CISCA Summer 14 issue interactive by Association Publishing Partners

A C O U S T I C A L

Ceilings & Interior Systems Construction Association

summer 2014 Cover Story— Contractor’s Award E&K of Kansas City CISCA Hosts Leadership Conference in Chicago

Emerging Leaders Visit Hunter Douglas

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INSIDETHISISSUE

Summer 2014

Volume 57, Number 3

ON THE COVER: The Henry W. Bloch Executive Hall for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Kansas City, MO Submitted by:

E&K of Kansas City

Other CISCA Members Fellert North America Armstrong World Industries Golterman & Sabo Acoustics Marino Ware National Gypsum Company CertainTeed Gypsum pinta acoustic Inc. Wagner Interior Supply United States Gypsum Company REW Materials

Architects:

BNIM Inc. Moore, Roble, Yudell

FEATURES 8 2014 Contractor’s Award Henry W. Bloch Executive Hall for

58 Top Six Risks Facing Small Businesses in 2014

16 Meet the 2014-15 CISCA Board of Directors Leadership begins at the top

22 Creating a Culture of Safety Through Effective Leadership Steve Anderson provide insight to a business challeng

5 It’s Always Sunny At CISCA

Sound information for all business owners

Entrepreneurship and Innovation

28 CISCA Introduces Peer Groups for Contractors A personal resource for business leaders 36 Emerging Leaders Visit Hunter Douglas Summer program finds more success

44 CISCA Business Library The Essentials of Leadership 48 EPDs, HPDs and Red Lists (oh my) From Walls & Ceilings magazine

COLUMNS

4 A New Start for Our Organization 6 Time Flies When You Get Something Done 52 Acoustics at Large Forum 54 Legally Speaking 56 Seal the Deal

DEPARTMENTS 30 New Members 31 Construction Excellence Awards Application 40 Leadership Conference in Chicago 62 Ad Index 63 2013-2014 Sponsors

ACOUSTICAL INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

Executive Director: Shirley Wodynski • Publisher/Editor: Rick Reuland • Advertising Sales: Debbie Rauen EDITORIAL: For advertising rates and information or editorial comments or questions, contact: Rick Reuland, Association Publishing Partners, Inc., 6S252 Cornwall Road, Naperville, IL 60540 • 630-637-8632 • 630-637-8629 fax • rmgi@comcast.net ADVERTISING: For advertising rates and information contact Debbie Rauen • 940-368-2468 • debbie_int_const@yahoo.com © Copyright 2014 Ceilings & Interior Systems Construction Association. This publication may not be reproduced, photocopied, stored in any electronic retrieval device or transmitted by facsimile without permission of the publisher. All rights under U.S.A. and international copyright laws are reserved. Publisher accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts. INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION (ISSN 0888-0387) is published quarterly by the Ceilings and Interior Systems Construction Association, 1010 Jorie Blvd., Suite 30, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Subscriptions: $40.00 per year. • POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Acoustical Interior Construction at 1010 Jorie Blvd., Suite 30, Oak Brook, IL 60523.

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

innerworkings

a new start for our organization By Pete welly

his is an exciting year for CISCA as we celebrate our 65th Anniversary. The INTEX Trade show and Convention in Long Beach next April will be a celebration of our past and a peek into our future. We have a new agreement finalized with AWCI Pete Welly — thanks to the tireless efforts of both Eric Mau and Shirley Wodynski who have been negotiating for months on our behalf. No doubt the ongoing support our board of directors and executive board received from both our past presidents and especially the supportive manufacturers kept us focused on structuring an agreement that was a Win/Win for both our members and the industry. We heard loud and clear from the industry — especially our sponsor manufacturers that we needed to keep the INTEX trade show alive with both CISCA and AWCI working together on one industry show. The assignment from the executive board and board members is clear for my term as President. Our mission this year is to refocus the board on building your Association by:

•

Remain focused on promoting the acoustical ceilings and wall system industry by attracting more contractor members; by offering relevant and effective educational programs and networking opportunities. Our board’s goal is to increase our contractor membership by 10% this year. We will be introducing a new contractor Peer Group at our Leadership Conference in Chicago this fall. Former Past Presidents Kent Vipond and Michael Coakley will share their personal journeys through peer groups. These Peer Groups will bring noncompeting contractors together to share best practices and to benchmark successful industry strategies and leadership practices. We believe our organization can add real value for our members by offering this new networking opportunity. This is especially important for our emerging leaders who represent the future of our industry. Keep the momentum going with our committees and continue to support the Emerging Leaders, Education, Membership, Events and the Industry Marketing Advisory committees.

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

We have a strong legacy as an organization, but need your personal involvement for CISCA to remain as the recognized authority and resource for the acoustical ceiling and wall systems industry.

Pete Welly Foundation Building Materials 2014 – 2015 CISCA President pete.welly@fbmsales.com 714-380-7535

it’s always sunny at cisca!

2014-2015 Board of Directors President Pete welly Foundation building materials President-Elect Jason Gordon Heartland Acoustics & Interiors, Inc. Secretary-Treasurer Patrick Oates Jacobson & Company, Inc. Immediate past president Eric Mau Mau, Inc. Executive Director SHIRLEY WODYNSKI CISCA Directors adam bessert thorne associates, inc. Eric Brown CertainTeeed ceilings jeff hudepohl valley interior systems David Kovacs Kamco Supply Corp. james moynihan rockfon LLC scott qualls USG Jim Walaszek Chicago Area Building Specialties Steve Udolph Tectum Inc. advisors Ron Bishop Elljay Acoustics Inc. Mike Granatino Winroc/spi

By Shirley Wodynski

here has never been a better time to be a CISCA member – there is a lot happening at your association. In the winter issue of the magazine, I talked about what the new year brings and how it inevitably turns to talk of goals. Well, it’s now July — the beginning of CISCA’s new year. So here’s what we’ve accomplished so far.

• • •

Our new President Pete Welly is on-board and ready to go; We have two new staff members, Jessica Gatti and Katy Klagis; We have a new website fully updated and modernized;

Please be sure to visit the new CISCA website. We’ve listened to your feedback and worked to deliver a site that does what you said would be valuable. We have updated the look and organized the content. If you haven’t been to our website in the past month, take a minute and go to www.cisca.org. Are you registered for the Leadership Conference in Chicago, Illinois, October 1-2? The conference week is filled with so many things to do and so many opportunities to talk with the people who are important to you. The Leadership Conference gives you the opportunity to take away some valuable information to help you with your job and a relaxed atmosphere to relax and network. In addition to the exceptional training, we will have a Strategic Planning Meeting to help chart the course of the association over the next three

years. CISCA will also be introducing Peer Groups at the conference. There is an article on Peer Groups in this issue, take a few minutes to read it. If it’s not for you, perhaps you know someone who would benefit from participation. CISCA’s 65th Anniversary celebration is April 26-30, 2015 in Long Beach, California. It has been a great 65 years. Plan to attend and help us celebrate 65 more great years. Look for more information on the events shortly. CISCA has been offering webinars for several years to members. In an effort to reach out to more members and being mindful of everyone’s time, we have formed a Video Committee. The first video is being developed and should be in your mailbox during August. We hope everyone takes a few minutes to view the video. It will be 3-5 minutes in length. I hope to see you all at the Leadership Conference.

