other applications benefiting from a mini-excavator’s compact size, ease of transportation and lower cost of operation.

With an operating weight of 8,510 pounds, the 9035EZTS tows easily to and from worksites behind a standard pickup truck. Its 0.14-cubic-yard bucket with 5-foot-7-inch arm reaches digging depths of 11 feet 3 inches. Maximum ground level reach is 18 feet 9 inches.

Model features include a mechanical quick-coupler connecting system that allows operators to easily swap between bucket and attachments.

Zero tail swing means the rig stays completely within its own 6-foot-11-inch by 5-foot-7-inch footprint, allowing operators to work right up against buildings, trees and other barriers. It can also save contractors the expense of shutting down a lane of traffic while working on or along roads and highways.

The 9035EZTS achieved its zero-tail-swing design without compromising cab room or serviceability from its engine and hydraulics placement. It features a full-sized, ROPS-certified cab available in both open and fully enclosed, climate-controlled options.

All 9035EZTS machines feature systems and components that are immediately familiar to the North American market, ensuring high part availability and coast-to-coast serviceability. The 24.4 hp Yanmar Tier 4 Final engine provides the optimum combination of ample power and low fuel consumption, offering high productivity with low operating cost. Robust Kawasaki hydraulics ensure reliable performance and minimize the risk of unscheduled maintenance downtime.

A strong, straight blade with blade float comes standard on all 9035EZTS excavators. The blade provides operators a built-in tool

for ground finishing and smoothing over backfilled trenches. It also lowers the rig’s center of gravity for secure travel over uneven terrain, and operators can set the blade for additional stability during excavation.

Rubber tracks and compact size with low, widely distributed ground pressure greatly reduce the risk of marring a newly paved surface or sensitive ground. Steel tracks are available as an option.

Curb appeal is an often-overlooked added value. The strikingly attractive design of the LiuGong 9035EZTS ensures that current clients and potential customers always see operators looking their best on any job site.

Visit www.liugongna.com.

McCann Industries Opens New Locations in Michigan and Indiana McCann Industries Inc. is pleased to announce that their territory as the exclusive full-line dealer for CASE Construction Equipment has been expanded in both Indiana and Michigan.

The company is opening a new branch in each state to provide a reliable option for the construction industry. Both locations will offer the full line of CASE Construction Equipment for sale or rent, plus parts and service and a line of construction tools. The Indiana location is in Mishawaka, just east of South Bend, and the Michigan location is in Dorr, a few miles south of Grand Rapids.

“We are proud that CASE has expanded our territory, and we look forward to earning the business of equipment owners and operators in these markets,” notes Jim McCann, president and CEO at McCann Industries.

“At McCann we know uptime is everything.

Equipment owners expect responsive service and need quick parts availability backed up with quality service, completed on time and on budget. Exceeding this expectation is our goal.”

In addition to offering the full line of CASE construction equipment, McCann stocks an extensive inventory of tools and light equipment to ensure that contractors have the products they need to get their projects done on time and on budget. Certified technicians are available for routine maintenance and emergency repairs, either in the field or in the shop, for any make or model of equipment.

The new locations are : ▶ Michigan 60 142nd Ave. Dorr, MI 49323 616-371-7250 ▶ Indiana 14077 Esther Ave Mishawaka, IN 46545 574- 406-6800

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>> INDUSTRY NEWS Pettibone Welcomes Palmer Johnson as West Coast Dealer Pettibone/Traverse Lift LLC announces the addition of Palmer Johnson Power Systems to its dealer network. Palmer Johnson will carry Pettibone Extendo and Traverse telehandlers and Cary-Lift pipe and pole handlers for Southern and Central California, while focusing strictly on the Extendo and Traverse product lines in the state of Washington.

“We are thrilled to have Palmer Johnson aboard to represent Pettibone on the West Coast,” said Kyle Rubin, director of sales and marketing for Pettibone. “We are in the midst of launching our next generation telehandlers, including the re-introduction of our traversing boom units, so the timing couldn’t be better to establish this tremendous partnership.”

Founded in 1977, Palmer Johnson is a family-owned business under second-generation management with roughly 120 employees. The company has seven service centers and a network of dealer locations to provide sales, service and support for their customers working in construction, oil and gas, and mining.

Palmer Johnson also had a preexisting relationship with Pettibone

involving various parts, components and tech support.

“Pettibone has been a great company to work with over the years, and we are extremely excited to take our relationship to the next level,” said Susan Schuster, OEM and service programs manager for Palmer Johnson. “With their new products and long-standing name in the lift industry, we look forward to overall success serving new and existing customers.”

In addition to equipment distribution, Palmer Johnson Power Systems specializes in servicing and supplying components for heavy-duty, off-highway transmissions and axles. For more information, call 608-834-5215, or visit www.pjpower.com.

Pettibone/Traverse Lift LLC is part of the Pettibone LLC Heavy Equipment Group. Founded in 1881, Pettibone has been recognized as the industry leader in material handling equipment since the company revolutionized the industry with the first forward-reaching, rough-terrain machines in the 1940s.

For more information, call 906-353-4800 or 800-467-3884, or visit www.gopettibone.com.

Accruit Again Transforms 1031 Exchange Industry with Major Release of Exchange Manager Accruit, a financial technology company specializing in escrow and 1031 exchange services, today announced the general availability of the fifth major release of its Exchange Manager application that makes tax-deferred exchanges of real estate safe, secure and simple for both clients and advisors. With this unique app, investors and advisors can more easily participate in 1031 exchange transactions that provide increased cash flow of up to 40 percent of asset sales.

The only app of its kind, Exchange Manager allows for smooth, efficient and secure management of 1031 exchanges with paperless processing, mobile access, deadline tracking and automated exchange notifications. All documents are handled

through the online system and can be signed electronically. In addition, Exchange Manager allows clients, advisors and tax attorneys to enter data directly into the app and quickly export exchange reports at tax time. It also provides access to deposits, reports and documents at any stage of the process. Transaction data is protected by 256-bit encryption and is filtered through a web application firewall. Additionally, all transaction data is continuously backed up.

“For more than 15 years, Accruit has been the recognized leader in escrow and 1031 exchange solutions. In fact, in 2002, we transformed personal property exchanges with our patented exchange automation platform. Our new web-based and mobile-ready Exchange Manager sets a

new standard in 1031 exchange solutions by streamlining the exchange process for single exchange clients in an industry that relies on manual exchange transactions,” said Karen Kemerling, president and COO, Accruit.

“Accruit has always been known as the leader in 1031 exchange technology, and Exchange Manager offers a huge leap in value to our clients,” said Martin Edwards, Accruit’s EVP, general counsel and a 35year veteran of the 1031 exchange industry.

“Deadline tracking, management of replacement property identification, and the ease of reporting – any one of these alone would qualify Exchange Manager as a big step. Combined, they’re a game changer.

We now spend a lot less time processing and more time adding value for our clients.”

Altorfer Holdings Inc. Acquires Patten Industries, Inc. Since 1957, Altorfer Inc., headquartered in Cedar Rapids, IA has served the construction, agriculture, landscaping and trades, manufacturing, material handling, rental, mining, governmental, trucking and power generation industries.

Altorfer Holdings Inc. is pleased to announce that it has acquired Patten Industries, Inc., the Caterpillar® dealer in northern Illinois and northwest Indiana. The acquisition expands the Caterpillar® service territory currently managed by the Altorfer family. The Altorfer family also operates and manages Altorfer Inc., the Caterpillar® dealer in eastern Iowa, northeast Missouri and central Illinois.

“I am excited and humbled by the opportunity to welcome the dedicated employees of Patten Ind. into the Altorfer family.

Together we will build upon the traditions of both companies in addition to providing a level of customer service unmatched by anyone else”, said Derek Altorfer, President of both companies.

Together, the companies bring 147 years of experience to serving Caterpillar customers.

“We look forward to serving customers in northern Illinois and northwest Indiana and pledge to bring ownership and operational efficiencies to help enhance their success” said Bruce Altorfer, Chairman, Altorfer Inc.

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>> INDUSTRY NEWS Felling Named 2018 Green Manufacturing Award Recipient Felling Trailers Inc. was presented with the 2018 Green Manufacturing Award this past February at the NATM Conference (National Association of Trailer Manufacturers) in Fort Worth, Texas.

NATM’s Green Manufacturing Award was established to recognize manufacturers that have made significant contributions toward improving their environmental impact in their manufacturing processes and facilities.

The award celebrates environmental awareness and protection, as well as the business opportunities created therein.

Felling’s Green Initiatives

Over the course of several years, Felling Trailers Inc. has made the reduction of their environmental footprint a prime focus in the operation of their company. They have done this by setting initiatives in place to maximize energy efficiency and minimize waste. The most recent initiative achieved was obtaining ISO 9001:2015 Certification for their quality management system.

Felling took steps to maximize energy usage by upgrading lighting systems from the use of metal halide bulbs to T8 fluorescent bulbs. “The benefits of the T8 greatly outweigh the transition cost from the metal halide,” said Paul Radjenovich, Felling’s VP of operations. The T8 fixtures use one fourth the electricity of the previous metal halide fixtures, have 30 percent less light loss, and provide 40 times longer life expectancy. Better lighting, better work environment, and the T8 also provides a higher color rendering index (CRI): 85 compared to the 65-70 that the metal halide bulb provides. The higher CRI makes objects and surfaces in a room appear more as they would under natural light, reducing eyestrain and increasing the eye’s ability to see contrast and detail. This not only creates a positive environmental impact, but also gives the company significant savings in operational costs.

The company implemented a partnership with Stericycle, a waste management solution provider, whose services handle pick-up and proper disposal of liquid paint waste, fluorescent light bulbs, metal halide bulbs, and oil-absorbent rags to ensure environmental safeguarding, protection of people, and organizational compliance.

In the period of one year, nearly 8,000 gallons of paint waste was reused as fuel in cement kilns, 165 gallons of paint waste was considered waste-to-energy, and 500 light bulbs were recycled.

Air quality plays a significant part in employee comfort, safety, and performance in a manufacturing environment. Felling recognized this and put into motion their air quality initiative. The company invested in ventilation systems that capture welding fumes and gases at their source and remove them from the workers’ breathing zones.

The captured air is then filtered through a high-efficiency canister filter with a 99.9 percent efficiency rate, exceeding OSHA requirements. Felling’s blast booth is also equipped with its own air filtration system that not only filters the air but returns it to the welding shop floor, helping to maintain the heat of the manufacturing area and better regulate the temperature.

“Our work environment has improved dramatically over the years, not only the air quality but lighting and temperature control as well. The air exchangers allow us to maintain a higher room temperature in the winter by not sucking out a majority of the heat with the dirty air,” said Lyle Mader, special projects coordinator at Felling Trailers.

Felling also implemented a system that utilizes heat produced from the compressor room that houses four large compressors.

The system is configured with two modes: summer and winter. In winter mode, the

warm air is pulled, filtered and pushed into the drying room, supplementing the heat that would otherwise be produced via radiant gas heat from the ceiling. In the summer mode, the warm air is pulled, filtered and pushed outside. The company also took steps to reduce the amount of hazardous air pollutants by using a new paint vendor that offers paint with only 4 percent of the pollutants found in their previous paint.

Along with the award from the National Association of Trailer Manufacturers, there is a cash gift that is directed to a charitable organization of the recipient’s choice.

Felling selected the mikeroweWorks Foundation as the recipient of the Green Award monetary donation. As part of its efforts to debunk myths about the skilled trades and help close the skills gap, the mikeroweWORKS Foundation provides scholarships to qualified individuals willing to learn a trade that is in demand. Since its inception, the Foundation has granted, or helped facilitate the granting of, more than $5 million in technical and vocational education in the United States. “As an industry and company who relies heavily on the skills that result from trade schools, Felling Trailers Inc. proudly selected mikeroweWORKS Foundation to receive our Green Award donation. We are grateful to the other vendors who contributed to this cause as well,” said Brenda Felling Jennissen, president/CEO of Felling Trailers Inc.

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▶ THE AED FOUNDATION DONOR PROFILE

Vermeer MidSouth teams with area school, Foundation to shape

THE NEXT GENERATION

By Heidi Bitsoli One major challenge the heavy equipment industry faces is finding the right talent.

In recent decades, the four-year college experience has been pushed as the grail of job-acquisition goals, but that doesn’t mean an associate’s degree is a dead end in terms of landing a solid career with rewarding pay and plentiful opportunities.

Far from it, in fact.

Several companies are facing those perennial shortages head-on as they work to mold the next generation of heavy equipment worker.

Vermeer MidSouth, Inc., is one of those go-getters. Denny Vander Molen, president of the Jackson, Mississippi–based parts, service and sales company, has dived right in with The AED Foundation to help shape curriculum in his neck of the woods.

Vermeer MidSouth’s neck of the woods, it should be noted, has a pretty sizable reach. The company that started in 1987 with eight workers today employs 63 in five locations that serve all of the Magnolia State and Arkansas, as well as western Tennessee and northern Louisiana.

It’s also been an AED member for nearly two decades – since 1999 – and has long supported The AED Foundation by contributing to the annual campaign and supporting gala events.

Vander Molen’s first involvement with The AED Foundation was in government affairs. “It’s interesting the way the industry engages with the federal government, and how business gets involved with the policymakers,” he says.

His company has also taken advantage of the Foundation’s many educational opportunities, including webinars, seminars and more.

In 2017 Vander Molen served as the Foundation’s president; this year he holds the title of past foundation chair.

He has held many roles at Vermeer MidSouth, from service technician to sales to currently leading the company.

Overall, the AEDF experience “has been good in that it gave me a perspective outside the manufacturer/dealer relationship,” Vander Molen says.

Through being with Vermeer MidSouth (and Vermeer prior to that) and through AED membership, Vander Molen came to realize there was a skills gap in the industry.

That fact was also well documented in the study conducted by The AED Foundation and the College of William & Mary. In the survey, more than half of AED members reported that they struggled to find qualified technicians, a shortcoming that hindered business growth.

“We took initiative to poll service people in our industry, and the results basically said our industry and our community have a problem because we don’t have a good way to train students.”

Vander Molen says that during his term as president, “We expanded on that (on the study) and what it meant to each state.”

Your contribution fuels the work that allows The AED Foundation to develop a dealer model for success. The future of dealerships depend on how we come together to build our industry's workforce. Thank you, Vermeer MidSouth, Inc., for investing in the future of our industry!

To contribute to The AED Foundation annual campaign, visit bit.ly/2018aedfcampaign.

The William & Mary analysis “identified what impact the shortage of technicians has on our industry. It was quite revealing when you look at the total impact.” Among the findings were two of great concern: “We’re not attracting technicians to our industry, and the industry has lots of technicians retiring or on the verge of retiring.”

That in part sparked efforts to ramp up education offerings.