Shirley Wodynski CISCA Executive Director Shirley.Wodynski@cisca.org 630-584-1919.

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

the year in review

time flies when you get something done By Eric Mau

ow, what a great year since my start as President one year ago. My term ended on June 30, 2014. I stated last year that, Cisca is incredibly lucky to have such a talented Board of Directors. One year as President confirms my stateEric Mau ment. I could not have been any more accurate. This Board had several hurdles to overcome during the past year. Fortunately, as a group we could not have been more cohesive or supportive. I would like to thank all of the 2013 -14 board members and a special thanks to those whose terms expired on June 30th. Brad Sampson, Joann Davis Brayman, Ron Rice and Dustin Sandoval served their terms with a serious commitment and drive. Their contributions need to be recognized. Thank you guys for your unbelievable commitment, your leadership will be missed. Last year, I stated that we were going to focus on achieving a stronger membership base through committee and educational involvement. Today, I can comfortably state that our membership was solid on both fronts and our members really stepped up to participate. Each of the committees was managed by great individuals from our industry. This leadership and participation is a trend that I hope will continue to grow from year to year. There continues to be more and more involvement from our emerging leaders. It has grown to the point where we need to consider changing the name of the group. 6

Summer 2014

The Leadership Conference in September was a great success and it was nice to see such a great mix of participants. The convention in Las Vegas was a milestone for Cisca, as we had our largest turnout for the awards breakfast in the last 10 years. The general attendance this year was up siginificantly over the past couple of years. This was due to a few reasons, Vegas always draws attendees, but strong sponsorship and member involvement remain the most important reason. We have been very involved in the dispute with AWCI and I am happy to report that we have finally resolved the issues and in fact, have signed a new agreement that should benefit both associations and the industry. We have agreed to continue our joint trade show Intex from 2017 and beyond. We see no reason why this show won’t continue for many decades to come. My time as your President was quite a learning experience. I have been and continue to be in many organizations on a volunteer basis. Cisca does have a solid footing with it’s board members and outstanding large and small manufacturers who support us without fail. The age of participants over the past several years keeps getting younger and younger. This is a great trend for Cisca. To me, it shows that this organization continues to get stronger and will prosper for many more years. Please continue to support the industry thru Cisca and get involved to add your intelligence to this organization so that we don’t leave any great ideas on the shelf. Understand that we on the board as well as our sponsors, believe that we are the best in the business!

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

Have a great end of summer, and stay involved! See you at the Leadership Conference in Chicago, October 1-2. Sincerely,

Eric Mau Mau, Inc. 2013 – 2014 CISCA Immediate Past President eric@mauinc.com 847-797-1010

Membership Values Education—

• Videos — Short, 3-5 minute videos on a variety of important topics. • Convention Education — Talented specialists brought to the Convention to teach and discuss subjects that are important to our business. • Acoustical Interior Construction Magazine — Great articles, ads showing new and innovative products, project information, industry information, and more.

Independent Studies—

• Fantastic acoustical papers filled with information that you can share with employees, customers, architects, and owners. — Acoustics in Healthcare Environments — Suspended Ceilings vs. Open Plenum — Acoustics in Schools — Another one coming soon

Convention Opportunities—

• Keynote Speaker – Fun, Entertaining and Educational • INTEX Trade Show — One place to meet vendors and see the new products and installation procedures. • Networking and Partnering Opportunities – meet new contacts/relationship building opportunities; network with others outside your markets that are facing similar challenges. Comparing notes and having a meaningful exchange, with real problem solving potential, can be done without concerns about sharing information with direct competitors. • Education – Talented specialists brought to the Convention to teach and discuss subjects that are important to our business.

CISCA Publications:

Product Rebate Programs—

• Joint partnerships and alliances through various company promotional programs

• CISCA Handbook — Great reference guide for estimators and field personnel. • Production Guide – Great reference guide for contractors • Various Specialty Ceiling Guides – Wood Ceilings Technical Guidelines, Guidelines for Seismic Restraint, Acoustical Ceilings Use & Practice, and more

E-Newsletter—

On-line Resources—

• Weekly e-newsletter. Member news is included free of charge – a great marketing opportunity.

Single Industry Advocate and Voice—

• Member Directory, Job Posting Opportunities, Upcoming CISCA events, Industry Studies, Construction Excellence Award Winning Photos, back issues of the magazine, links to training videos from manufacturer members and more.

Become a member today visit CISCA.org and join on line!

CISCA headquarters • 1010 Jorie Blvd • Suite 30 • Oak Brook, IL 60523 Ph 630-884-1919 • Fax 866-560-8837 cisca.org

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

CONTRACTOR’S AWARD

r e Cov

y r Sto

Henry W. Bloch Executive Hall for Entrepreneurship and Innovation Kansas City, MO

Gold Award - Interior Finishes - Central Region Submitted by: E&K of Kansas City Other CISCA members involved with the project: Fellert North America Armstrong World Industries Golterman & Sabo Acoustics Marino Ware National Gypsum Company CertainTeed Gypsum pinta acoustic Inc. Wagner Interior Supply United States Gypsum Company REW Materials

he Henry W. Bloch Executive Hall for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Missouri-Kansas City began with a generous donation, but interior construction started with some serious value engineering. “There were some budget constraints,” says Michelle Drummond, E&K of Kansas City’s senior project manager. Financed by a $32 million donation from Henry W. Bloch of H&R Block and opened in the fall of 2013, the 50,000 square foot facility, was a challenging project that earned E&K – Kansas City the CISCA Contractor’s Award, as well as Gold, in the Interior Finishes category, Central Region. 8

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

Architect/Design: BNIM Inc. Moore, Ruble, Yudell

E&K began work on the project in December 2012 and finished by the end of July 2013. “We had a long history with E&K, so there is a strong mutual respect,” says Casey Cassias, project manager for the local architect BNIM Inc. of Kansas City, one of two architects on the project. “We were working on a tight budget and looking at how to achieve what we wanted ‘on a diet.’” Drummond and the E&K team approached a local millwork company in Kansas City about producing the custom wood ceiling panels. They in turn, worked with E&K, BNIM Inc. and J.E. Dunn Construction Company, Inc., (continued on page 10)

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

CONTRACTOR’S AWARD (continued from page 8) the general contractor, to make the custom ceiling panels, as well as a mounting system that would match the design. “E&K was able to get the price way down,” says Cassias of the work E&K did with the local millwork company during the value engineering process. The ceilings were of three kinds, differing by finish, cuts and type of wood. Known for providing custom woodwork, Drummond wasn’t sure that chosen supplier had ever done ceilings before, but they came through. “They were really good to work with,” says Drummond.

“The wood ceilings include a linear cumaru ceiling on the first floor lobby starting from the interior and transitioning to an exterior soffit, rift-cut wood ceiling panels in the auditorium, and white pickled finish trapezoidal wood panels installed in a radial pattern throughout the common spaces,” says Kip Young, E&K’s senior estimator. The type and color of the wood was specified by the architect. The trapezoid panels, made of ash, extend the entire radius of the atrium under the second and third floor landings. Dunn provided a 3D scan of the area, which the manufacturer used to lay out and produce the panels. They were pre-cut and each one was labeled. “They had

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

unique shapes and the one through which the column ran was precut with a perfect reveal to make it look nice and have an open space,” says Drummond. “I give E&K a lot of credit for hanging those trapezoid panels,” says Cassias. “I think that they are unique and it was a difficult job.” Each panel was required to be removable in order to access piping for sprinkler heads and other mechanicals above them. As finished, seen from one angle they are whitewashed ash, but seen from another “the grain of the wood reads beautifully.” E&K, which was responsible for all of the ceilings, also did all the fram-

ing, drywall, finishing work, specialty ceilings, clouds and the acoustical felt fabric. The atrium ceiling is 45 feet high and E&K people working on scaffolding had to contend with mechanicals that were run under accessible flooring. “It was like an obstacle course,” says Drummond. The new building, located adjacent to the historic Bloch School Building, which had housed the university’s business school, expands the undergraduate and graduate business schools into the Bloch Campus. While the older building still contains the student services offices, computer lab, faculty offices and classes, the new Bloch Executive Hall holds the Bloch Executive Education and the Regnier Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, as well as classes that focus on graduate and executive programs. The lower level, which has a walk-

in component from the back, has a ceiling made of six inch wide cumaru planks. Cumaru also is known as Brazilian Walnut. The cumaru was installed unfinished and will color with time as it ages, says Drummond. The design also called for acoustic felt walls in some of the classrooms, with the architect specifying a product made by a German company. During the value engineering work, E&K found a company in Michigan that could provide the same 100 percent wool product, fire rate tested, in the four required colors, blue, yellow, red and green. The switch to the Michigan firm saved both time and money, says Drummond. The architect and the general contractor approved the change. “No one here had ever done felt walls before,” says Cassias. “Once

everyone understood, it was wonderful. They are durable and malleable.” Vivid colors were chosen to reflect the energy that is supposed to be in the building. The school’s dean wanted the space to reflect a collaborative atmosphere, full of ideas, creativity and innovation, says Cassias. The felt proved to be labor intensive and a challenge to install. The seven inch wide strips were shingled over a foam backing so that they overlapped by 2 inches each. The overlap creates texture and allows the felt to move with moisture conditions, says Cassias. Although the felt strips were laid over both flat and curved walls, each line had to be perfectly straight, a feat accomplished with the help of a laser to get it perfect. “It was like upholstering with little (continued on page 12)

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

CONTRACTOR’S AWARD (continued from page 11) strips,” says Drummond. “It was our first experience with felt, but it looks good.” The atrium was topped with the Fellert acoustic plaster system, which had to be smoothed around the skylights. For the architects, the cone shaped skylights were crucial to both the atrium and the building as a whole, says Cassias. Each skylight had a different alignment to allow for morning and afternoon light to stream into the area and they extend higher than the building’s roof. “They are visible from all over the campus,” he says. The three skylights are designed to “shoot up at angles,” says Drummond. When looking at the roof they look like spotlights or cannons. “The complex angular shape (of the atrium) presented challenges when scaffolding and finishing the

skylights,” says Young. The portion of the ceiling in which the Fellert products were used is in an octagon shape, delineated by a fire curtain that, in case of an emergency, will close off the third floor. Cassias noted that BNIM had worked with Fellert many times before, as had E&K. As part of the value engineering both worked with Fellert North America and the architect’s acoustician to determine which areas of the atrium absolutely needed the acoustic ceiling and which could do without. The Fellert acoustic plaster was intended to match both the Fellert non-acoustic plaster and the gypsum that abutted it. “Our plaster’s acoustic properties were critical,” says Fellert North America President Mark Clough. “The area had a number of hard surfaces that would reflect sound.” The

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

Fellert acoustic product is designed to absorb sound and help quiet the area. It also helped that there was a slight radius and curve to the atrium ceiling. The continuously curving fascia was meant to reflect the business school dean’s comment that the path to innovation is not a straight line, says Cassias. “The building may look like a simple rectangular structure, but it is more complex than that.” Five foot diameter circular clouds hang from the ceilings in the learning classrooms and laboratories, punctuated by matching circular lights. “Normally we manufacture the clouds in 4 foot diameter, says Cathy Westerheide, sales representative for Golterman & Sabo Acoustics “But these were custom and we were able to make them in one piece.” (continued on page 14)

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

CONTRACTOR’S AWARD (continued from page 13) A few were different sizes, but all were painted a standard white color and have acoustic properties to tamp down sound. Each cloud grouping consisted of clusters of three or four clouds with circular light fixtures and sound absorbing panels. “In order to manufacture and layout the ceiling clouds, a scan of the building was required after the walls were framed to provide accurate points from which the ceiling clouds could be attached and hung with wires from the deck above,” says Young. The end result of all of the work, the value engineering, the skylights, the careful smoothing of the plaster, the wood, the felt and the teamwork, was worth it, says Drummond. “I think it’s beautiful.

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

CISCA LEADERSHIP

Meet the 2014-15 CISCA Board by Meta Levin

CISCA has been valuable personally and professionally to its new president, Pete Welly. He has made

In fact, after graduating from Miami University of Ohio in 1979 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing Communications, he went to work for the company’s Supply Division. great friends and contacts through his active participation, This has led to a 34 year career in sales, marketing, operaand strongly believes in giving back to the industry and the tions, strategic planning, P&L management and executive association. leadership in both public and private companies. He now A 25 year CISCA veteran, who has been in the buildserves as Chief Operating Officer for Founing materials industry his entire life, he is dation Building Materials. known for his leadership skills and has He also considers himself lucky to have wasted no time in outlining three strategic studied at Northwestern University’s Execuobjectives for the organization. “Now that tive MBA program, which he describes as we’ve worked through our negotiations with “six weeks on steroids.” There were a numAWCI, the focus can return to adding value ber of international students in his class, to our members,” he says. As CISCA enters including some from Thailand, France, its 65th year, he wants to: England, Ireland and South America. “The best part of it is that I still have friends from • Remain focused on promoting the acousthat group,” he says. tical ceilings and wall system industry by This is his second stint on the CISCA attracting more contractor members, as Board of Directors. At the time of his first, well as by offering relevant and effective he was running the ceiling business for educational programs and networking AMS, when CISCA president Claude opportunities. “Our board’s goal is to Pete Welly — CISCA President W. Amerson approached him about beincrease contractor membership by 10 coming a board member. “I’m glad that percent this year,” Welly says. he did,” says Welly. It was at a time when CISCA wanted to expand and Welly was a part of that. • Introduce Peer Groups at CISCA’s fall Leadership ConNow a confirmed California resident, he commutes from ference in Chicago. These peer groups will bring nonhis San Diego home to Orange County where Foundacompeting contractors together to share best practices tion Building Materials is located. His daughter, an interior and to benchmark successful industry strategies and designer, and son-in-law also live in the San Diego area. leadership practices. “We believe our organization can His son, a UC Davis doctoral candidate in animal sciadd real value for our members by offering this new ence, works in genomic testing for beef and dairy cattle. networking opportunity,” says Welly. “This is especially Although that has nothing to do with building materials, important for our emerging leaders who represent the it seems to have been influenced by Welly’s wife’s backfuture of our industry.” ground growing up on a cattle ranch. Welly’s wife, Sally, is a Realtor, who buys houses, rehabs • Keep the momentum going with committees and them and then sells them. continue to support the Emerging Leaders, Education, Welly shares a love of sports with his family, participating Membership, events and the Industry Marketing Adviin golf, skiing, hunting and cycling. sory committees. He’s happy to be where he is and excited about CISCA’s prospects for the future. “We have a strong legacy as an Building materials have been a part of Welly’s life since organization,” he says, noting that his main goal is to ensure he was a child. A Toledo, OH native, he is the son of an that CISCA remains the recognized authority and resource Owens-Corning-Fiberglas employee. As a teenager, Welly for the acoustical ceiling and wall systems industry. caddied for several Owens-Corning executives, absorbing information about the industry from their conversations. 16