Another motivator was that many in the industry tend to have chronic openings which need to be filled.

One accomplishment was getting a school that was local to Vermeer MidSouth – Hinds Community College in Raymond, Mississippi – AED Foundation accredited.

Previously the program at Hinds was only for transportation.

“Periodically we’d get a diesel student who preferred construction, so we’d attract a student or two.”

Vander Molen, Empire Truck Sales and Stribling Equipment, along with The AED Foundation, encouraged Hinds to explore AED Foundation accreditation, and they ran through the numbers and explained the need. “Our industry employs a lot – from sales to support to technicians.”

Seeing the data, Hinds got behind it. The college is part of a 15-member vocational school in Mississippi, Vander Molen says, that operates as one. “The result was that the Mississippi Community College Board adapted the curriculum to align with AED standards.”

From there, Hinds students could take basic courses and then decide between construction and transportation.

“Since then we’ve gotten a lot of really good students to come through the construction equipment program,” says Vander Molen.

The first class graduated in spring 2017, and nearly 40 have come through the program. “Almost every student has found employment in the industry,” he says.

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Helping Schools Achieve Goals The AED Foundation’s accreditation program for colleges is an asset to equipment technician programs and students’ education

By Larry Ramer One of The AED Foundation’s core missions is helping schools train students to become proficient diesel/equipment technicians. The AED Foundation’s accreditation program for colleges is an important means of accomplishing that goal.

Developed by teams consisting of industry stakeholders, The AED Foundation and each postsecondary school, the accreditation standards are quite rigorous and help facilitate the training of many well-qualified entry-level technicians. In order to meet the tough standards, schools typically partner with local companies.

Accreditation process a boost

Two schools contacted by CED Magazine reported that the accreditation process is very beneficial to their equipment technician programs and to the education of their students.

“The accreditation program helps us assess the effectiveness of our program. It also helps us keep connected with what the industry needs and provides students with skills that are more in demand by the industry,” said Doug Hammond, chair of the Agricultural Engineering Technology Department; Diesel Technology; John Deere Construction & Forestry program at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Cobleskill.

During the accreditation process, Hammond’s department “worked hand in hand with the industry,” including people from dealerships and corporations, reported Hammond, whose department received reaccreditation in 2014.

“The department worked cooperatively to review the standards, map out where and how to teach different concepts, and utilize a technical assessment tool that all of our graduating students take,” said Hammond.

The assessment enables the department to ensure that it is meeting the standards.

The AED Foundation Accreditation also facilitates partnerships between the school and the industry, enabling the department to leverage the expertise of industry stakeholders to hold highly successful job fairs and host prominent guest speakers, Hammond added.

Brett Reasner, Dean of the School of Transportation & Natural Resources Technologies at the Pennsylvania College of Technology, wrote in an email to CED Magazine that “accreditation signifies to prospective students that our curriculum, equipment, facilities and faculty credentials meet industry standards.” The accreditation also helps the department recruit students, facilitates the development of uniform courses of study, and “often leads to equipment donations … from employers,” Reasner wrote. The two programs offered by the college that have received AED Foundation accreditation focus on equipment technology, and one of the two specializes in Caterpillar equipment.

Working with stakeholders

Both Hammond and Reasner said that their departments work closely with industry stakeholders. The participation of such stakeholders in events hosted by SUNY Cobleskill has led to meaningful opportunities for the department’s students, Hammond reported. For example, each year Anderson Equipment hosts 12 to 15 of the department’s students, enabling them to gain experience in dealing with Komatsu equipment and diagnostic systems. John Deere trains the students on its products and gives them the opportunity to work in its dealership. Furthermore, SUNY Cobleskill has an “informal relationship” with Milton CAT. “We are one of the preferred schools for Milton CAT’s student co-op program,” explained Hammond, adding that participating in the co-op gives students potential employment opportunities.

Similarly, Penn College holds career fairs twice during each academic year. “These Penn College events are typically sold out of employer space as the demand for our graduates exceeds the supply,” Reasner reported. Moreover, each student in the programs accredited by the AED Foundation is required to complete a summer internship.

“Internships are a great way for students to explore the many facets of the equipment industry and for employers to ‘test drive’ a future employee,” Reasner stated.

Alumni reap the benefits

Both departments have many successful alumni. For example, Alex Rozon, who graduated with honors from Penn College’s Caterpillar Emphasis program, works as a technician in the materials division of Allen Myers. A Marine Corps veteran, Alex is pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Applied Management online at Penn College. Alex won the mikeroweWORKS Foundation tool scholarship when he was a student at Penn. Dexter Maurer received two associate degrees from Penn College, in Diesel Technician and Heavy Construction Equipment: Technician Emphasis. He is currently putting his degrees to work as a technician with Highway Equipment and Supply.

A student in SUNY Cobleskill’s Diesel Technology program, Kat Habib, graduated in 2014 with honors and received a tool scholarship from the mikeroweWORKS Foundation. Kat currently works as a construction equipment technician at W.I. Clark Company. Courtney Walters graduated with honors from the Diesel Technology; John Deere Construction & Forestry technician program at SUNY Cobleskill in 2013, and she also received a tool scholarship from the mikeroweWORKS Foundation. After graduating, she went to work for JESCO, her sponsoring John Deere dealership.

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The AED Foundation School Partners Northeast Region

Pennsylvania College of Technology Williamsport, PA Accreditation: General, CAT Emphasis Mr. Brett Reasner, Dean of Transportation & Natural Resources Technologies (570) 327-4516 breasner@pct.edu State University of New York at Cobleskill Cobleskill, NY Accreditation: General, Deere Construction & Forestry Mr. Douglas Hammond, Department Chair (518) 255-5529 hammonds@cobleskill.edu White Mountains Community College Berlin, NH Accreditation: General Program Mr. Chuck Palmer, Program Coordinator (603) 342-3092 cpalmer@ccsnh.edu

Southeast Region

Great Lakes Region

Alexandria Technical & Community College Alexandria, MN Accreditation: General Mr. Chris Thompson , Instructor (320) 762-4663 christ@alextech.edu Central Lakes College Staples, MN Accreditation: General Mr. Jeff Klehr, Diesel Equipment Technology Instructor (218) 894-5146 jklehr@clcmn.edu Dakota County Technical College Rosemount, MN Accreditation: General Mr. Joel Fogarty, Instructor (651) 423-8481 joel.fogarty@dctc.edu Ferris State University Big Rapids, MI Accreditation: 4-year General B.S. Program Mr. Gary Maike, Associate Professor, Program Coordinator (231) 591-2816 garymaike@ferris.edu

Florence-Darlington Technical College Florence, SC Accreditation: CAT Dealer Service Technology Mr. Stephen Murphey, Caterpillar Dealer Academy Manager (843) 661-8187 stephen.murphey@fdtc.edu

Lansing Community College/AIS – West Campus Lansing, MI Accreditation: General AIS Construction Equipment Steve Higgins, AIS Training Director (517) 321-8000 shiggins@aisequip.com

South Georgia Technical College Americus, GA Accreditation: CAT ThinkBIG Mr. Don Rountree, Senior Instructor / Internship Manager (229) 931-2076 drountree@southgatech.edu

Minnesota State Community and Technical College Moorhead, MN Accreditation: General Program, CASE Mr. Richard Weber, Diesel Equipment Technology Instructor (218) 299-6857 richard.weber@minnesota.edu

Wake Technical Community College Raleigh, NC Accreditation: General, Deere Construction & Forestry Mr. Paige Kearns, Department Head (919) 866-5257 jpkearns@waketech.edu

Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Sturgeon Bay, WI Accreditation: General Program Mr. Paul Seidler, Instructor, Diesel Equipment Technology (920) 746-4917 paul.seidler@nwtc.edu

Midwest Region

Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny, IA Accreditation: General, CAT Technology Mr. Shea Parsons, Department Chair (515) 964-6239 snparsons@dmacc.edu Illinois Central College East Peoria, IL Accreditation: CAT Dealer Service Technology Mr. Mark Matthews, Program Coordinator (309) 694-8521 mrmatthews@icc.edu Lake Area Technical Institute Watertown, SD Accreditation: Diesel Technology – CAT ThinkBIG Mr. Corey Mushitz, ThinkBIG Instructor (605) 882-5284 ext.433 mushitzc@lakeareatech.edu North Dakota State College of Science Wahpeton, ND Accreditation: General, Komatsu, CAT Dealer Service Technology Mr. Terry Marohl, Professor, Chair Transportation (701) 671-2308 terry.marohl@ndscs.edu Owens Community College Toledo, OH Accreditation: CAT Dealer Service Technology Mr. Drew Grover, Instructor, Caterpillar/Diesel (567) 661-7126 drew_grover@owens.edu

South Central Region

Hinds Community College Raymond, MS Accreditation: General Program Mr. Brent Johnson, Program Coordinator (601) 857-3478 abjohnson@hindscc.edu Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology Okmulgee, OK

Accreditation: Komatsu ACT, CAT Dealer Prep Mr. Terryl Lindsey, Dean, School of Diesel and Heavy Equipment (918) 293-4730 terryl.lindsey@okstate.edu State Technical College of Missouri Linn, MO Accreditation: General, CAT Dealer Service Technology Mr. Ed Frederick, Chair (573) 897-5274 ed.frederick@statetechmo.edu South Plains College Levelland, TX Accreditation: General Mr. Whitney Owens, Program Coordinator (806) 716-2293 wowens@southplainscollege.edu

Rocky Mountain Region

Central Arizona College Coolidge, AZ Accreditation: General Program Mr. Garrett Hurt, Professor of Diesel Technology, Lead Faculty (520) 494-5310 garrett.hurt@centralaz.edu College of Western Idaho Nampa, ID Accreditation: General Program Mr. Alex Beal, Program Chair (208) 562-2341 alexbeal@cwidaho.cc Idaho State University Pocatello, ID Accreditation: General Program Mr. Gerald Holmes, Program Coordinator (208) 282-5814 holmgera@isu.edu Salt Lake Community College Salt Lake City, UT Accreditation: General Program Mr. Bill Kleman, Assistant Professor, Diesel Systems Technology (801) 957-5843 bill.kleman@bruinmail.slcc.edu

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The AED Foundation accredits post-secondary technical programs in construction diesel equipment technology.

These programs prepare students for careers in repairing and maintaining heavy equipment.

These colleges have achieved AED Foundation Accreditation by meeting rigorous national technical standards. The standards are defined by industry task forces with broad representation from AED dealers, manufacturers and accredited colleges under the auspices of The AED Foundation Technical Training Committee.

To become accredited, schools must comprehensively prepare students in all the following disciplines: • Safety & Administrative • Electrical & Electronics • Hydraulics & Hydrostatics • Power Trains • Diesel Engines • Air Conditioning & Heating For more information about AED Foundation School Partners, please contact the Foundation at 800-388-0650.

Visit www.AEDFoundation.org to learn more about technical career promotion and download dealer resources for student recruitment.

West Region

Lane Community College Eugene, OR Accreditation: General Program Mr. Steve Webb, Faculty (541) 463-5708 webbs@lanecc.edu Linn-Benton Community College Albany, OR Accreditation: General, Deere Construction & Forestry Mr. John Alvin, Department Chair (541) 917-4613 alvinjo@linnbenton.edu Portland Community College Accreditation: CAT ThinkBIG Dealer Service Technology Mr. Russ Dunnington, Faculty, Department Chair (971) 722-7488 rdunning@pcc.edu

Reedley College Reedley, CA Accreditation: General Mr. Gary Wenter, Lead Instructor (559) 638-0317 gary.wenter@reedleycollege. edu San Joaquin Delta College Stockton, CA Accreditation: CAT Dealer Service Technician Mr. Brad Hannan, Department Head (209) 954-5518 bhannan@deltacollege.edu Canada Grand Prairie Regional College (GPRC) Fairview, AB Canada Accreditation: CAT ThinkBIG Service Technician Program Mr. Darcy Moss, Chair, Heavy Equipment Technology (780) 835-6765 dmoss@gprc.ab.ca

The AED Foundation Canada College Alliance Program The AED Foundation recognizes the importance of building industry relationships with and bridges among college diesel-equipment technology programs in the U.S. and Canada.

Conestoga College Guelph, ON Canada Programs: Heavy Equipment Techniques; Motive Power Technician–Heavy Duty Equipment Mr. Stephen Speers Chair, Trades and Apprenticeships (519) 824-9390 ext. 6151 speers@conestogac.on.ca

Centennial College Toronto, ON Canada Program: Heavy Duty Equipment Mr. Angelo Spano Coordinator (416) 289-5000 ext. 7261 aspano@centennialcollege.ca Medicine Hat College Medicine Hat, AB Canada Program: Heavy Equipment Technician Mr. Chad Schulz, Coordinator (403) 529-3966 cschulz@mhc.ab.ca Northern Lights College Program: Heavy Duty Equipment Technician – Apprenticeship Mr. Ed Ditner, Instructor Heavy Duty Mechanic (866) 463-6652 ext. 2015 editner@nlc.bc.ca

The AED Foundation Recognition for Secondary School Technical Programs Secondary or high school technical programs become AED Foundation Recognized by meeting technical standards that a) are locally developed and mutually agreed upon by the secondary school, the local AED-accredited college program, and industry stakeholders, b) are derived from and a subset of AED Foundation national technical college standards, and c) provide a rational and seamless progression from secondary to college technical education.

Berks Career and Technology Center AED Recognition: Heavy Equipment Technology Oley, PA Mr. James Mack Heavy Equipment Technology Instructor (801) 826-6639 james.mack@berkscareer.com

Anne Arundel County Public Schools Center of Applied Technology North Severn, MD AED Recognition: Diesel Power Technology Program Mr. Jerry Kepich Program Instructor (410) 969-3100 x 217 jkepich@aacps.org Canyons School District, Canyons Technical Education Center AED Recognition: Diesel Technology Mr. Gary Snow Instructor (801) 826-6639 gary.snow@canyonsdistrict.org

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An Equipment Dealer Approach to the Industry’s Technician Shortage and Accreditation of Diesel-Equipment Technology Programs

By Steve Johnson

Community-Based School-to-Work Initiatives

The AED Foundation is committed to providing solutions to the equipment industry’s shortage of qualified equipment technicians. Community-based school-to-work initiatives have proven successful in the AED Foundation’s workforce efforts, especially in industry–school partnerships resulting in Foundation accreditation of postsecondary diesel-equipment technology programs. Central to the concept is dealer engagement with local technical colleges and high schools graduating students who will attend those technical schools. It is important to encourage local dealers and technical schools to work together to address and meet mutual needs.

Why does the Foundation feel this local engagement is essential?

As equipment technology becomes ever more sophisticated and complex, schools must have industry connections to stay current and meet industry needs.