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

of Directors Incoming President — Jason Gordon is President and CEO of Heartland Acoustics & Interiors, Inc. headquartered in Englewood, Colorado. Heartland services the entire Rocky Mountain region and has a second office in San Diego that services the Southern California region. Jason has been around the ceiling business his entire life and grew up with, his dad, Jim Gordon, who had been hanging ceilings for more than 50 years. He worked for North County Acoustics in San Diego in the early 90s and then returned to Kansas State University in 1997 to finish his degree in Construction Science and Management. After graduating from KSU in 1998 Jason started Heartland Acoustics & Interiors in the Denver area. He is a long time member of CISCA and has been active with AWCI for over 15 years. He is excited to serve on the CISCA board and looks forward to giving back to our industry. Jason and his wife Christi have a teenage daughter and a teenage son and live in Parker, Colorado. He enjoys spending time at home with his family, working on cars and projects in his garage and going camping in the mountains.

Immediate Past President— Eric Mau is President of Mau, Inc. in Mount Prospect, IL. Eric “Doc” has been in the ceiling and interiors business since 1985. After graduating from the University of Iowa in 1985 he went to work for USG in their ceiling tile division as a sales representative. He was transferred to Kansas City where he called on several current CISCA members. After moving on from USG in 1988, he went to work for a Chicago distributor, Central Acoustical Supply House. He sold specialty interior products for CASH until 1994 when he started Mau, Inc. He currently has two employees and covers the Chicagoland and Midwest region with several different specialty vendors as an Independent Manufacturers Representative. Eric and his wife Laura have two boys, their youngest, Carter attends the University of Iowa. Their oldest Charlie graduated from Iowa and is currently working in the industry. Eric and his family enjoy summers at their lake house, golf, water skiing and traveling.

Secretary-Treasurer— Patrick Oates Executive Vice President of Operations for Jacobson & Company, Inc., a contractor located in the New York metropolitan area. He is responsible for the staffing and performance of all projects as well as the company’s safety program. The son of a carpenter, Pat was always familiar with the construction world and he worked for a number of summers as an apprentice carpenter and assistant

estimator for Jacobson & Company. After graduating from Manhattan College in 1994, he began his career there as a Superintendent. Hobbies include skiing and golf. He is also an amateur musician and avid music lover. Pat lives in River Vale, New Jersey with his wife, Erin, and their three young children: Connor, Jack, and Katherine.

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

CISCA LEADERSHIP Contractor Director — Adam Bessert is a project manager for Thorne Associates, Inc. in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from Bradley University in 2003 with a degree in marketing and is currently enrolled in an MBA program at Elmhurst College. Adam began his career in the construction industry with a distributor in the Chicago area in 2004. He then moved on to a position with an interior contractor in Chicago as an estimator and project manager before being hired by Thorne Associates, Inc. as a project manager in 2007. Since starting with Thorne, Adam has worked on a variety of projects from retail to health care. In 2009, he began his relationship with CISCA, participating in the Emerging Leaders program, kicked off at the 2009 CISCA convention in Nashville. Adam is married to Melissa and outside of work is an avid fisherman and recreational golfer. Favorite Member Benefit— “The Sprint partnership allows members the opportunity to save money on their phone bills every day. All you have to do is go the CISCA web site for more information and to sign up.”

Manufacturer Director — Eric Brown is the VicePresident of Sales for CertainTeed Corporation’s Ceilings Group located in Valley Forge, PA. As part of the world’s largest building materials manufacturer, Saint-Gobain, CertainTeed Ceilings serves as a single source for high-quality ceilings that create acoustically friendly, aesthetically captivating environments. Encompassing the Performa™, Ecophon® and Gyptone® brands along with Decoustics® — a leader in high-precision, customengineered solutions — the company offers the perfect balance of innovation, budget and beauty with products that range from basic high-performance panels to premium, customizable systems. Through its Environmental Acoustics design and research, CertainTeed Ceilings provides solutions that promote healthier interiors. Eric has worked for CertainTeed for twentythree years in a variety of diverse leadership roles in Sales, Marketing, Customer Service and Manufacturing. He resides in the Philadelphia area with his wife, Jill and their two children. Eric enjoys ice hockey, golf, fishing and traveling.

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

Contractor Director — Jeff Hudepohl is the president of Valley Interior Systems which has locations in Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton and Toledo, Ohio. He has been with the company since 1986 when it was founded. Jeff and his partners have built their company to be one of the largest interior contractors in the Midwestern states. Jeff and his wife Beth live in Ft. Thomas, KY, and are very involved in their community. They have two children, Chad and Natalie. Chad works for Valley Interior also. Jeff enjoys golf, boating and traveling.

Favorite Member Benefit— “Midwest HR offers members access to a full-service HR department. Smaller companies can take huge advantage of this to address both compliance and personnel issues.”

Distributor Director — David Kovacs is Vice President & General Manager of Kamco Supply Corp. headquartered in Brooklyn, NY. He is responsible for the overall management of four Kamco Supply branches in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Syosset (Long Island) and Paterson, NJ. After spending 9 years as a commercial interior contractor in NJ, Dave joined Armstrong World Industries in 1996 where he held several sales and sales management positions. He moved to Kamco Supply in 2005 and has held his current position since 2009. Dave, who resides in Summit, NJ, has a son entering college and a daughter in law school. He enjoys golfing, running, skiing, music and traveling.

Favorite Member Benefit— “How can you beat audio conferencing for as little as 4.9¢ per minute? That is what Connex offers CISCA members and more.”