Many career and technical schools struggle because of scarce program resources. The rigor of AED Foundation technical standards is such that achieving Foundation accreditation may not be possible without the collective support of local dealers.

Local equipment dealers provide the “voice of the industry” as to what they need and expect from graduating students entering the workforce. This leads to ongoing program improvements that advance the interests of all industry stakeholders.

Local industry can provide students with assistance that encourages and enables them to pursue higher education in equipment technology. This can include financial assistance in the form of work-study programs, scholarships, loans, summer jobs, paid internships and other such support. Non-financial support is also important through mentoring, career planning advice, unpaid internships and continuous encouragement.

Student recruitment is a core issue relating to both dealers’ needs for qualified entry-level technicians, and technical schools’ needs for enough students to sustain program quality and financial viability. Recruitment for career and technical schools also tends to be predominantly local. Local partnership groups are better able to plan and implement a comprehensive and ongoing strategy for local student recruitment.

The word “strategy” is important here, because dealers collectively need to be working right now on recruiting and developing the technicians they will hire one, two or even five years down the road. That means a comprehensive local effort at the middle/junior high school, high school and postsecondary levels. Students have many attractive technical career options, and today’s job market requires a real grass-roots approach. This includes, among other things, gaining students’ attention and interest for this career option, changing perceptions of the job

and industry, working directly with and assisting students, and working with schools that effectively educate students.

AED Foundation Accreditation

The approach that The AED Foundation recommends to member dealers for AED Foundation accreditation of dieselequipment technology programs is based on this CommunityBased School-to-Work workforce development philosophy. You will see this throughout the process described below. It’s helpful to look at the accreditation process in five phases, from the very beginning to accreditation of the program. Let’s look at each of these phases separately and in sequence.

Phase 1: Establish a Dealer Task Force to Work with Local Schools The AED Foundation’s accreditation requirements are rigorous enough that many schools will need the involvement of dealers to meet all requirements. The first step is that dealers who are interested in managing their future pipeline of technicians form a local task force and commit to the initiative. The task force should have a project chairman as well as committee chairpersons who will lead work efforts in areas such as curriculum, facilities, equipment and parts, teaching materials, and others.

Next, dealer principals from the task force should contact the local school(s) where they would like to explore possibilities for an AED Foundation-accredited diesel-equipment technology program. Typically, these would be colleges that already have some type of diesel program. It’s not a bad idea to explore several schools at the same time, because some schools may not respond favorably. The meeting’s focus should be that this initiative would meet mutual needs and benefit all involved. Also, it would result in a state-of-the-art program at the college.

Phase 2: Perform a Gap Analysis and Develop an Action Plan The AED Foundation Technical Standards were first published in 1997, the product of a technical task force composed of technical experts from equipment dealers, equipment manufacturers and schools with diesel-equipment technology programs. The “Standards” are updated every three years by the same process and are now in their ninth edition. The goal of the standards is to provide the “voice of the industry” as to what students should know when they graduate from a top postsecondary program. Key areas include Electrical/Electronics, Hydraulics/Hydrostatics, Power Trains, Diesel Engines, A/C and Heating, and Safety and Administration.

Phase 2 involves several technical experts from dealers and the school making comparisons to reveal where a curriculum meets and does not meet Foundation standards; that is, to define the existing “gap” that must be filled before the program can be accredited. The gap will be defined as it relates to the following: The adequacy of the facilities and the environment needed to safely and properly teach the curriculum.

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The full curriculum being offered, including course outlines and lesson plans.

Teaching aids needed, such as parts and components, complete systems, and electric and hydraulic teaching boards.

Equipment available to teach in the six key areas of the AED Foundation Standards.

The AED Foundation recommends that a Foundation Evaluation Team Leader become involved in the initiative during this phase. It is important that the “gap” is accurately defined, because it will be an important part of the map to meeting accreditation requirements without any unfortunate detours that may cost time and money. Once the gap is defined, the task force develops a plan to address it. The plan needs to be supported by the leadership roles of the task force, with specific assignments for task force committees and members, with due dates and goals laid out in the form of a project critical path.

Phase 3: Acquire Equipment and Materials for the Program Acquiring needed equipment and materials for a program can be expensive and present an obstacle to overcome. Yet there are many ways to “skin that cat.” With the many types of construction equipment available, there is no set formula for equipment combinations that will meet AED Foundation standards.

A few things to keep in mind: Consult with an AED Foundation Evaluation Team Leader to ensure that any equipment purchases made will contribute to meeting accreditation requirements.

Equipment can be loaned by dealers by signed agreement; the equipment must be made available on the dates/times when related instruction is scheduled.

Many schools have obtained equipment and materials through federal and state grants.

Dealers should review what is needed and determine what they can collectively donate to the program or provide funding for.

New equipment is not necessarily needed for teaching fundamentals in electric, hydraulics, diesel engines and power trains.

Industry cannot supply everything; the school must be able to invest significantly in facilities, equipment and teaching aids in order to offer a top-flight sustainable program.

Opportunities may exist for schools to obtain, through supporting dealers and their manufacturers, equipment that is no longer used for product testing, components that have been returned under warranty and will never be used again, or items such as hydraulic pumps and motors that are no longer needed for parts or for training purposes.

Phase 4: Develop a Technical Curriculum That Meets The AED Foundation Technical Standards Again, the latest version of The AED Foundation’s “Standards for Construction Equipment Technology” is the reference book for what a two-year, minimum 60-credit-hour postsecondary diesel-equipment technology program curriculum should contain. It is important that the program include classroom instruction in diesel technology theory followed by hands-on

laboratory experiences that directly support that classroom theory.

Involvement of a Foundation Evaluation Team Leader during this stage can be extremely helpful in curriculum development.

The curriculum must cover all the key standards’ areas, including Electrical/Electronics, Hydraulics/Hydrostatics, Power Trains, Diesel Engines, A/C and Heating, and Safety and Administration. It must contain detailed documentation, from course outlines and sequencing, to learning outcomes, to weekly and daily lesson plans. The goal is to create a curriculum that offers an overall consistent and superior learning experience to all students this year, next year and beyond. That’s not to say that the program won’t change; it’s necessary and important to stay current with new technology and teaching methods that will be incorporated into the program over time. The Foundation’s technical standards, as they are regularly updated, will drive some of this change.

Key to the development of the curriculum is the involvement of local industry via the program’s advisory council or board.

This advisory group can keep the school on track as to what their specific needs are. There are times when the advisory council may need to advocate for the school regarding state approvals, curriculum scope and content, and what the program needs in federal and/or state funding to be sustainable.

Phase 5: Evaluation Team Leaders (ETLs) Visit School to Verify Requirements Are Met Once the task force has completed the accreditation plan, an application is submitted to The AED Foundation. The application is designed to fully document all facets of the program. The Foundation sends the application to two assigned ETLs for review. They will contact the school if they have questions, need clarification, or find that additional application materials are needed. Based on the application, the ETLs determine when the program is ready for the onsite ETL visit.

The purpose of the ETLs’ onsite visit is simply to validate that all AED Foundation accreditation requirements have been met.

A typical visit takes a day and a half, during which the following occurs: curriculum is reviewed with faculty, facilities and teaching resources are evaluated, and the ETLs meet with the advisory council, college administrators and students. The decision for recommending that accreditation be conferred on the program rests with the ETLs.

Summary

We want to encourage AED member dealers to become involved with local technical colleges and be able to hire highly qualified entry-level technicians through the AED Foundation accreditation initiatives. Accreditation requires investment of time and resources from involved dealers; however, the return on investment is very real, and will allow dealers to manage their entry-level technician pipeline rather than be subject to the vagaries of the local job market.

If you are interested in learning more about working with your local technical schools to “grow your own technicians,” contact The AED Foundation at 630-574-0650.

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45 Programs at 35 Schools The AED Foundation Accredited and Recognized programs have grown steadily since their inception

By Clifford Dewitt Black There are now 45 AED Foundation Accredited College and Recognized High School diesel technology programs at 35 schools in the U.S. and Canada that are part of The AED Foundation’s School Partnership Program. The AED Foundation Accredited and Recognized programs have grown steadily since their inception, with many reaching full enrollment. The AED Foundation hopes to accredit five additional programs by the end of 2018, for a total of 50 AED accredited/recognized programs.

Addressing the Skilled Worker Shortage

The AED Foundation is actively addressing the serious shortage of skilled professionals in the construction equipment industry through expansion of our “community-based, school-to-work” school partnership strategy. It’s not complex, yet it’s highly sophisticated – we’re putting dealers, manufacturers and educators together on the same page, working toward the common goal of growing a new generation of well-trained, high-quality entry-level technicians.

One such AED Foundation-accredited school that is experiencing firsthand the growth attributed to the school partnership strategy is State Technical College of Missouri. This school offers two AED Foundation-accredited programs: the Heavy Equipment Technology program and the Caterpillar Dealer Service Technology program. Both programs were re-accredited in 2017 and are almost at full capacity.

Ed Frederick, the department chair of The AED Foundationaccredited programs at State Technical College of Missouri, was instrumental in achieving accreditation. “We are now seeing the biggest freshman class in the programs’ history,” said Mr. Frederick. “I think such growth can be attributed to the reputation of the program.” AED Foundation accreditation signals to industry stakeholders that AED Foundation-accredited programs have met rigorous industry-specific national construction equipment technical standards, while simultaneously signifying to students that the program provides the best in diesel-equipment education as defined by the industry they serve.

One of the first steps of the accreditation process is setting up a dealer–college–industry task force that is charged with identifying tasks, time and resources that industry and schools will require to complete accreditation. This dealer–college–industry task force evaluates where the program is and where it needs to be based on AED Foundation Technical Standards. Reflecting on the accreditation process, Mr. Frederick praised the task force, saying, “We could not have achieved accreditation without such industry and dealer support.”

AED Foundation Recognized High School Programs

The AED Foundation recently started a new initiative: its

recognized high school program. The first school in the recognized high school program was at Anne Arundel County Public Schools Center of Applied Technology in Severn, Maryland. Secondary or high school technical programs become AED Foundationrecognized by meeting technical standards that (1) are locally developed and mutually agreed upon by the secondary school, the local AED-accredited college program, and industry stakeholders; (2) are derived from and a subset of AED Foundation national technical college standards; and (3) provide a rational and seamless progression from secondary to college technical education.

Industry needs are the primary driver behind The AED Foundation college enrollment growth, according to James Mack, a heavy equipment instructor at Berks Career and Technology Center. Berks Career and Technology Center is part of The AED Foundation’s High School Recognition Program, which serves 16 high schools in Berks County, Pennsylvania. Speaking of industry job prospects, Mr. Mack said, “In the past five years, there have been more job openings than graduating students.”

AED Foundation accredited and recognized programs allow students to participate in internships, work study arrangements, and externships. These provide opportunities for students to develop relationships with equipment dealers that often lead to great jobs after graduation. Some accredited colleges require

“We are now seeing the biggest freshman class in the programs’ history. I think such growth can be attributed to the reputation of the program.”

Ed Frederick, department chair State Technical College of Missouri students to spend as much as half of their program time working in an internship. The Heavy Equipment Technology program at State Technical College of Missouri has such a requirement. Students are eager to gain this real-world experience and start making money, as these are often paid internships.

If you have been in the heavy equipment industry for any amount of time, you are aware of the shortage of skilled workers.

The community-based, school-to-work partnerships are The AED Foundation’s primary effort to rectify this billion-dollar shortage.

With program enrollment growing and schools all over the U.S. and Canada eyeing AED recognition and accreditation, The AED Foundation’s proactive efforts are beginning to pay off. In the concise words of one AED-recognized program instructor, “Great industry. Opportunity for growth.”

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High School and Diesel Power Two AED Foundation Accredited high school diesel technology programs are teaching their students valuable skills and so much more

By Larry Ramer Two high school diesel technology programs accredited by The AED Foundation are teaching their students valuable skills and enabling them to learn from and network with industry professionals.

Students enrolled in the diesel power technology program at Anne Arundel County Public Schools’ Center of Applied Technology North, located in Maryland, are learning how to “service and repair a wide variety of diesel-powered vehicles and equipment,” wrote Jerry Kepich, the program’s instructor. More specifically, the students receive training in diesel engines, brakes, suspensions and steering, electrical/electronic systems, hydraulic systems and others, Kepich reported.

Obtaining AED Foundation accreditation has helped the program to stay up to date with the changing technology and requirements of industry and employers, noted Kepich.

The Canyons School District’s Canyons Technical Education Center, located in Utah, offers a heavy-duty diesel class accredited

by The AED Foundation. In the class, students learn the principles of steering and suspension, as well as “how to repair everything from tie rods to kingpins,” according to instructor Gary Snow.

Other areas covered by the class include brakes, hydraulics, air conditioning and electrical systems. But overhauling engines is the students’ favorite subject, Snow reported. Moreover, he said, students in the program are taught “how to be professional.”

The AED Foundation is providing Canyons Technical Education Center instructors with additional training and has enabled it to partner with companies in the industry, Snow noted. In conjunction with these partnerships, companies have provided Canyons with surplus equipment. And, said Snow, the accreditation will give Canyons’ graduates “additional clout” and make them more attractive to employers. He added that AED Foundation accreditation has given his program tools that will help it meet its goal of preparing students “to be successful in postsecondary education or career settings.”

Canyons Technical Education Center partners with and is affiliated with Salt Lake Community College, or SLCC. Snow noted that obtaining AED Foundation accreditation has enabled Canyons to become better partners with SLCC. Along with the partnership with SLCC, Canyons participates in the Utah Diesel Technician Pathways program. Created by the state of Utah to prepare high school and college students to join the workforce and provide industry with skilled employees, the program’s participants include high schools, colleges and companies. Through the program, Canyons students “tour shops and work with technicians” in the diesel industry, Snow reported. In addition to obtaining a greater understanding of the qualities that companies are looking for in employees, students are encouraged to talk with companies about career paths, job expectations, and internships.

Meanwhile, students in the Center of Applied Technology North’s diesel technology program have the opportunity to obtain credit from Pennsylvania College of Technology, the University of Northwestern Ohio and the Universal Technical Institute. In general, the center’s goal is to prepare all of its students to “be both college and career ready,” according to its website.

Center of Applied Technology North students have the opportunity to gain work experience and participate in internships. They also visit local diesel service businesses, noted instructor Kepich, who added that “every local diesel service business we visit has at least one or two former graduates employed at their facility.”

One of the Center of Applied Technology North’s graduates, Ross Froat, earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering at Frostburg University and is now the director of engineering and information technology at the American Trucking Association. Another alumnus, Briana Baierlein, completed a diesel certificate program at Universal Technical Institute in Exton, Pennsylvania, and is currently working as a diesel technician for Penske Truck Leasing. Finally, Will and Ben Hild, who are father and son, both graduated from the program and “own a successful marine service company, Hild’s Marine Service,” Kepich reported.

Shouldn’t every high school diesel equipment program be eager to keep up with new trends and give its students more networking opportunities and clout with employers? If you work in such a program and you’re interested in obtaining these important benefits, please contact AED at 800-388-0650.

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Introducing...

The AED Foundation Road Show The AED Foundation has recently undergone rebranding. To publicize this new rebranding, the Foundation is hitting the road to visit all of their accredited colleges and present them with new materials, including branded banners and signage with the new Foundation logo. The Foundation will also be discussing their upcoming endeavors with tomorrow’s workforce to promote collaboration. The AED Foundation Road Show will be a networking opportunity for our dealer members to interact with current students and present them with the benefits of dealership employment.

The AED Foundation is dedicated to the success of its member companies and contributes to their efforts with its various educational and training opportunities. It is no secret that the heavy equipment industry suffers from a skilled labor shortage and an aging workforce. But the Foundation is taking proactive measures to combat these challenges.

It is estimated that the manufacturing sector is losing $180 billion in revenue annually due to this dual threat. The AED Foundation’s three key areas of focus are aimed at cultivating an abundant and stable supply of trained employees for the heavy equipment industry. The areas of focus include accreditation, career promotion, and research.

Marty McCormack, associate director of development and workforce at The AED Foundation, recently stated, “The AED Foundation is working hard to address the technician shortage that is costing the industry $2.4 billion a year in potential revenue.

By working with schools, industry, and government, The AED Foundation is creating a pipeline of qualified diesel technicians that will meet a critical need for the industry now and in the future.”

Look for Marty at the upcoming Road Show; he or one of AED’s six regional managers will be attending all the events. Marty has taken the reins on the Road Show project and is excited to “showcase the good work the schools are doing to educate students on how to be successful in their future careers in the heavy construction equipment industry.”

Aside from creating networking opportunities, the Foundation is looking forward to using the Road Show as a forum to discuss its upcoming endeavors. This aspect of the Road Show is directed at getting instructors, school administration, dealer members, AED Foundation staff, and students on the same page about the direction of the industry and the future of the Foundation.

Some of the Foundation’s future endeavors include the following: ▶ The new High School Recognition Program initiative ▶ Accredit and recognize five new programs, including two new high schools, by the end of 2018 for a total of 50 AED Foundation accredited/recognized programs ▶ Accrediting 15 new schools by the year 2020· ▶ Investment of over $90,000 for each accredited school One endeavor the Foundation will be highlighting during the Road Show is the Certified Technician Program. The program was unveiled last year and is unlike any other in the construction

equipment industry. It allows dealers the chance to assess the expertise of their technicians and market that expertise to their customers. Well-qualified and dedicated technicians add high value to their dealerships by raising profitability and customer satisfaction.

To become eligible for AED Foundation Technician Certification, applicants pass a technical assessment that evaluates diesel equipment core technical knowledge that is fully aligned with the Foundation’s national technical standards. It is their hope to certify

300 technicians through this program, including all graduating students from AED Foundation-accredited colleges.

The staff at The AED Foundation is also looking forward to the upcoming Road Show. AEDF Senior Vice President Jason Blake recently commented, “The AED Foundation is excited to partner with our schools and celebrate the accreditation success. These schools that become accredited are leaders in our industry and are great examples of how industry and education can work together.”

Students are encouraged to come out to the Road Show to mingle with industry leaders and prospective employers. Oh, and did we forget to mention there will be free food and refreshments at the Road Show events? The AED Foundation is always a friend to the starving student. We look forward to seeing you on the road!

22 | www.cedmag.com | Construction Equipment Distribution | June 2018

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The AED Foundation Hosts Official Accreditation Ceremony at

Hinds Community College

By Marty McCormack On April 10, The AED Foundation hosted an official accreditation ceremony at Hinds Community College’s Diesel Technology Academy in Richland, Mississippi, to recognize the hard work that went into accrediting their Diesel Equipment Technology A.A.S. degree program.

Dennis Vander Molen, president of Vermeer MidSouth, Inc., and past chairman of The AED Foundation, served as the master of ceremonies. “This program getting AED Foundation Accreditation is the result of the teamwork and dedication from the staff at Hinds, local dealers, The AED Foundation, The Mississippi Community College Board and the State of Mississippi,” he said.

The commitment from Hinds Community College – especially Brent Johnson, director of diesel equipment technology, and Dr. Chad Stocks, vice president for workforce development / career and technical education – to work with local industry and other partners was a key component in successfully achieving AED Foundation accreditation.

“I cannot say enough about the staff we have at Hinds Community College and their dedication to ensuring that our diesel program met the rigorous standards set forth

by The AED Foundation,” said Dr. Clyde Muse, president of Hinds. “We truly thank The AED Foundation and local industry leaders for their partnership and support.”

Paul Breazeale, president of the Hinds Community College board of trustees, said, “Collaboration between industry and education is important, and I’m glad there are organizations like The AED Foundation out there that help facilitate the accreditation of programs like this. This is an exciting time for Hinds Community College.”

“Addressing the technician shortage that is hampering our industry requires partnerships with local, forward-thinking colleges like Hinds,” said Gerald Swanson, CEO of Stribling Equipment and a key sponsor of this program. “Hinds achieving AED Foundation accreditation is a

milestone, but we must continue to focus on recruiting students into the diesel program.”

Dr. Andrea Mayfield, Executive Director of the Mississippi Community College Board, attended the ceremony and walked away impressed by the collaboration that led to AED Foundation accreditation at Hinds. “I strongly believe that community partnerships like what is in place between Hinds, The AED Foundation, and local industry are the key to local and state economic growth and development,” Mayfield said. “I look forward to seeing how these strategic partnerships benefit students as they move into the workforce with the skills they will need to succeed.”

The AED Foundation’s accreditation process would not be where it is today without the valuable work of volunteer evaluation team leaders (ETLs). They are the experts who spend countless hours visiting schools, working with their staff, and ensuring that the diesel programs meet the Foundation’s rigorous national technical standards. Foundation standards are defined and updated regularly by the equipment industry with representation from dealers, manufacturers and technical colleges. This results in real-world standards that are fully aligned with industry-expressed needs, current with rapidly changing technology, and comprehensive in scope. Foundation accreditation is without a doubt “of the

industry, for the industry.”

“I am truly honored to be one of the many Mississippians who worked collectively to make Hinds Community College the first AED Foundation-accredited heavy equipment technology program in our state,” said Tony Tice, training manager at Thompson Machinery and volunteer ETL for the AED Foundation. “The entire Hinds leadership team and advisory board have created one of the premier programs that I have had the opportunity to visit. A special thanks to Jerry Swanson. His vision to create a true partnership between business and education will be a model for the entire country to follow.” Pat Sullivan, mayor of Richland, attended the ceremony and stated, “I’m happy to see that Hinds Community College is focusing on educating our next generation of leaders with the skills they need in the equipment industry. I look forward to working with The AED Foundation and Hinds Community College in the future as they continue to address the skills gap.”

The AED Foundation is proud of its affiliation with the diesel-equipment technology program at Hinds Community College and many other career and technical colleges via AED Foundation accreditation.

If you are interested in working with your local technical college, contact Steve Johnson at The AED Foundation at sjohnson@ aednet.org and 630-468-5134.

MARTY MCCORMACK is The AED Foundation’s associate director of development and workforce. He can be reached at mmccormack@aednet.org and 630-642-9108.

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The AED Foundation Hosts Official Accreditation Ceremony at

Salt Lake Community College

By Marty McCormack Embarking on a new effort, The AED Foundation hosted an official accreditation ceremony at Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) on April 5 to recognize the hard work that led to accreditation of their diesel-equipment technology program. AED Foundation accreditation for college diesel-equipment technology programs is very rigorous, and schools typically cannot achieve it without industry support. Students, instructors, school administrators, elected officials and local dealers attended the ceremony at Salt Lake Community College’s Meadowbrook Campus.

“The packed house at the SLCC accreditation ceremony shows the teamwork and commitment from educators, local dealers, and The AED Foundation that made this event possible,” said Brian P. McGuire, president and CEO of AED and president of The AED Foundation.

“AED Foundation accreditation is very demanding, and I would like to thank SLCC and our local AED dealers for working collaboratively to achieve it.”

SLCC is the primary postsecondary provider of career and technical education in Salt Lake County, Utah. Associate Professor Bill Kleman is eagerly awaiting the opening of their new Westpointe Workforce Training & Education Center, a 121,000-square-foot facility that will allow SLCC to better provide career and technical education programs to meet the future needs of industry partners. Traditional students, workers needing to retool their career paths and employees seeking to improve their skills at work will benefit greatly from the programs and resources offered at the new center. More than 28,000 students at SLCC campuses are enrolled in CTE courses.

“From the opening of our state-ofthe-art Westpointe Workforce Training & Education Center to earning AED Foundation accreditation, this is an exciting time for Salt Lake Community

College,” said Rick Bouillon, associate V.P. of workforce and economic development at SLCC. “We are committed to making sure our students graduate with the technical skills they need to begin a viable career in a stable industry, and we appreciate the partnership of The AED Foundation and local equipment dealers in collaborating to meet that goal.”

Several local state legislators, including state senators Gene Davis and Luz Escamilla and state representative Sandra Hollins, attended the ceremony. Angela Doan, senior advisor for education to Salt Lake Mayor Jackie Biskupski, was in attendance as well.

“SLCC is a great educational and job training institution, offering many resources to ensure students receive the latest skills training,” said Gene Davis, Utah state senate leader. “Recently, I had the opportunity to see firsthand the partnership between The AED Foundation, local construction equipment dealers and the community college. It’s great to see students getting the training needed to use all the latest technology that will help them get a good-paying job.”

“Once open, SLCC’s Westpointe facility will be a tremendous asset to our

community,” added Luz Escamilla, Utah state senator–1st District. “To address the skills gap and get students interested in careers with many job openings, like the construction equipment industry, it will take innovative thinking and collaboration between industry, education, policymakers, and nonprofits.”

For local dealers, supporting a local technical college or high school program involves time, resources, and financial commitment. However, the result – having a well-qualified pool of graduating entrylevel technicians each year – more than justifies those commitments.

Jeffrey Scott, vice-chairman of The AED Foundation and president of Intermountain Bobcat, said, “It’s refreshing that SLCC is proactively working to address the technician shortage the construction equipment industry is facing and is working with local dealers and The AED Foundation to get results. The technician shortage is not going away, so it’s critical that we continue to work together to address this issue.”

The AED Foundation looks forward to returning to Utah for official recognition ceremonies at Canyons and West Jordan high school districts in the fall as part of its High School Recognition initiative.

MARTY MCCORMACK is The AED Foundation’s associate director of development and workforce. He can be reached at mmccormack@aednet.org and 630-642-9108.

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The AED Foundation Visits West Texas The Foundation Discusses 2018 Goals and South Plains College Accreditation with Local Dealers

By Marty McCormack Representatives from The AED Foundation traveled to Odessa, Texas, in mid-March to meet with local dealers to discuss The AED Foundation’s goals for 2018 and to provide a status update regarding the accreditation of South Plains College. Representatives from ASCO, Vermeer Texas-Louisiana, Kirby-Smith Machinery, Yellowhouse Machinery, H&E Equipment Services and Midland College were in attendance and learned about how The AED Foundation is focused on expanding its accredited college and recognized high school programs. By the end of 2018, the Foundation plans to have 50 Accredited and Recognized programs across North America.

The trip was part of an ongoing effort by The AED Foundation to travel across North America to meet with local dealers, schools and other stakeholders, sharing with them its mission and latest efforts to improve the heavy equipment industry.

The year 2018 is shaping up to be an exciting one for The AED Foundation. Last year, the Foundation rolled out its new Technician Certification Program and this year plans to certify 300 technicians.

Also new in 2018 is the Sales Manager Certification Program, which is an on-demand learning experience designed for sales leaders. The Foundation is committed to continuing to be an industry leader in delivering educational programs to equipment dealers to help improve their businesses.

Despite having the second largest population of any state in the U.S., Texas did not have any AED Foundation-accredited schools until early April, when South Plains College officially received AED Foundation accreditation. Whit Perryman, chairman of The AED Foundation and president of Vermeer Texas-Louisiana, remarked, “I’m thrilled that South Plains College has received Foundation accreditation, as it will give a boost to local dealers and provide future students with the opportunity to build a career in the heavy equipment industry. As chairman of The AED Foundation, I’m focused on expanding the number of AED Foundation accredited and recognized programs in Texas and across the United States and Canada.”

The AED Foundation’s template for accreditation is a “communitybased, school-to-work” plan where local dealers, colleges and industry stakeholders work together to meet mutual needs. The Foundation also recognizes high school diesel-equipment technology programs with its AED Foundation High School Recognition initiative.

“AED Foundation accreditation for college diesel-equipment technology programs is very rigorous, and I want to congratulate the team at South Plains College for their work in making it a reality,” said Jason Blake, senior vice president of The AED Foundation. “A lot of teamwork and collaboration is required to make accreditation successful. Without the help and support of our volunteer evaluation team leaders, school partners and local AED members, accreditation

would not be possible.”

AED Foundation accreditation of South Plains College is not only historic, as this is the first accredited college in Texas, but it will be of critical importance in creating a reliable pipeline of heavy equipment technicians that local dealers will depend on, especially as the Baby Boomer generation moves into retirement.

“It is an honor for South Plains College to receive AED Foundation accreditation and humbling to be the first college in Texas to receive this impressive distinction,” said Rob Blair, dean of technical education at South Plains College. “Educating students with the skills they will need to succeed in the heavy equipment industry and in a rapidly changing economy is important, and I’m proud that South

“It is an honor for South Plains College to receive AED Foundation accreditation and humbling to be the first college in Texas to receive this impressive distinction. Educating students with the skills they will need to succeed in the heavy equipment industry and in a rapidly changing economy is important, and I’m proud that South Plains can be used as an example of how to achieve accreditation for other colleges across Texas.”

— Rob Blair Dean of Technical Education South Plains College

Plains can be used as an example of how to achieve accreditation for other colleges across Texas.”

The AED Foundation will work with local dealers and school officials to host an official accreditation ceremony at South Plains College later this year. The Foundation started hosting official accreditation ceremonies this year at newly accredited college programs and recognized high schools to acknowledge the effort that is required to receive AEDF accreditation and to show policymakers and other stakeholders how AEDF accreditation benefits a local community.

MARTY MCCORMACK is The AED Foundation’s associate director of development and workforce. He can be reached at mmccormack@aednet.org and 630-642-9108.

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As Federal and State Funding Declines and Stalls, CTE Educators Work to

Bridge the Skills Gap

By Megan Mattingly-Arthur For more than three decades, federal grants administered through the Perkins Act have helped fund career and technical education (CTE) programs at high schools and colleges all across the country.