Manufacturer Director — James Moynihan With 25 years of experience in sales and manufacturing, James B. Moynihan currently serves as ROCKFON’s vice president and general manager for North America. He is responsible for the company’s complete line of acoustic stone wool and metal ceiling products, including its Chicago Metallic brand of ceiling suspension systems. An energetic leader and strategic thinker, Moynihan enjoys collaborating and communicating with architects, contractors, distributors, sales teams, senior managers and CEOs. He earned his MBA. from Indiana University and a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University in business administration with a marketing major. Beyond his professional life, Moynihan supports his children’s baseball, basketball and soccer teams as an assistant coach in his community.

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

CISCA LEADERSHIP Manufacturer Director — Scott Qualls is currently Director of Sales and Marketing for USG’s Ceiling Division. His national sales organization is responsible for architectural sales, strategic accounts, and contractor specialties. After graduating from Duke University in 1975, Scott has held regional, national and executive sales and marketing positions with leading manufacturers specializing in the ceilings, interior construction, contract furniture and sports surfacing industries. Along with his wife (Sherry), daughter (Nicole) and son (Brent), Scott enjoys sailing, traveling, home remodeling, scoping out new restaurants as well as enjoying an occasional round of golf, tennis, or cross-country skiing. Scott and Sherry live in both Chicago and Lancaster, PA and are awaiting their first grandchild in August.

Manufacturer Director — Steve Udolph is the Marketing Manager for Tectum Inc. His responsibilities are to oversee the Marketing Department including advertising, ad development, website development, lead generation and social media. Steve started with Tectum Inc. shortly after graduating from Ohio University with majors in both Marketing and MIS and has now been with the company for 11 years. He is active with CISCA’s Emerging Leaders group. Steve is married to Meredith and lives in New Albany, OH with their only “child”, a dog named Briggs. He spends his free time golfing, motorcycling, traveling, diving and swimming. In the fall he is glued to the television watching his beloved Chicago Bears!

Favorite Member Benefit— “I love that we have a CISCAbranded credit card. Proud CISCA members should take advantage of this program.”

Favorite Member Benefit— “The Avis Rent a Car discount fits our needs perfectly. As Wayne says ‘Like AVIS, we try harder.’”

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

Distributor Director — Jim Walaszek is a Specialty Sales Representative for Chicago Area Building Specialties located in Roselle, IL. He has been responsible for the Acoustical Product line management, marketing, and sales for CABS’ multiple locations in the metropolitan Chicago market for the last 18 years. After being discharged from the U.S. Navy, Jim entered the world of construction as a salesman for a concrete forming equipment manufacturer selling and leasing equipment to the general contractors of many of the high rise buildings in Chicago. Jim has been selling construction products and in management positions for over 40 years with several gypsum manufacturers and independent distributors in the Chicago market. He has been active in CISCA for over 30 years and is currently serving on several committees. Jim is married to Lorri and has two daughters and five grandchildren. His hobbies are relaxing at their lake house in the summer, snow skiing with the grandchildren, and wood working projects.

Board Advisor — Ron Bishop is President of Elljay Acoustics Inc., located in Placentia CA. Elljay is currently celebratiing it’s 48th year providing specialty interior contracting services in the Southern California region. Ron served as President of CISCA from 20042005 and was honored to be CISCA’s DeGelleke Award recipient for his contributions to the acoustical industry and involvement in the Association throughout his career. Ron and his wife Linda have three adult children. They love spending time at their beach house in San Clemente, especially when their two granddaughters are there. Ron is an avid golfer, cyclist, snow skier and Anaheim Angels fan.

Favorite Member Benefit— “UPS offers CISCA members some great discounts — save up to 34% on a broad portfolio of services, including air, international and ground services. Plus, savings begin at 70% on UPS Freight® shipments.”

Board Advisor — Mike Granatino, Winroc/SPI Midwest Regional Manager, has been an active part of the construction products industry for thirtytwo years. Winroc/ SPI is a division of Superior Plus with distribution branches throughout Canada and the US. In his career, Mike has developed mutually beneficial relationships with major vendors of commodity products such as drywall, steel studs, EIFS, as well as a vast array of specialty interior products, especially acoustical materials. His rapport with customers spans throughout the country, most recently in the Southeast and Midwest US. Mike has been with Winroc/SPI for the past four years as a Regional Manager in both the Southeast and Midwest regions. Prior to joining Winroc-SPI in 2010, Mike spent 16 years with Rew Materials in various national and regional positions. His previous positions include owner Granatino Company, and his beginnings as sales rep for Wagner Interior Supply in Kansas City. Mike previously served on the board of directors of CISCA in 2001. Mike studied business at City College, San Francisco. Mike and his wife Mena, have been married for 32 years and have four grown sons. Mike enjoys golf, traveling with Mena and watching Notre Dame football.

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

CISCA EDUCATION

Creating a Culture of Safety Through Effective by Meta Levin

f attendees at Steve Anderson’s presentation during the 2014 CISCA Conference thought they were going to sit back and maybe take some notes, they were wrong. Anderson’s seminar, “Creating a Culture of Safety through Effective Leadership,” was interactive from the get-go. Immediately Anderson divided his audience into small, breakout groups, giving them three questions to discuss: 1. What are some examples of cultural issues in your organization that makes it difficult to ensure the safety of your employees? 2. What are the critical ingredients in a culture that has an excellent safety record?

CISCA educational events continue to be a strong draw. 22

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

3. What must leaders do to develop and maintain that culture? Meanwhile, he circulated with a microphone, chatting with them about their conversations, allowing all to hear the answers. “They got to find out what each other was doing,” he says. “It got the room all talking with each other.” Anderson, who holds both an MBA and a PhD in psychology, has combined his interests and expertise in his own company, Integrated Leadership Systems, a Columbus, OH based consulting service that provides leadership training, executive coaching and consulting. The author of four books about leadership, he holds leadership positions in the Boy Scouts of America, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Central Ohio

Leadership Brad Sampson is the education committee chair. and Toastmasters International. An effective safety culture is important in every industry, says Anderson, “When someone gets hurt, it has mass repercussions.” And safety is a company culture and leadership issue. That’s why most of Anderson’s presentation did not even mention the word safety. Instead, he focused on the factors that lead to a well-run and welllead company, as well as what motivates employees to follow their leaders. “As a leader, it’s your job to give employees a clear vision what safety means and ask them to help implement the policy,” says Anderson. “Don’t let it out of anyone’s sights. Measure it and post the results.” Everyone should be held accountable and rewarded when it’s done right. It is, he says, an effective leader’s job to ask employees what they need to do their jobs and to make sure that they get what they need. A leader’s job is three-quarters support and one-quarter holding people accountable. Anderson lists four critical ingredients of safe cultures: 1. Aligned and engaged employees 2. Effective communication 3. Reinforce what you want 4. Challenge what you don’t 1) Effective companies have a sense of alignment, with everyone working toward the same goals In order to align and engage employees, Anderson recommends an inverted pyramid management style, in which managers take a “how can we help you succeed?” attitude toward their employees. Customers are

put on top, with front line employees next, middle managers following and the leader last. Anderson credits Tom Peters’, “Thriving in Chaos” for this model. “Start with treating your employees with respect and they will bust their butts for you,” says Anderson. Other theories that help describe varying management styles are Douglas McGregor’s XY theory, which Anderson divided into two styles: authoritative and participative. Under “theory X,” managers assume that the average person dislikes work and will avoid it whenever possible. Thus, managers must use the threat of punishment to get employees to work towards organizational objectives. Under “theory Y,” however, managers assume that effort in work is natural and that people will apply selfcontrol and self-direction to achieve organizational objectives without the threat of punishment. Commitment to the objective, such as safety, is a function of the rewards associated with it. The point is, that becoming an effective leader, understanding what motivates your employees, and using that knowledge will allow management to motivate people to want to do their jobs. Motivation to follow safety procedures will go a long way toward finding success in the workplace. That message resonated with Dave Chaffee, (continued on page 24) Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