Now, at a time when CTE funding is desperately needed to help address an ongoing skilled labor shortage, this longtime source of vital funding could be in jeopardy.

Congress authorized the first version of the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act in 1984, reauthorizing the law in 1998 and 2006. Though the Perkins Act officially expired in 2016, Congress has repeatedly used budget authorizations to keep the law limping along.

In June of 2017, the House unanimously passed the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, a bipartisan bill to reauthorize and update the Perkins Act. Despite enjoying support from employers, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, the bill has yet to be taken up by the Senate.

“As long as the economy and job market are good, and there are good jobs and good wages out there, there aren’t a lot of people screaming and hollering that they need help, so there’s not a lot of pressure on Congress to make an issue like CTE funding a priority,” said Ed Frederick, heavy equipment department chair for State Technical College of Missouri.

A longtime CTE educator, Frederick has learned not to hang his hat on federal funding. Perkins Act funding has declined substantially over the past decade and, at the State Technical College of Missouri – also known as StateTechMo – it now accounts for just 6/10 of 1 percent of the school’s overall budget.

State appropriations have traditionally been a significant source of funding for the college but those, too, have decreased in recent years.

In the absence of adequate state and federal funding, CTE educators like Frederick have come to rely on partnerships formed with local businesses. These businesses support CTE programs in a number of key ways, including providing paid internships for students completing heavy equipment applied sciences programs and hiring StateTechMo graduates.

“What we really need at our level is more partnerships with employers,” he said. “It’s up to us, as an educational institution, and our partners to make this work.

Any help we get from the state or federal government just makes our job easier – instead of us having to scrape for money and trying to figure out how we’re going to deliver quality education with less and less funding.”

The battle for state and federal funding isn’t the only struggle CTE educators like Frederick face.

“One of the biggest challenges is finding quality applicants,” he said. “Coming out of high school, many of these kids don’t have the skill sets to be successful at a college level without a good remediation course. The companies that hire our graduates not only want them to be technically sound and able to work with their hands, they need to be able to think through problems and have the communication, math, and social skills to interact with peers and customers on a daily basis.”

Additionally, many high school counselors and administrators continue to emphasize four-year paths for most students, despite the many lucrative opportunities that exist for those who work in skilled trade careers.

“Our programs have one to four paid internships over five semesters, and some of our students make $15 to $18 an hour when they graduate,” Frederick said. “Five years down the road, their salary will be in the mid-to-upper $40,000 range, not counting overtime or benefits. A lot of four-year graduates aren’t even in that position.”

Brandon McElwain, director of marketing for StateTechMo, agreed: “On average, 10 years after graduating, our students make more money per year than the average student coming out of a four-year school or community college – that’s something we want people to realize. We have to educate people from the top to the bottom – particularly guidance counselors and school officials – that this is a very lucrative field for students to go into. We shouldn’t be your third or fourth choice, you should consider us from the start because we take students who are intelligent and innovative, and train them for very successful careers.”

To learn more about AED-Foundation accredited programs at the State Technical College of Missouri, please visit www.statetechmo.edu or connect with the school on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Instagram.

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AED Certified Technician of the Month: Austin Shealy

By Megan Mattingly-Arthur People in the heavy equipment industry have long known truths that those in education and the general public have yet to grasp. For example, contrary to popular belief, a four-year college degree isn’t strictly necessary in order to have a successful career, and promoting a four-year college education to all students may not be in their best interest when many would be better served training for a technical career. After all, not everyone does well in a traditional education environment. Technical careers in the heavy equipment industry give enterprising young people who enjoy working with their hands an opportunity to thrive, as well as a sense of accomplishment they might not have experienced in school.

Twenty-one-year-old technician Austin Shealy is a perfect example. Just a few years ago, he was a teenager who was struggling through high school and wanting to drop out. His mom had a better idea: Get a job and finish school online, or move out of the house. It was just the push Shealy needed.

“I was attending a private school and wanted to drop out,” he said. “I truly hated school and if I had dropped out, who knows where I would be today. I am really glad my mom pushed me the way she did. I know I was tough to raise, but somehow, she knew I was smart and was not going to be a failure, even though it was very obvious that I was not going to college. I know God gives everyone a talent, sometimes you just have to dig deep to find it. I was always mechanically inclined and would help around our farm fixing things and fixing cars. I was never one to sit around, so I knew an office job was not my thing.”

Shealy completed his junior and senior years of high school online, graduating in 2015. While finishing school, he got a job at Bell Automotive and Diesel Service, a small local shop owned and operated by an experienced diesel and automotive technician. Shealy worked there for a year, repairing all types of cars, diesel trucks and equipment – and, most importantly, learning the basics. He went on to accept a shop mechanic position with Worldwide Equipment, a larger commercial shop

where he worked on over-the-road trucks.

“I will always be grateful to Tommy Bell for giving me my first job; it was my start there that enabled me to get where I am today,” said Shealy. “I enjoyed the jobs I had at Bell Automotive and Worldwide Equipment, working alongside some great technicians. These first jobs also instilled a good work ethic in me; I was always on time – or early – for work and still am today. I realized pretty quickly that, if I was going to be successful, I had to do my best and work hard.”

While at Worldwide Machinery, several of Shealy’s co-workers and mentors suggested he enter the Caterpillar ThinkBIG program at Blanchard Machinery – an AEDFoundation accredited work-study training program, consisting of five eight-week paid internships at the dealership and five eightweek semesters of schooling at FlorenceDarlington Technical College. The program was intense, but Shealy excelled.

“When I realized I liked the work and was good at it, I had the confidence to do my best every day,” he said. “Even though it was like school in a lot of ways, because I liked it, I did not mind studying and I loved it when I made good grades.”

Shealy graduated the ThinkBIG program with honors, becoming a full-time diesel

heavy equipment technician at Blanchard Machinery in May of 2017. He was also recently certified through The AED Foundation’s Certified Technician Program.

Shealy loves the variety that comes with the job, as well as the security of being well trained and certified for a position that’s in high demand.

“Most of my friends are not even out of college yet and have no idea what they want to do,” Shealy said. “At just 21, I have a good head start, some great training, and I love what I do every day, so I know I’ll be just fine.”

For those who may be considering a career as a technician in the heavy equipment industry, Shealy has this advice: “Finish high school strong, because you really do need some of the skills. Expect to work hard, and work alongside as many good mechanics as you can – learn as much as you can from them. Also, get as much hands-on training as you can and as many certifications as you can get your hands on.

It will be to your benefit.”

To learn more about The AED Foundation’s Certified Technician Program, call 630-574-0650, email info@aednet. org or visit aedfoundation.org/certifiedtechnician-program. The AED Foundation is also on Facebook and Twitter.

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THE AED FOUNDATION

CERTIFIED TECHNICIAN PROGRAM NOT ALL TECHNICIANS ARE CREATED EQUAL

“

For dealers, the certification program provides an objective measure of technicians’ qualifications – that’s something that’s marketable to customers and it can help raise the technical bar at dealerships.

“

- Jim McCann

AED Foundation Technician Certification is the first of its kind for the construction equipment industry. The program offers dealers the opportunity to measure the expertise of their technicians, as well as market that expertise to their customers. Well-qualified and committed technicians add tremendous value to their dealerships contributing to both profitability and customer satisfaction.

Certification is a vehicle to identify and recognize qualifying technicians as the critically important segment of the dealer workforce they are. To qualify for AED Foundation Technician Certification, applicants must pass a technical assessment that evaluates diesel-equipment core technology and is fully aligned with The AED Foundation’s national technical standards.

BENEFITS

Benchmark

Improve

Reward & Retention

Save Time & Money

Compare your results with broader industry results.

Focus on technicians’ continuous improvement.

Demonstrate that you value technicians’ significant contribution toward dealer success.

Avoid hiring a technician that doesn’t have the technical knowledge to meet customer needs.

Ask an AED Foundation Representative how to get your technicians enrolled in the Certified Technician Program today, 800-388-0650.

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S AT I S FA C T I O N

CUSTOMER

THE DEALER PATHWAY TO

Recruit qualified technicians from The AED Foundation Accredited colleges

Hire Qualified Technicians

Differentiate your dealership from others in your market

Grow Your Market Share

Identify areas where additional technical education is needed using AED Foundation Technical Assessments

Continuous Technical Education

Use AED Foundation Technical Assessment and Technician Certification as tools to plan for greater service department efficiency, profitability and customer satisfaction

Satisfied Customer Repeat Business

Demonstrate and market your technicians’ expertise to customers with The AED Foundation Certified Technician Program

Fast Efficient Repairs & Increased Revenue & Profitability

Recruit qualified technicians from The AED Foundation Accredited college

Hire Qualified Technicians

Technicians, Green and Seasoned Discuss How They Got Started in the Heavy Equipment Industry

By Megan Mattingly-Arthur With the heavy equipment industry experiencing a costly technician shortage, it’s become more important than ever to find out just what brings people to the field, as well as what keeps them there.

CED Magazine spoke with several heavy equipment technicians – all at various stages in their careers – from AED member companies like Emery Equipment, Newman Tractor, CLM Equipment and Whayne Supply Company. CED was eager to learn how they got their start, where their career paths took them, what they love about their jobs, what types of training and education they needed to be successful, and any advice they might have for others considering a career as a heavy equipment technician.

Jacob Taylor, Emery Equipment

As far as technicians go, Jacob Taylor is about as green as they come. Fresh out of school, he’s only worked in the industry for about three months – though he’s been interested in heavy equipment and machinery for as long as he can remember.

Looking for an opportunity to do what he loves, Taylor approached technician recruiting company Find a Wrench, which placed him with Emery Equipment Sales and Rentals, a Bobcat dealer located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. So far, it’s been a great fit.

“I have always enjoyed taking stuff apart to see how it works – and, for now, learning how everything works is my favorite thing about working as a heavy equipment technician,” Taylor said. “Emery Equipment gave me the opportunity to show them what I knew, and I like that the company has a family feel to it. It’s not a large company employee-wise, so we all pull together to get things done.”

Taylor recommends mechanical, electrical and hydraulic training for those interested in becoming technicians. Having just entered the field, his current career goals are to work hard and keep his nose to the grindstone.

“My goals are to learn all I can about the equipment we work on so I can become a more well-rounded technician and increase my value to the company.”

For more information on Emery Equipment, visit emeryequipment.com.

Jimmy Speier, Newman Tractor

Though he’s just two years into a heavy equipment career, Jimmy Speier has always been fascinated by how equipment operates. However, becoming a heavy equipment technician wasn’t his first foray into the world of trade skills. After graduating high school, Speier completed a nine-month structural and pipe-welding program at the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology in Troy, Ohio. Now he works at construction equipment dealer Newman Tractor’s Cincinnati-area dealership where he’s able to use his welding and mechanical skills, as well as receive manufacturer training from Bell Trucks America.

“I got my start as a welder, and I’ve been doing welding and working as a mechanical technician,” Speier said. “Now that I’ve been around the equipment, I have a better understanding of how most things work and operate. I’m happy with the decision I made to start this career.”

Speier plans to keep moving forward on his career path by learning new things daily, living every day to the fullest and having a positive attitude. He has this advice for those pursuing a career as a heavy equipment technician: “Always take advice from the older technicians. They’ve been doing this for a long time and have some nice little tricks of the trade up their sleeves. Also, always be aware of your surroundings; this equipment has no mercy.”

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Nate Pietrosky, Newman Tractor

Nate Pietrosky has worked in the heavy equipment industry for 18 years. Diesel mechanics is in his blood. Pietrosky’s dad was a lifelong technician who taught diesel mechanics for nearly 30 years at the same vocational school his son attended.

After learning the basics from his dad, both at home and in the classroom, Pietrosky attended technical college on a diesel mechanics scholarship. His first technician job was working on off-road equipment at a rental company.

From there, Pietrosky’s career path took him to a tractor dealership where he serviced agricultural equipment. He eventually found his perfect fit at Newman Tractor, where he’s worked for the past 14 years – first in the shop and now as a field service mechanic working on earthmoving equipment.

“I saw the field service mechanics out on the road working and always thought that would be a really fun job because I like working outside. So I moved from the shop into a field service truck,” Pietrosky said.

As far as career goals go, Pietrosky is right where he wants to be, though he says he’ll never stop learning new things and striving to be the best.

Pietrosky recommends that prospective technicians attend a reputable vocational school or technical college, prepare to start at the bottom and work hard, take advantage of any in-house training provided at the dealership, and soak up as much knowledge as they can from experienced technicians. “The heavy equipment industry is growing and we need good, hardworking, quality mechanics in the field,” he said. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s a very satisfying job and the pay is excellent.”

To learn more about Newman Tractor, visit www.newmantractor.com.

Jason Thibodeaux, CLM Equipment

Jason Thibodeaux has always been mechanically inclined. After high school, he attended the Universal Technical Institute in Houston and got his first mechanics job as a helper in the automotive industry. But it wasn’t meant to be, and Thibodeaux found himself leaving the automotive world, first for heavy trucks and, finally, for heavy equipment. He’s spent the past 11 years working at CLM Equipment’s Broussard, Louisiana, location; the company provides heavy equipment sales, rentals, parts and service for commercial, municipal and industrial customers.

“The satisfaction of getting a customer up and running again is what I like best about being a technician – and the people I work with at CLM,” Thibodeaux said. “The challenge of learning something new is what originally drew me to this type of work.”

Thibodeaux is currently working toward obtaining a number of manufacturer certifications. His advice to would-be technicians is to stick with it, always be willing to learn, and take multiple manufacturers’ training classes.

Chris Stetz, CLM Equipment

Technician Chris Stetz has 35 years of experience in the heavy equipment industry. After graduating from a two-year diesel mechanics program at SOWELA Technical Community College in 1984, he was hired to work at CLM’s Lake Charles area location and has been there ever since.

“The thing I like best about CLM is that it’s a privately owned dealership and the owner, Floyd Degueyter, is great to work for,” Stetz said. “I’ve watched his kids grow up and have now started to work under them as new owners.”

Stetz started as a clean-up and wash hand at CLM, then moved into the shop to do services and minor repairs. He also worked as a road technician before becoming a truck driver who hauled equipment. Stetz even tried his hand at being a service manager, but found that it just wasn’t for him. So he returned to what he loves: being on the road.

“At this point in my career, my goals are not moving up into management, but staying on the road for as long as I can and, if my health holds up, working in a shop in the future until retirement,” Stetz said. “Troubleshooting is what I like best about working as a technician.

Unlike patients, who can tell a doctor what’s wrong, a machine cannot, and we have to get it right.”

Stetz recommends that people serious about having a career as a technician learn basic technical work like hydraulics, electrical, and engines, and keep computer skills up to date to keep up with advances in equipment.

Visit www.clmequipment.com for more information on CLM Equipment.

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“If I didn’t learn a trade, there’s no telling where I’d be right now. A lot of schools tell you that if you don’t go to a fouryear college, you’re not going to be anything, and that’s just not true – sometimes people in trade careers are even more successful than people with four-year degrees.”

— John Daddona Whayne Supply Company

John Daddona, Whayne Supply Company

John Daddona is a testament to the importance of career and technical education. Just a few years ago, he was a high school student with an interest in becoming a technician – and a heavy equipment sciences instructor committed to helping him make it happen. Now Daddona’s a Caterpillar ThinkBIG graduate and a Whayne Supply Company technician with nearly five years of experience under his belt.

“I didn’t want a job that was going to be the same old thing every day, and I wanted to be valuable to a company and have a job that wasn’t easily replaceable,” Daddona said. “I have to give Dave Myers, the heavy equipment instructor at Fairdale High School, a lot of credit for where I am now. He introduced me to the ThinkBIG program through Whayne Supply.”

For the last two years of high school, Daddona alternated between eight weeks at school and eight weeks of hands-on training. When he’d finished the ThinkBIG program and high school, he had an associate’s degree and a full-time job at Whayne Supply. He hopes to one day become a field service technician for the company, but in the meantime is working hard and learning as much as he can.

Daddona is grateful that his high school emphasized trade career paths and said that, in general, schools don’t do enough to introduce kids to trade careers.

“If I didn’t learn a trade, there’s no telling where I’d be right now,” he said. “A lot of schools tell you that if you don’t go to a four-year college, you’re not going to be anything, and that’s just not true – sometimes people in trade careers are even more successful than people with four-year degrees.”

Chad Martin, Whayne Supply Company

Chad Martin’s been working in the heavy equipment industry since 2011, but as the grandson of the president of Miller Bros. Coal Inc., he’s grown up around heavy equipment his entire life. As a child, he helped out at his grandfather’s shops doing whatever was asked of him so that he could spend more time around the machines that fascinated him.

Martin attended Alice Lloyd College, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and accounting, and while in school he completed the Caterpillar ThinkBIG program to further his education and gain hands-on experience.

“My grandpa was a longtime business partner with Whayne Supply, and that’s how I found out about the ThinkBIG program,” Martin said. “I knew I wanted to go as soon as I heard about it.”

After graduating from the ThinkBIG program in 2013, Martin relocated to Whayne Supply’s Lexington, Kentucky, branch, where his education and mechanical experience allowed him to show his skills and rise quickly through the ranks of the dealership. Last year he accepted a position as earthmoving shop supervisor at the Lexington branch and hopes to advance further in management at Whayne Supply.

“This company has me on the path to achieve my goals,” Martin said.

“Whayne Supply is a great company that offers endless possibilities.”

To beginning technicians, Martin recommends starting their career through the ThinkBIG program and offered this bit of wisdom: “Safety comes first, because it can be a dangerous job.”

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Harold Huckeby, Whayne Supply Company

Veteran technician Harold Huckeby has spent 29 years working on cars, trucks and heavy equipment. While attending college at the University of Louisville, he realized he’d rather join the workforce full time, trying his hand at factory work and van conversion before finding his first love: car audio electronics installation. Huckeby worked as a mechanic at a local truck line where he had great teachers, and he decided to pursue a career as a truck mechanic. However, he quickly discovered that what he really wanted to be was a diesel engine mechanic.

After learning the basics at the truck line, Huckeby worked for a Cummins engine distributor, where he gained engine experience, was on the cutting edge of electronic fuel system management, was exposed to chassis and dyno operation, and fell in love with diagnostics and troubleshooting. Huckeby worked there for nearly 10 years before joining Whayne Supply, where he’s been a Caterpillar power systems field mechanic for the past 17 years.

“I earned the opportunity to become a field man after one year in the truck shop,” he said. “I worked on equipment in demanding situations and discovered that the more demanding and risky a situation is, the more I like it. The adventure of turning an awful situation into a positive experience for the customer is what draws me to the job.”

Huckeby’s advice for those just starting in the heavy equipment industry is to take advantage of on-the-job training, find good teachers and co-workers, and enter the field with short- and long-term financial goals. Also: “Don’t bounce from employer to employer every time you encounter a problem or a promise. Enjoy the experiences and be kind to yourself.”

For more information on Whayne Supply Company, visit whayne.com.

Daniel Stansbury, Whayne Supply Company

Daniel Stansbury has worked in the heavy equipment industry for 13 years. As a child growing up on a farm, he had a passion for fixing things and particularly enjoyed working on farm equipment. While in high school, Stansbury began considering career options and decided that he wanted to be a technician, specifically a heavy equipment field technician, which would allow him to combine his love of working outdoors with some of the highest pay in the industry.

Stansbury completed his junior and senior years at Prosser Career Education Center, where he studied diesel mechanics. During his senior year, a recruiter from Whayne Supply introduced him to the ThinkBIG program. Stansbury immediately applied for a part-time job at Whayne Supply and was accepted into program. Once completed, he had a valuable set of skills, an associate’s degree in applied science and a full-time job at Whayne Supply.

Stansbury went to work for Whayne Supply at a time when the company was expanding into agricultural equipment.

There was an agricultural field truck position open and he was just the technician for the job.

“My service manager at the time knew I had a strong background in – and a passion for – working on agricultural equipment,” Stansbury said. “I was hired into the AG field service position right out of the ThinkBIG program and have been in that position for 11 years. The thing I like best about being a technician is the feeling of accomplishment after getting a down machine back up and running.

Also, Whayne Supply has supplied a good working environment where I can grow as a technician and become better at my job through training they provide. They’ve supplied a workplace that allows me to financially provide for my family.”

For people thinking about a career as a heavy equipment technician, Stansbury recommends taking advantage of industry-based training in high school or technical college, or even just showing up at a dealership with a good attitude and a willingness to learn.

“I think today’s youth are taught that they have to go to a four-year college to be successful,” he said. “I strongly believe there are many industries that do not require a traditional college degree to make a good living. I can say without a doubt that a career in the heavy equipment industry can offer a very rewarding career path.”

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AED Certified Technician: Dave Schell Short-Term Work in the Heavy Equipment Industry Led to Long-Term Success for ECA Corporate Director of Parts and Service

By Megan Mattingly-Arthur Dave Schell, the corporate director of parts and service for Equipment Corporation of America, has been immersed in the heavy equipment industry since he was a young boy. Schell’s introduction to the industry came from his father, an Equipment Corporation of America vice president and Maryland branch founder, who was a firm believer in Take Your Child to Work Day. “I’ve been around heavy equipment all my life,” Schell said. “I went to Take Your Child to Work Day with my dad when I was in kindergarten and that turned into summer jobs growing up. When I first started out, I was coming in part time to help out in the shop, doing whatever needed to be done.”

After graduating from high school, Schell went to work for Equipment Corporation of America for a couple of years, but a long and grueling daily commute led him to quit in favor of a job in the automotive industry that was closer to home. But it wasn’t meant to be.

“A couple of years after I left ECA for the automotive world, I wound up right back at ECA,” he said. “The job was only supposed to be short term, but something about it just pulled me in. I came on full time in 2006 and have been pushing forward here ever since. Deciding that a career in the heavy equipment industry was right for me is something that just kind of happened.”

Despite being unplanned, a heavy equipment career has been a great fit for Schell, who has served in a wide range of positions during his time at Equipment Corporation of America, including technician, parts manager, service manager and sales.

“One of the things I like best about working in the heavy equipment industry is that there’s always something different: different challenges, different approaches,” he said. “I really like being able to help people: Customers call with off-the-wall questions about rig setups or for help troubleshooting machinery, and having answers for them or being able to find out where that ‘gremlin’ is hiding is really rewarding.”

In his current role as corporate director of parts and service, Schell helps his team manage orders, organizes trade shows and handles customer accounts.

“The best thing about my current role is that it ties me to all aspects of the industry,” he said. “I’m not limited to one department; I’m still a player in the sales and service world and I still get to have direct communication with customers. The duties of the corporate

director of parts and service are so varied that it really just opens the door to everything and keeps things interesting.”

Having achieved success in the industry, Schell has this advice for young people considering a diesel technician career: “Keep pushing. There are vast opportunities in the heavy equipment industry. If you show initiative and keep pushing forward, you’ll get results. Things will happen. In our industry, you can process as far as you’re willing to push yourself – so keep pushing! It’s also important to learn from the people around you along the way.

There are a lot of great people in our industry. I’ve had wonderful people around me my entire career – like my dad and Mike Brown at ECA – and the knowledge and experience I’ve gotten from them has been absolutely invaluable.”

Schell’s duties as ECA’s corporate director of parts and service keep him busy. However, when he’s not working, Schell enjoys catching up on sleep, playing golf, working on cars, completing home improvement projects, and spending quality time with his wife and children.

To learn more about Equipment Corporation of America, visit www.ecanet.com.

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Advocating for Workforce Development Dollars The AED Foundation Attends the Association for Career & Technical Education’s (ACTE) National Policy Seminar in Washington, DC

By Marty McCormack In an ongoing effort to address the skills gap and bring career and technical education (CTE) to more prominence in the national education discussion, The AED Foundation participated for the first time in the Association for Career & Technical Education’s (ACTE) National Policy Seminar in Washington, D.C., from March 4–7.

The seminar opened with an interactive workshop hosted by Mark Perna, founder and CEO of TFS (Tools for Schools).

His informative presentation focused on changing the mindset about CTE and highlighted the need for students and their parents to be college and career ready. A key area of Perna’s presentation, and one that The AED Foundation will continue to focus on, is developing a competitive advantage.

It’s clear that students who graduate from an AED Foundation accredited school have a competitive advantage that greatly improves their job prospects in the heavy equipment industry. Illustrating this to students, parents, educators, policymakers, and other stakeholders is critical in changing the stale industry stereotypes that are still pervasive.

ACTE leaders provided seminar attendees with a legislative update and an overview of their 2018 legislative priorities in advance of Capitol Hill visits to meet with members of Congress and their staff. Key priorities include increasing Perkins CTE Act Funding to $1.3 billion to restore recent cuts, ensuring that the Higher Education Act Reauthorization reflects today’s diverse postsecondary landscapes, and opposing efforts to consolidate the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE).

The AED Foundation delivered ACTE legislative priority materials to the congressional offices of Illinois Congressmen Randy Hultgren, Peter Roskam, Bill Foster, and Adam Kinzinger. Along with members of the Illinois ACTE team, The AED Foundation also met with key staffers from the offices of U.S. Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy

The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act is the principal source of dedicated federal funding for CTE and helps build the capacity of secondary and postsecondary institutions to serve millions of students nationwide.

Duckworth to discuss the importance of CTE and the critical need to reauthorize the Carl D. Perkins Act. The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act is the principal source of dedicated federal funding for CTE and helps build the capacity of secondary and postsecondary institutions to serve millions of students nationwide. The Perkins Basic State Grants are allocated to all 50 states through a formula grant, which is based largely on a state’s population and need, and are designed to help ensure all students have access to high-quality CTE. In late March, ACTE and The AED Foundation received great news in Congress’s passage of the Fiscal Year 2018 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, which increases Perkins Basic State Grants by $75 million. This is the first increase in Perkins funding in many years.

“Congress’s appropriations package is a solid first step to rebuilding the investment in CTE,” said LeAnn Wilson, executive director of ACTE. “The additional funds will help ensure more students have access to CTE programs that prepare them for college and career success. New resources will help provide essential elements of high-quality programs, like professional development for teachers, workforce-based learning opportunities for

students and industry-aligned equipment for classrooms. Throughout the economy, from the infrastructure sector to diverse industry areas like information technology, STEM, manufacturing, and healthcare, there are existing and predicted shortages in skilled workers. High-quality CTE bridges the skills gap by helping students succeed in high school, postsecondary education and careers.

Adequate federal funding is necessary to ensure all students have access to these programs. We applaud Members of Congress for beginning to restore the cuts that have plagued CTE programs over the last decade, and encourage them to continue growing investments in CTE in FY 2019 and beyond.”

The AED Foundation plans to get more involved with ACTE and the Illinois Association for Career and Technical Education (IACTE) in 2018 and beyond as an affiliate member of the association.

The Foundation also is actively exploring the opportunity to develop an industryrecognized apprenticeship through the Department of Labor.

“I have been advocating for CTE for many years at the state level and most recently at the regional level, and I welcome the opportunity to advocate at the national level,” said Cindy Stover, executive director of the Illinois ACTE (IACTE). “I’m glad The AED Foundation has taken a proactive approach in advocating for CTE, and I look forward to working collaboratively with their organization to build more awareness for CTE and continue to fight to protect Perkins funding.”

“I believe that industry and education have to work together to address the skills gap and for both sectors to succeed,” added Jason Blake, senior vice president of The AED Foundation.

ACTE is the largest national education association dedicated to the advancement of education that prepares youth and adults for careers. More information about ACTE can be found at www.acteonline.org or by contacting The AED Foundation.

MARTY MCCORMACK is The AED Foundation’s associate director of development and workforce. He can be reached at mmccormack@aednet.org and 630-642-9108.

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AED Foundation Research Preview: Addressing the Skills Gap and the Technician Shortage

By Marty McCormack A key focus area for The AED Foundation is research, which helps to back up the Foundation’s statements on the importance of workforce development. It is critical for The AED Foundation to be able to provide results of this research to legislators, educators, the media and other stakeholders. Without AED Foundation research, stakeholders and policymakers would not be able to get a clear picture of the challenges facing the equipment industry.

Over the last several years, The AED Foundation has commissioned research reports through the College of William & Mary in Virginia. In 2018, the Foundation will again partner with the College of William & Mary to revisit and provide an update of its 2016 study: The Equipment Industry Technician Shortage: Causes, Impacts and Policy Recommendations.

The 2016 report was significant in verifying that the skills gap facing the equipment industry is real and is costing the industry over $2.4 billion annually in potential revenue.

Confirming what many AED members are still experiencing daily is critical to The AED Foundation and its members when pushing for policies to reduce the skills gap. This includes advocating for increased funding for career and technical education through the Perkins Act and continuing efforts to promote careers in the equipment industry to students, parents, teachers and other stakeholders. The report was even cited in a 2017 New York Times article related to filling the skills gap.

“The AED Foundation’s first research report shined a light on the large financial burden, $2.4 billion in lost potential revenue annually, that the skills gap and technician shortage is having on the equipment industry,” said Brian P. McGuire, president and CEO of AED and president of The AED Foundation. “This research is an essential part of the mission of the Foundation, and revisiting these numbers is important for informing us where the industry stands today and giving us a sense of the outlook for the next several years.”

The focus of the 2018 research report will be to revisit how the technician shortage is financially impacting AED members and to determine if the skills gap is growing. The report may also help in determining the total number of technicians that are needed across the industry, which is of particular importance since about 10,000 Baby Boomers will reach retirement age every day for the next decade. It will also provide The AED Foundation with a roadmap for how to best support the equipment industry in the future.