CISCA EDUCATION (continued from page 23) president, E&K Companies. “That connected with me, because we are trying to transition from a top down mentality to trying to motivate people to work safely,” he says. “(Anderson) presented a more motivational approach to safety.” In fact, Anderson taught the new school management techniques to an Ohio company that recently had suffered a fatality. Once instituted and integrated into the company culture, “That company and one of its subsidiaries have both recently won national awards from the Associated General Contractors of North America as having the best safety record in their class in the United States,” he says.

ing appropriate behavior. Research by Development Dimensions shows that highly engaged employees have far fewer quality errors than disengaged ones. Engaged employees report feeling that their work is appreciated and that their opinions count. Anderson subscribes to Kenneth Blanchard’s advice to “Catch someone doing something right.” “People want to cooperate when they are being encouraged,” says Anderson. Recognition is most effective when it is timely, specific, personal and appropriate to what they did. This emotional intelligence is another issue on which Chaffee and his team want to focus. “Asking for employees’ opinions and acting on it; giving more merit, understanding what helps build a good team – that’s something that we need to work on,” he says.

2) Effective management requires effective communication 4) Challenge what you don’t Any face-to-face comwant munication has three major Developing a partnercomponents: body lanship relationship with your guage, words and tone. Of employees is more effective these, body language is than a control/dependency by far the most important relationship, says Anderson. way that listeners underHe quotes Bill Gates, founder Steve Anderson was informative and thought provoking. stand the message, says of Microsoft, “One of a Anderson. Our tone of voice leader’s main responsibilities is comes next and the actual words that we say is last, as to constructively listen to bad news and then to fix the in so far down that it is almost negligible. problem immediately. As soon as employees feel you It is important to remember that key when commuare not listening to what is wrong everything unravels in nicating everything — including and especially safety a hurry.” procedures — to your employees. A partnership relationship may require behavioral changes on both the management and employees’ 3) Reinforce what you want sides. “If you want a partnership, you should rarely, if The psychology of effective leadership also involves ever lose your temper,” says Anderson. “This always understanding what motivates employees. According to causes disengagement.” If losing your temper and yellAnderson, managers often guess wrong on that quesing is considered acceptable behavior in your company, tion. According to research done by Kenneth Kovack, Anderson recommends trying to change that. PhD, the top five motivators, in order, are: interesting “To do this, you must eliminate fear.” work, full appreciation for the work done, a feeling of He recommends that you learn to “listen more effecbeing in on things, job security and good wages. tively” in order to get feedback on the “near misses.” But their bosses often thought that they were motiWhen confronting an employee, describe the errant vated first by good wages, followed by job security, behavior, explain how it makes you feel and explain the promotional opportunities, good working conditions changes you want to see. Try not to make the person and interesting work. defensive. Listen and stay focused. Reinforcing what you want includes reward(continued on page 26) 24

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

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2014 Leadership Conference Sponsored by USG

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Two fun-packed days of —

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The hub for educational and networking aspects of the Leadership Conference will be the Omni Hotel Chicago. Located in the heart of Chicago’s Magnificent Mile the Omni Hotel offers first class accomodations with a million-dollar location. An Incredible Golf Experience— Harborside International Play golf in the shadow of Chicago’s fabled skyline at Harborside International’s two exceptional courses, Port & Starboard. The courses were designed by renowned architect Dick Nugent to bring this great tradition of links golf to Chicago. Two time Masters Champion Ben Crenshaw, during the Champions Tour stop here in 2002, compared Harborside to Muirfield in Scotland, the site of 15 Open Championships won by the likes of Els, Faldo, Watson, Nicklaus, Player, Hagen and Vardon.

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

(continued from page 24) It’s important, says Anderson, not to sound accusatory, not to label the person’s behavior as wrong, not to call the person names and definitely do not lose your cool. There are levels of confrontation. Most of the time, start a first confrontation with a simple, “Don’t do this again.” If it is repeated, threaten the consequences. Anderson notes that for a serious violation of rules, the manager may need to skip over the gentle “Don’t do this again” and go immediately to the second step. A third transgression should be met with the threatened consequence. Even then, Anderson says, egregious behavior may need to be met with immediate consequences without starting at the warning stage. “Let the consequences, combined with positive reinforcement create the behavior change that you seek,” he says. In the case of a serious infraction, especially a safety issue, many managers give their employees unpaid time off, which sounds like and is, in fact, a punishment. According to Anderson, research by Harvey and Sims finds that telling an employee to take the next day off and make a final decision to correct the problem or resign demonstrates that the employee is responsible for his or her own behavior. “Employees take this seriously,” says Anderson. But how do you control your emotions, especially in the case of an egregious violation? Anderson recommends making a plan beforehand. He suggests bringing notes to the confrontation, which will serve to help keep you focused in case the employee becomes defensive. In any case, he advises acknowledging your emotions, accepting them, assessing them and acting upon them. Much of what Anderson said was familiar to Chaffee, but it served to reinforce what he already knew, but some came with a different slant. “He stressed understanding how to properly lead people, to listen for what they want to hear,” he says. In fact, Chaffee has asked Anderson to talk to E&K management about leadership skills in the fall. Anderson notes that effective management may be similar to something that is familiar to many people. In fact, one of his books is titled, “Embracing Rebellion: If you can raise teenagers you can lead anyone.”