The Foundation is excited about its upcoming research and plans to continue its time-tested efforts to address the skills gap through accreditation of postsecondary construction equipment technology programs, career promotion, and collaboration with organizations including SkillsUSA, the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) and the American School Counselor Association.

Addressing the skills gap through apprenticeship programs is another avenue the Foundation is exploring. The Trump administration established the Task Force on Apprenticeship Expansion and is pushing the growth of apprenticeship programs in part by creating “industry-recognized apprenticeships.” The task force is focused on identifying strategies and proposals to promote

apprenticeships, especially in areas where programs are lacking.

The AED Foundation is monitoring the work of the task force and is actively exploring the possibility of creating an industryrecognized apprenticeship.

The Foundation plans to unveil the findings of its 2018 research report at AED’s Summit in Orlando, Florida, February 4–7, 2019.

Save those dates – you won’t want to miss out on celebrating AED’s 100th anniversary.

For more information about The AED Foundation’s previous research reports, please visit aedfoundation.org. If you have a topic that you would like the Foundation to consider researching in the future, please contact Associate Director of Development and Workforce Marty McCormack. He can be reached at mmccormack@aednet.org and 630-642-9108.

MARTY MCCORMACK is The AED Foundation’s associate director of development and workforce. He can be reached at mmccormack@aednet.org and 630-642-9108.

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Expanding Financial Perspective with AED’s 2018 Compensation and Cost of Doing Business Reports H

ave you ever wondered how your executive or employee compensation plans stack up against those of your competitors? Or perhaps you have been looking for a tool to analyze the return on net worth of distribution companies with $50 - $100 million worth of net sales volume. If you have recently had these or similar inquiries, then be sure to check out AED’s new Compensation and Cost of Doing Business reports.

AED’s annual Compensation and Cost of Doing Business reports will be released this month. These reports utilize anonymous data offered by AED member firms and nonmember participants to establish performance and compensation “yardsticks” for the heavy equipment distribution industry.

The Cost of Doing Business Report allows industry members to compare their own company’s financial performance and competition statistics against AED distributors as a whole, companies of a comparable sales volume, companies in a similar line of business, distributors operating in a particular region, and “High Profit” participants.

This year’s Compensation and Cost of Doing Business reports were developed by Industry Insights under the guidance of their vice president, Michael Becher, CPA. Speaking of the reports, Becher said, “We are currently in the age of data, and both studies provide invaluable insights for gauging strengths, weaknesses and improvement opportunities. I would encourage all AED distributor members to participate in these studies and take advantage of these valuable benefits provided by AED.” Becher pointed out that the number of AED members who participate in the surveys has continued to grow throughout the years. Roughly 25 percent of AED members participated in the 2018 surveys.

Liz McCabe, director of education and programming for AED, took the lead on coordinating AED and Industry Insights’ effort. McCabe was quick to emphasis the new vendor features offered to survey participants. These new features include the following: ▶ Static reports: the full, industry-wide report as well as a personalized Company Performance Report (CPR) ▶ Report card: provides an objective, qualitative evaluation

of the business’s performance; participants can see how their company “grades” versus the industry on several key financial metrics ▶ Performance graphs that graphically track company data versus the industry on several key financial metrics ▶ Interactive peer report: a feature that allows participants to create company performance reports on demand; participants choose the data cuts they would like to compare against ▶ Searchable results: a feature that allows participants to dig deeper into the data by creating custom aggregations of the survey results Survey participation is completely anonymous. While it may be unnerving to give up your company’s financial data, your information is safe and confidential. Michael Becher said, “I believe confidentiality is of the utmost importance, especially when dealing with sensitive information like financial data and compensation figures.” To maintain confidentiality, all data submitted are stored on secure servers and worked with on a completely anonymous basis (all company identification is removed, and each company is assigned a unique company code). No individual company responses are shared with AED or any other person or organization. Additionally, all data is shown in aggregate form with a minimum of five responses needed to show any metric.

AED Senior Vice President and CFO Jason Blake said, “AED is continually looking for ways to add value to membership, and our reports are one way we do that. Our Cost of Doing Business Report provides our members with the most upto-date comparative financial data in the industry, and our new reporting system provides more tools to members than ever before. Our Compensation Report allows our members to benchmark themselves not only against others in the construction industry, but across thousands of others in wholesale trade and distribution. These robust reports contain information our members can’t find anywhere else. They allow our members to analyze their businesses to help drive productivity and profitability.”

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>> WASHINGTON FLY-IN

Infrastructure, Tariffs Top Fly-In Topics Infrastructure investment, taxes and trade policy were among the key issues discussed at the 2018 Washington Fly-In on March 20-22, the equipment industry’s premier public policy event. As in recent years, AED was joined in Washington, D.C., by the Equipment Dealers Association (EDA).

The event’s first full day featured a program that even the largest trade associations would be hard pressed to match. Attendees heard directly from some of the most powerful lawmakers on Capitol Hill, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell

of their companies and the industry on infrastructure, tax, trade and regulatory policy issues. In total, AED members met with nearly 150 House and Senate offices.

According to Daniel B. Fisher, AED’s vice president of government affairs, the importance of equipment dealers visiting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill can’t be overstated. “Capitol Hill meetings both help push the ball forward on pending issues such as infrastructure investment while also laying the groundwork for future efforts,” said Fisher. “ Last year’s tax reform demonstrated that policy successes are based on a combination of direct engagement during the process, but equally important, is a strong foundation laid well in advance by dealers building relationships and educating lawmakers about their companies.”

Fisher emphasized that in addition to the Washington FlyIn, construction equipment dealers should be hosting congressional visits and learning more about AED’s political action committee (AED PAC).

Fly-In attendee Jay Nelson, president and COO of Heavy Machines Inc. and an AED Board member, echoed Fisher’s sentiments.

Noting that AED’s advocacy on Capitol Hill has been worthwhile, effective and successful, he said, “AED has undertaken a more active engagement strategy with Congress that is leading to key relationships.

These relationships will give us From left are AED Board Vice Chairman Michael Brennan of Bramco LLC; Senate Majority Leader Mitch listening ears that understand and McConnell; and AED President and CEO Brian P. McGuire. advocate for our industry on Capitol (R-Ky.), House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) and House Hill as key policies are considered.”

Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.). Updates by policy experts Building of the momentum built during the Washington Fly-In, on issues important to the industry and the government affairs for the remainder of 2018 AED’s policy focus will be on pushing a offices of John Deere, Vermeer, Caterpillar and Volvo helped get major infrastructure investment package, advocating for policies attendees up to speed on the state of play in Washington. Despite to help address the industry’s skilled workforce shortage, providing an unexpected late spring, mid-Atlantic snow storm preventing regulatory relief to the job creators and working with Congress to AED members from attending a White House briefing with senior make many of the temporary provisions from the recently-passed Trump administration officials, participants were treated to a tax law permanent before expiration in a few years. power-packed agenda.

When asked about the likelihood of success, Fisher said, After a day getting up to speed on the state of play in Washington, “Washington is an unpredictable place, even more so in recent it was time for attendees to storm Capitol Hill. Kicking the years than in the past, so attempting to forecast what will and won’t morning off was a breakfast honoring the equipment industry’s happen on Capitol Hill is generally a fool’s errand. However, there strongest advocates on Capitol Hill, including members of the is strong support from the Trump administration and the majority powerful House Appropriations Committee including, Reps. of lawmakers on Capitol Hill for most of AED’s policy priorities, Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.) and Mark Amodei (R-Nev.), and House increasing the chances for success this year.” Regardless without Transportation & Infrastructure Committee members, such as the engagement of AED and its members the industry’s legislative Reps. Lou Barletta (R-Pa.), Rodney Davis (R-Ill.), Mike Bost goals certainly won’t be reached, and in fact, a great deal of harm (R-Ill.), John Katko (R-N.Y.) and Jimmy Duncan, Jr. (R-Tenn.). could result.

Following the breakfast, armed with knowledge from the Look out in the near future for information about AED’s 2019 previous day, equipment dealers were ready to advocate on behalf Washington Fly-In. 38 | www.cedmag.com | Construction Equipment Distribution | June 2018

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The AED Foundation Hosts

Washington, D.C., Luncheon Featuring

Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson

By Marty McCormack As a kickoff to the Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) / Equipment Dealers Association (EDA) Washington Fly-In, The AED Foundation held a successful luncheon featuring a keynote address from Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson (R–PA).

Thompson represents the 5th District in Pennsylvania and serves as co-chairman of the bipartisan Career and Technical Education (CTE) Caucus. Thompson’s remarks focused on the importance of career and technical education, training for technicians, and working to close the skills gap.

The Congressional CTE Caucus is a bipartisan group of Representatives committed to supporting and promoting career and technical education. The goals of the caucus are to educate and promote quality CTE programs and good-paying jobs. The skilled trades are the hardest jobs to fill in the U.S., with recent data citing 246,000 job openings in manufacturing.

“The AED Foundation greatly appreciates Congressman Thompson’s strong leadership and support of the heavy equipment industry, his advocacy for additional Perkins Act funding, and legislative efforts to bolster career and technical education while closing the skills gap,” said Brian P. McGuire, president and CEO of AED and president of The AED Foundation. “The AED Foundation is the only organization that is focused on addressing workforce needs for the heavy equipment industry through the accreditation of postsecondary construction equipment technology programs, workforce promotion efforts and the underwriting of research studies.”

For the second year, Wells Fargo Equipment Finance (WFEF) served as the sponsor for The AED Foundation Luncheon. WFEF’s strong financial support of The AED Foundation through their sponsorship of the luncheon and the fundraising Gala, along with their contribution to the Foundation’s Annual Campaign, helps AEDF deliver for the heavy equipment industry.

“The skills gap is real and nearly all of the dealerships that we work with have challenges when it comes to finding quality technicians, and these unfilled jobs are good-paying ones,” said John Crum, senior vice president of Wells Fargo Equipment Finance and AEDF board member. “The AED Foundation has been a good resource for us, from their research reports to education offerings, and we are pleased to support their events.”

In January of 2018, Whit Perryman, president of Vermeer Texas-Louisiana, officially took the reins as chairman of The AED Foundation from Dennis Vander Molen of Vermeer MidSouth, Inc. Perryman is excited to lead The AED Foundation and is looking

forward to expanding AEDF’s accreditation program.

“The AED Foundation plays such a critical role in addressing the technician shortage that affects nearly all dealerships and will only get worse without proactive thinking and action,” Perryman said.

“This is an exciting time for the Foundation and I’m honored to be chairman. There are many opportunities for growth, especially regarding AEDF’s accredited school program. It is my goal to accredit or recognize at least 15 new programs by the end of 2020.”

In addition to expanding and accelerating its accreditation program, The AED Foundation is actively promoting its new Technician Certification program and plans to certify 300 technicians by the end of the year. The certification serves as an evaluation tool in the hiring process and helps to recognize and promote the technician career. Moving forward, every technician who passes the assessment will be certified. The AED Foundation is also focused on continuing to be an industry leader in delivering educational programs to heavy equipment dealers.

Also new in 2018 is the Sales Manager Certification program, which is an on-demand learning experience designed for sales leaders. The program will cover vital areas that sales leaders must embrace and master to elevate their skills and improve sales team productivity.

Keep an eye out for dates for 2019’s Washington Fly-In. You won’t want to miss this AED Foundation event next year.

MARTY MCCORMACK is The AED Foundation’s associate director of development and workforce. He can be reached at mmccormack@aednet.org and 630-642-9108.

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+ A

By Karen Algeo Krizman ore than 20 participants recently completed the Associated Equipment Distributors’ inaugural Leadership Development Institute (LDI) and now are putting their newfound knowledge to work in the real world.

With the goal of helping up-and-coming leaders improve their core abilities and cross-functional knowledge, the institute consisted of inperson learning sessions in Chicago, plus executive coaching, online learning opportunities and a final capstone project.

“There were definitely points when we were in the meetings and learning things when it was overwhelming, because it was a lot of information, and I wanted to take it all and run with it at my company,” said Thor Hess, executive vice president of Southeastern Equipment Company in Cambridge, Ohio.

Hess, who already has a law degree and will one day take over his family’s company from his grandfather, saw the program as a chance to immerse himself in all that he doesn’t know about the industry.

“The thing I’m trying to absorb the most is knowledge of this industry and the business, and how to make things work and what best practices are,” he explained. “So I’m already shopping for that information, if you will, and working on it. And I’m leading a lot of projects, like our sales force implementations and process development, and restructuring a lot of things. With all that, I’m looking for things like LDI that would help further that.”

The other 22 inaugural institute graduates had their own reasons for participating in the yearlong program.

Stephanie Sczpanski, general manager of Leppo Rents/Bobcat in Akron, Ohio, saw the institute as a chance to further her goal of developing as a leader for her company.

“I’ve been looking for education within the company, so this was a

AED’s Leadership M Development Institute Earns an A+ from Inaugural Cohort

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standout opportunity,” she said. “It was looked at similar to an MBA, so there was a lot of attraction to that from an overall business aspect for leadership and management.”

The only participant from outside the U.S., Adrian Berger, parts and logistics manager at Liebherr–Canada, ventured south for himself as well as for his company.

“Liebherr–Canada is an extension of a factory,” he explained. “We’re not a dealer but we wanted to see what the dealers are doing, where they are, because in some ways we operate in the same manner and the same fashion. We’re very similar to a dealer network in some ways.

What I wanted to get out of it were some personal goals, and we just wanted to get a broad knowledge of North American dealers to see if the issues we’re having are the same problems everyone else is having.”

With three inperson learning sessions spread over the year, various online webinars, plus a steady flow of homework, all of the participants agreed there was much to be gained from LDI. “It was rewarding,” said Sczpanski, one of two women who completed the program.

“We covered so many different subjects in the sessions. I will say when I received my plaque it felt very well deserved.

“There was a lot of support from team members.”

Among those team members were the executive coaches who met with the participants in person, and then offered additional support online and over the phone.

“The coaching was invaluable to me – to have someone to bounce ideas off of and then to hold us accountable, to check on us and make sure we were doing what we were supposed to do, and make sure we were doing our individual development plan,” Sczpanski said.

The individual development plans were

accompanied by a 360 review.

“The individual development plan was good, and it was great to get the 360 review, and all of those personality analytics,” Hess explained. “Those were really eye-opening; I hadn’t seen those before.”

For participants who had already experienced working with an executive coach and all that comes with them, the nearly $5,000 price tag for the leadership program was a steal.

“I’ve done coaching very similar to this and the cost itself was very similar to the cost of this entire course, and you’re getting the coach for that long,” Hess said. “It was very helpful with a lot of insight behind it, with lots of experience and knowledge.”