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If you have business questio

Peer Groups Might

by Meta Levin

“T

hese are people with whom I can be honest outside of my office and my partners.” That’s one of the most important advantages of belonging to a peer group, according to Jeff Hudepohl, president of Valley Interior Systems in the Cincinnati, OH area. For that and a number of other reasons, CISCA will introduce the formation of new peer groups during the October CISCA Leadership Conference. The Peer Group is a mentoring program designed to bring together people at the same level, in the same kinds of businesses, who are not in direct competition with each other, in order to share information, best practices and advice in a safe environment. It is considered so important that new CISCA President Pete Welly has included it as one of his three strategic objectives for CISCA in the coming year and incoming president Jason Gordon, president and CEO of Heartland Acoustics & Interiors, Inc., serves on a CISCA committee that is putting the program together. 28

Summer 2014

Gordon, who has participated in general business peer groups before, but never an industry specific one, believes that the Peer Group program will create a significant benefit for CISCA members. “I was one of those who proposed expanding the program,” says Kent Vipond, president of CDM Investment Group, who

it could provide value for our membership.” That peer group members are from different geographic areas and not direct competitors is one of the reasons these groups can become so effective, says Shirley Wodynski, CISCA executive director. Using a structured approach and meeting a couple of times a year, the

has been a member of two industry specific peer groups; one, composed of CISCA members, three of whom are former CISCA presidents, since the late 1990s, and the other since the mid-1980s. “I think that

peer group members build trust with each other, allowing them to freely discuss business affairs. “We open up and tell each other everything that is going right and wrong,” says Hudepohl,

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

who has been in a group for five years. “We all have 100 percent trust in each other.” The group in which Hudepohl has participated for the last five years represents nearly 10 acoustic ceiling and drywall contractors primarily from the east coast and Midwest. The ability to freely talk about even the most sensitive business issues not only comes from the trust that is engendered through the group, but sometimes through more formal nondisclosure agreements that members are asked to sign, says Wodynski. “We want them to be free to openly discuss anything.” Initially the Peer Group program will focus on business owners, presidents and CEOs, and will be organized so that members not only represent similar size companies, but are based in diverse geographic areas, says Gordon. He expects invitations to go out to the first group in August. Gordon believes that this program is not for everyone, but “I think that there are enough out there who will see the value in

Kent Vipond

Michael Coakley

Have Some Answers helping each other in our own industry” to make it a success. “We all are in the same industry and we all are facing the same issues.” Although they meet in person every six months, members of the peer group to which Vipond, Coakley and Hudepohl belong often call each other in between to discuss concerns, problems and successes, asking advice from those who they have come to know and trust. Vipond sees fellow peer group members as a “quasi-board of directors or consulting group,” often bouncing ideas off them, as well as conferring with them about important issues and decisions. “I have a lot of admiration and respect for (fellow members). I learn a lot from them.” So does Michael Coakley, co-president of C.J. Coakley Co., Inc. “We operate as an island in a lot of cases and make decisions on our own,” he says. “Anytime we can get the experience from someone else who has been down the same road, it’s good.

And these are people I admire.” Vipond also sometimes brings those from his organizations who might benefit from the discussion about specific issues. After a conversation about technology, Vipond, for instance, offered to host a technology session at CDM/E&K’s Omaha office to which members may bring others from their companies for whom it would be relevant. “We’re going to go over BIM (building information modeling), on-screen take-offs and other back of the house software that would be useful,” he says. “It’s good to get together and talk about how we use technology.” An inveterate note taker, after every meeting Hudepohl shares his notes with his two business partners, then breaks them down into portions that are relevant to his sales and estimating team, operations and administration. “It has helped each department grow,” he says, by affirming that what they are doing is effective, but also alerting them to methods of improvement.

Jeff Hudepohl

“I take away something new from every meeting,” says Coakley, about the group of which he has been a member for nearly a year. Invited to join by Vipond, Coakley was predisposed to investigate the opportunity, because of their relationship. “He’s a good friend and a smart business person.” Since he joined, Coakley has found the Peer Group to be a “great forum for people in the same position to discuss problems with people in similar situations.” Coakley sometimes researches ideas gleaned from meetings to decide if they would work in his organization, but he also has been able to give back, recommending policies and procedures that have worked for C.J. Coakley that might not have occurred to other members. Coakley reports consulting with his fellow Peer Group members as a means of getting recommendations for new equipment purchases. He often asks about the experience other firms have had with various pieces of equipment.

New ideas are “immediately credible” since other companies of the same size already have tackled the problem, he says. Like Hudepohl, he talks with his fellow members between face-to-face meetings. “Whenever I have an issue that I haven’t solved, one of the first people I call is (Vipond),” he says. “I have a collaborative relationship with a lot of these people through CISCA.” Coakley thinks expanding the program would be good for CISCA. “For people in the industry, peer groups are some of the best things they could get out of the association,” he says.

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

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Welcomes New Members 2013-2014 A-Val Architectural Metal Corp Mt. Vernon NY A.C. Dellovade Canonsburg PA Above Interior Distributors Miami FL Accent Ceilings and Walls City of Industry CA Allied Construction Services Roeland Park KS American Decorative Ceilings Cleveland OH APS Contractors, Inc. Paterson NJ Architectural Materials Solutions New York NY Architectural Products, LLC Ocala FL Asona-USA, LLC Sandusky OH Atlantic Interior Services Inc. Tequesta FL CCI Bend, LLC Bend OR CGC Mississauga ON Canada Clipso Americas, Inc. Blauvelt NY Coner Abrasive Manufacturing Co., Ltd Yancheng, Jiangsu, China Core Acoustics Vaughan ON Canada Custom Truck & Equipment Kansas City MO Dale Construction Glenside PA Dixon Drywall Concord ON Canada SUB Inc. San Diego CA Fabricmate Systems Inc. Ventura CA Falewitch Construction Services, Inc. LaVista NE Foundation Building Materials Orange CA Fuyi Acoustics Products Design and Development Co., Ltd. Qingdao, Shandong, China 30

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIORâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;CONSTRUCTION

G&S Acoustics Simi Valley CA GD Ergo Design Ltd. Port Perry ON Canada Golden Valley Supply of North Dakota Fargo ND Golder Acoustics West Jordan UT Gripple, Inc. Aurora IL High Profile llc. Palmetto FL Hy-Flex Corporation New Castle IN Interior Supply Inc. Columbus OH K. Peterson Associates Plymouth MA KBJ Incorporated Oakwood Village OH L.A.M.B. Oxford Management and Consultant, Inc. dba Lamb Oxford MTC, Inc. Pleasanton CA Masco Contractor Services Daytona Beach FL National Abrasives Reigate, Surrey, England Norton Industries, Inc. Lakewood OH Olympic Companies, Inc. Des Moines IA OnOff Deco, Inc. Montclair CA Ornelas Construction New Lenox IL P and D Contracting Washington DC Paramount Contracting, Inc. Lancaster PA Performance Contracting, Inc. Tigard OR Preferred Ceilings, Inc. Brea CA Premier Sales Northwest, Inc Gig Harbor WA R.A.M. Metal Industries LLC Dubai

(New Members continue on page 61)

2014 Construction Excellence Awards q Rules q Criteria q Entry Form

The Ceilings and Interior Systems Construction Association (CISCA) invites applications for the Construction Excellence Awards competition.

Call for Entries

Award winners will be recognized during the CISCA Convention April 29, 2015 in Long Beach, CA. The awards ceremony features a multi-media presentation of all submissions and winning projects. Winners will be featured in the Acoustical Interior Construction magazine. Entries are due no later than January 31, 2015. A special entry fee is available for entries received by January 16, 2015. No late entries will be accepted.

Regions

Your project will compete against other projects submitted in the same CISCA region. Projects must be submitted in the CISCA region where the project is located. All entries will be judged using the same award categories and criteria against other submissions from that region. Projects outside the United States and Canada will enter the International Region. Regional qualification does not apply to the Boutique Category. All entries into the Boutique Category will be judged as a group. Note: Entries outside the geographic area shown at right are considered International.