Participants also appreciated the end results of the final capstone projects.

The projects required each participant to uncover potential opportunities for improvement within their own companies by completing a SWOT analysis across all

divisions. They presented their findings to their classmates during their second in-person meeting in Chicago before developing an actual money-saving plan to implement in their organizations with the goal of a 20:1 ROI. “You get to walk away with a project that brings real value,” Sczpanski said. “With the capstone, you get real ROI. That to me is one of the most valuable pieces of it.”

The chance to network and learn from their peers was also highly valued.

“I think the really cool thing was, not only were the instructors really good, but the way the class worked – and I hope it will work this way for every class – the group of us said, ‘yeah, we do it this way,’ or ‘we do it that way,’” said Hess. “There was a lot of input and it added a lot of credibility. That room kind of represented different walks of life from all over.

“I think it was really beneficial.”

June 2018 | Construction Equipment Distribution | www.cedmag.com | 41

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Author and Keynote Speaker Todd Cohen Develops

New AED Self-Study Sales Management Courses

By Megan Mattingly-Arthur Industry education, training and career development are key parts of Associated Equipment Distributors’ mission to help members enhance their success, performance and profitability. Responding to the needs of its members, AED recently introduced two new online self-study sales management courses developed by author and awardwinning motivational keynote speaker Todd Cohen.

“In writing these courses, I tried very hard to bring a perspective that people are really hungry for,” Cohen said.

“This isn’t ‘sales training’ in the traditional sense; people can get that anywhere. These courses are about creating a ‘sales culture’ and getting everyone in a dealership on the same page so that they don’t miss out on opportunities to be even more successful.”

The first new course – Sales Leadership 101: Sales Management Skills – is designed to help sales leaders master essential skills, improve sales team productivity and create an inspiring mindset that encourages positive behaviors and long-term revenue and profitability.

The second course – Sales Leadership 102: Coaching Not Telling – approaches coaching as a selling skill, frames every conversation as a coaching moment, and gives sales leaders and other people-managers the skills they need to be effective team coaches.

The new Sales Leadership courses can be taken separately, together or as part of the new Sales Manager Certification program which includes AED certification.

“These are high-value, high-impact courses that work together to elevate how sales leaders develop their people, which is very, very important,” Cohen said. “Sales leadership is all about the people, the people, the people – not doing the job that the people are supposed to be doing. It’s not a sales leader’s job to do the job of the salespeople; it’s to help them be better at being salespeople – and these courses can help them do that.”

And, according to Cohen, the courses aren’t just for sales leadership. He says anyone and everyone at the dealership can benefit from gaining an awareness of how the mindset and behaviors they bring to the sales process – as well as the mindset about what sales is and isn’t – has a huge impact on a dealership’s success.

“I’m passionate about showing people who don’t traditionally think of themselves in a sales role how they actually sell every day,” said Cohen. “My whole thing is that everyone’s in sales because everyone in the dealership impacts a customer’s decision to say ‘yes’ and put ink to paper – whether it’s by answering a customer’s questions or getting paperwork done sooner than expected, everyone at the dealership impacts sales. A lot of people have said, ‘You know, Todd, this is really more about life lessons and how we conduct ourselves, rather than just sales.’ I say, ‘Now you get it.’”

Also, the online courses’ self-study format allows sales leaders and other dealership employees to work at their own pace, which is ideal for those whose busy schedules make it difficult for them to attend scheduled professional self-development courses.

“People are so busy these days,” Cohen said. “We’re all being pulled in a thousand different directions, which can make it hard for people to prioritize going to self-development and training courses. As difficult as it can be to make time for self-development, it’s very, very important. New customers and clients are not a given – we have to make sure that we’re doing things that attract and retain them. Just because you exist doesn’t mean that customers will come. We have to self-develop and really keep striving to be better at what we do so that we can continue to be successful.”

For more information on AED’s self-study courses, visit aednet.org/self-study or connect with AED on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or Google+.

To learn more about Todd Cohen, visit toddcohen.com. Cohen is also on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

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By Megan Mattingly-Arthur Utility One Source was formed in 2015 when an American multinational asset management company, The Blackstone Group, invested in three family-owned heavy equipment businesses. By March 2018, Utility One Source had changed its name to Custom Truck One Source and acquired an additional five equipment companies.

Today, Custom Truck One Source is comprised of seven family-operated businesses – Utility Fleet Sales, Custom Truck & Equipment, Forestry Equipment of Virginia, TNT Equipment, North American Equipment Upfitters, UCO Equipment and Equipment Repair Solutions – along with a customizable trailer manufacturer, Load King. Offering sales, rentals, aftermarket parts and service, equipment customization, remanufacturing, financing solutions, and asset disposal, Custom Truck One Source is a single-source provider of specialized truck and heavy equipment solutions for all heavy equipment markets, including construction, agriculture and mining. The company boasts full-service locations in every single region of the United States and recently expanded into Canada.

A lot has happened in the three short years since Custom Truck One Source was founded (as Utility One Source). Just what is behind the company’s rapid growth and expansion?

“I believe the customer is driving Custom Truck One Source’s growth,” said Don Pratt, the company’s training and development director. “Companies need and want a supplier who responds quickly to the constant changes in the markets. They want to work directly with a single source. When companies want to cut manufacturing costs and get what they want, Custom Truck One Source is their choice.”

While customer demand and the ability to meet customers’ needs certainly plays a role in Custom Truck One Source’s success, that isn’t all the company has going for it. Custom Truck One Source has an invaluable tool that many dealerships in the

heavy equipment industry lack: a dedicated training and development director like Don Pratt.

Pratt has 35 years of experience in the heavy equipment industry and was even involved with AED’s educational arm at one point. When he joined the team at Custom One Truck Source just a couple of years back, the company had no training program to speak of and wasn’t even equipped to track employee training. That has all changed, thanks to Pratt and his team. He developed a four-level training and development program that works to recruit students at high schools and colleges.

“We’re focusing on workforce development and going into schools to find the technicians we need. Really, we’re doing all the things that AED has always encouraged. It’s important for people to understand that technician development programs don’t start when the technician is in the dealership and you’re training them; it needs to start much earlier. If you recruit potential technicians out of high school, you can use aptitude assessments to select the ones with the most promise. If you can grow technicians from the beginning, that

grass is green. If you don’t, and you just try to bring people in from other companies, you’re not going to get the same results.”

Pratt and Custom Truck One Source are definitely getting results. The company currently has approximately 160 technicians, has already completed more than 100 technician skills assessments and plans to double that number in the near future. Several of Custom Truck One Source’s technicians have also been certified through The AED Foundation’s Certified Technician Program.

“I would encourage companies to have a dedicated training and development director that has an understanding of workforce development,” Pratt said. “The AED playbook has all the best practices and AED is a great resource for dealers.

AED is such a great resource; I really don’t know how companies can do it alone. As an industry, we have to all work together to overcome the technician shortage – we can’t be off in our own little worlds. We need to continue to find new ways to attract people to work in our industry.”

For more information on Custom Truck One Source, visit www.customtruck.com.

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A Successful Foundation:

Ontario’s Amaco Fuels Growth by Specializing

By Joseph Kay Jeff MacDonald was 21 years old when his father, James, founded Amaco CEI. At that time, Jeff was already in the early stages of a career in civil engineering and consulting; there was no pressure for him to participate in his father’s business. But today, 35 years later, the younger MacDonald serves as CEO and owner.

A few years into his consulting pursuits, he found he wasn’t connecting to his career as much as he’d hoped. The realities of consulting and engineering were pushing him to seek something else, and when he mentioned this to his father, he was invited to try sales at Amaco.

“There was no long-term thought or anything, but that was back in 1987 and I’ve stuck with it,” he laughs. “We were able to have some fun together, I learned a lot from him, and I got to spend quality time with my father that my other family members did not—but, of course, being a family member there are more things expected of you.”

It’s difficult now to pinpoint the moment that Amaco became his career home—but MacDonald is happy here, and clear on his role in providing specialty equipment for the industry and quality jobs for his associates.

He notes that as the company has evolved, they’ve located their strengths and moved strategically to capitalize on them. With about 20 employees, they’re not going to compete directly with the biggest equipment distributors, so they find other ways to keep the business growing.

“Many large earthmoving distributors have a line of front-end loaders and bulldozers. We don’t have any of those.

Rather than being someone’s tenth choice on a list of potential partners, we want to be in someone’s top three,” MacDonald explains. “There might be a limited potential, but if we understand that market and have a good manufacturing partner, then our business will succeed.”

That approach has borne fruit for over two decades. More recently, Amaco is working through a cultural shift in how the sales team thinks of its role. The goal is to acquire customers and develop relationships, rather than just to close sales.

In a smaller geographical market, with a

more specialized line of equipment, loyal client relationships are crucial; Amaco has been successful in generating and capitalizing on them.

MacDonald recalls how the role of the local equipment distributor has changed, thanks largely to the internet.

“The idea of a distributor, years ago, was to be a local supplier of parts and knowledge

One of Amaco’s strategic responses is to expand service labor.

“In our industry, finding mechanics is difficult—but it’s just as difficult for our customers. That’s probably a growth area for us to look at,” says MacDonald.

“Traditionally, distributors were very reactive: if the phone rang, we jumped into action,” he adds. “But we have to become

because there was no other source,” he recalls. “This is certainly a change that’s put pressure on margins in all aspects of the business, not just for the distributors but for manufacturers as well.”

This has two distinct ramifications for the dealer.

First, the local dealer is no longer the primary source of sales-driving information. Internet reviews and discussions do a great deal of that work, so the dealer has to distinguish itself with specific and trustworthy expertise.

Second, with spec sheets and repair guides available online, the dealer is no longer the sole source of service information. Again, the challenge is to develop a trust-based relationship with the customer that creates opportunities to provide additional value.

more proactive. Is there an opportunity for us to build our revenue and build a closer relationship to our customers?”

To keep discovering and creating those opportunities, Amaco is looking to improve internal processes. Effective training and retention will be key to growth in the service area; that growth will support expansion across facilities, personnel and, potentially, acquisitions. For MacDonald, who sits at the head of a small private ownership group, growth is the metric as well as the goal.

“One of the things my dad used to say is, ‘Nothing can happen without the successful foundation of the business,’” he recalls. “It is the engine that provides for not only me, but my employees and their families—and that’s at the top of my mind.”

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A CLOSER LOOK

Visibility Software CEO Sean Pomeroy is counting on slow and steady to win the HR software race.

Visibility Software’s Foresight Paves The Way to Success

By Karen Algeo Krizman Visibility Software CEO Sean Pomeroy is counting on slow and steady to win the HR software race.

“If you’re a cutting-edge company and you’re looking for cuttingedge clients, there’s typically a lot of bloodshed involved,” Pomeroy said recently. “We want to be more of the slow and steady, more reliable and consistent technology, but something that’s also proven and that will really have a good ROI.” Pomeroy thinks Visibility Software’s Cyber Recruiter and Cyber Train are just the reliable and proven HR products that AED’s members need to add to their workforce development toolbox.

“Our main focus is to help clients solve problems within the two bookends of HR, which are the recruiting side and the training management side,” he said. “We provide solutions that help our clients manage those areas, much like the accounting department has an accounting app or the payroll department has a payroll system.”

Cyber Recruiter is an applicant tracking system that automates and organizes all the tasks and data that come with finding and onboarding new employees.

“Someone could say ‘we could just use Excel,’” Pomeroy said.

“OK, well great, but have you ever been in Excel and done a sort without selecting all the rows and now your data is all jumbled?

Excel is definitely better than paper. We’re better than Excel.”

Complementing Cyber Recruiter is Cyber Train, a learning management system that serves as a virtual training manager to ensure all employees stay up-to-date on required courses and companies aren’t racking up compliance violations.

“The better your people are trained and the better their skill is – and your ability to help them get there – the better the employee will be, the more profitable the ability to continue to grow that employee, the better that employee retention will be,” said Pomeroy.

Both Cyber Recruiter and Cyber Train are fully scalable to adjust to the user’s individual needs, and they can be integrated with other software “so that a client has a full solution but with a bestof-breed approach.”

“They are both single individual products, but they do come in three levels: Express, Professional and Enterprise,” Pomeroy said.

“The key there is just scalability. It’s not necessarily tied to size. It’s really a way to help with scalability and price, so that depending on

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needs and budget you can get a solution that will work today, but also one that will grow as your organization and sophistication grows.”

Pomeroy, who has a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s in industrial/ organizational psychology, knows all about organizational growth.

He and a business partner started Visibility Software in 1989 with the plan to just resell HR software created by others.

They soon realized, however, that the available solutions in the marketplace either failed to have a recruiting and training management component, or what they did have was subpar.

By 2002, Visibility Software had grown into a software development company with the birth of Cyber Recruiter.

“Some of the first round of clients are still on the solution 15 years later,” said Pomeroy, who moved his home base from Fairfax, Virginia, to Newberry, South Carolina, along the way.

Those initial clients and others are not necessarily early adopters of new technology, which is more than OK with Pomeroy and his team of 18 employees and a handful of contractors, who all work virtually.

“Probably between 75 and 80 percent of clients we bring on board are using Outlook, paper and Excel to do their recruiting and training management,” he said. “The industry has spent over $5 billion investing in HR technology over the last three years, so there’s a lot of marketing going on that leads you to believe you’re the only one not using technology. That’s not true.”

Pomeroy and his team have learned to take their time getting new clients up and running with Visibility Software’s products.

“It’s not just rip and replace,” he said.

“We found that it was very convenient for us to send a trainer or consultant out to the location, and they’d meet with them on Monday, ask them what they wanted; set it up on Tuesday; train them on Wednesday and Thursday; and leave Friday. What we found is that it was super convenient for us, but it overwhelmed our customer, especially if they were coming from paper.”

Instead, the Visibility Software team holds two hours of weekly virtual meetings with new clients, leaving them with “homework” to complete after each session. It typically takes about six weeks for new clients to get fully up to speed on using the software.

“It’s a slow trickle of information, so that

it doesn’t overwhelm,” Pomeroy explained.

Both Cyber Recruiter and Cyber Train can be purchased outright by the user to install on their own server, or they can “rent” the software and access it from the cloud.

Looking forward, Pomeroy said Visibility Software clients can expect to see added features, such as more mobile-friendly products and texting capabilities. They shouldn’t, however, expect to see a sudden push to the latest but not-so-greatest new technology.

“I read an article that said augmented reality will be the new training method, and it made me laugh,” Pomeroy said. “I don’t necessarily disagree with that; but if augmented reality is barely moving forward in the consumer arena, I think it’s going to take even longer for us to say it’s really cool and get it into business and then have it trickle down. For us, it’s a matter of continuing to evolve our HR solution into things like goal management and into things like onboarding, so we’ll continue to expand that at a slow and steady pace over the next five years.”

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