Category Descriptions

Ceilings – Complex or difficult design new construction ceiling projects (interior or exterior) using metal, wood, fiberglass, fabric or mineral fiber. Renovation – Complex or difficult design renovation projects using metal, wood, fiberglass, fabric or mineral fiber. Interior Finishes – Complex or difficult design interior finish projects. Category includes wall panels and cladding systems. This category is all inclusive for work done on the interior of a building.

Note: Entries outside the geographic area shown below are considered International.

Acoustical Solutions – Complex or difficult design projects solving an acoustical challenge. Boutique – Unique interior projects less than 10,000 square feet. NOTE: Entries submitted in the wrong category may be disqualified by the judges.

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

Award Types

Award Recipients will be notified after judging. Winners are asked to notify the others listed on their project of the outcome of judging. Each winning entry is given one award. Additional awards may be purchased for other CISCA members who worked on the projects. Additional awards purchased by March 10, 2015 can be presented during the breakfast. All awards will be presented in Long Beach and a picture will be taken on stage. Only CISCA members will be recognized in the video and in the magazine Gold – may be awarded in each category within each region. Silver – may be awarded in each category within each region. Bronze – may be awarded in each category within each region. Boutique – Gold, Silver and Bronze may be awarded within this category. Optional Special Awards Special Awards may be given at the discretion of the judges. Recognition may be given to the project the judges deem to be the “Best of the Best,” The Founder’s Award. The Founder’s Award is presented to the project deemed the best overall project – work of the contractor and use of manufacturer’s materials. Contractor’s Award – this award may be given to a project submitted by a contractor. This award is similar to the Founder’s Award, but will be given based solely on the work of the contractor who has submitted the entry. People’s Choice Award – this award is voted upon by attendees of the awards event. A real honor to be judged by your peers.

- - - - -

Entry Requirements Projects must be completed within 18 months of the date due and not have been previously submitted. No maximum to the number of total entries from one company A maximum of three (3) entries in any one category from one company No project may be submitted in more than one category by the same company The company submitting the project must be a CISCA member, i.e. distributor, contractor, manufacturer, etc. by the date of judging.

WHAT TO SEND - $900 fee if submitted by January 10, 2015, $325 if the contractor is a CISCA member - $1,000 fee if received January 12 - 31, 2015, $375 if the contractor is a CISCA member - Completed entry form, binder (as per below), pictures - Be sure the entry form clearly indicates the region where the project is located - Be sure the entry form clearly indicates the category under which the project is entered. - Do not send material you need returned BINDER REQUIREMENT - White 1 inch, 3-ring binder (suggested Wilson-Jones W362-14W) - Each sheet/picture should be placed in a plastic protection sheet - No dividers should be used, no cover sheet - Items should be placed in binder in the following order: o Completed Entry form, along with form of payment o Narrative (no longer than 500 words) – more detail can be found later. No company name, project name, or location of project. o Pictures – be sure the picture description is placed below the picture, not on the back, or on the adjacent page. Decription cannot state company name, project name, or location of project. o Short paragraph to be used in the magazine if the project wins (Up to a 100 word narrative should be written for the magazine and website should the project win an award. This narrative should include the name of the project and all contributing companies.) o CD of photos in jpeg format only (call CISCA if you would like to upload your pictures to the ftp site) o Please indicate which picture you would like used in the magazine. 32

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

Judging Criteria

PLEASE READ THIS SECTION CAREFULLY A panel of industry representatives will judge the entries. A copy of the judges’ scoring sheet is attached. When thinking about what to include regarding job conditions, consider the challenges a job site might present to the contractor working within a difficult space. For example, other tradesmen and equipment working at the same time making installation more difficult; unusual heights and the complexity of installation due to these heights; or other extreme unusual outside influences that challenged the installation process. Include the estimated total man hours which the job required for completion. Many times the submittals include the statement “the job had a short time frame for installation” or something of that nature and depending on the project and products installed that may or may not be considered a “job condition”. OVERALL PRESENTATION AND APPEARANCE OF ENTRY Binder: a. Each entry must be in a white, 3-ring binder with no company or project names or logo. Suggested binder is Wilson Jones, W362 14W. b. Each sheet of paper and photograph is to be in a clear plastic protection sheet c. Do not use dividers d. Binder should be arranged in this order: o Completed Entry form, along with form of payment o Narrative (no longer than 500 words) – more detail can be found later o Pictures – be sure the picture description is placed below the picture, not on the back, not on the adjacent page. o Short paragraph to be used in the magazine if the project wins (Up to a 100 word narrative should be written for the magazine and website should the project win an award. This narrative should include the name of the project and all contributing companies.) o CD of photos Photographs All photos should be hi-resolution. A minimum of (5), but no more than ten (10) 8” X 10” or full-sheet photographs may be included. Provide a brief description of the photo below the picture. Photos should be good quality photos which clearly show the judges the project. Photos do not have to be professionally done, but if they are, be sure to obtain reproduction rights from the photographer for CISCA’s use without limitation. Photos on the CD should be in JPEG format. It would be helpful to the judges to have photographs of the project before, during and after completion of the project. Project name and company or specific product names should not be in the photographs. Narrative A maximum of 500 words providing details about the size and scope of the project. Narrative should include information on the challenges and special obstacles encountered on the project; the degree of difficulty or extenuating circumstances encountered in completing the project. Basically, answer these questions: • What makes this project special? • Any manufacturing difficulties • What qualifies this project for an award? • Any installation difficulties • Estimate of man hours required NOTE: THIS NARRATIVE SHOULD NOT INCLUDE THE NAME OF THE PROJECT, THE LOCATION OF THE PROJECT, SPECIFIC PRODUCT NAMES, THE NAME OF THE CONTRACTOR, MANUFACTURER, DISTRIBUTOR, INDEPENDENT MANUFACTURERS REP, ARCHITECT, OTHER COMPANY THAT WORKED ON THE PROJECT OR PERSONS WHO WORKED ON THE PROJECT. IF INCLUDED, THESE NAMES ARE BLACKED OUT WITH A MARKER WHICH MAKES READING THE NARRATIVE DIFFICULT FOR THE JUDGES AS THIS CAUSES A LOSS OF FLOW WHEN READING. UP TO 10 POINTS WILL BE DEDUCTED IF NAMES ARE INCLUDED IN THIS NARRATIVE.

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

2014 Entry Form

CISCA CONSTRUCTION EXCELLENCE AWARDS Please complete the information exactly as it should appear on the award. Each submission requires a separate entry form, which must be in a separate entry binder. Form must be completed in its entirety. Contact person is requested to respond to all communications in a timely manner. Print or type exactly as it should appear on the award, in the magazine and on the website. Category (circle one) q Acoustical Solutions q Ceilings q Interior Finishes q Renovation q Boutique (No Region) Region (circle one)

q South q Central q East q West q International

Name of Project: Location of Project (city, state): List other companies involved in this project. Please note, Contractor, Distributor, Manufacturers Reps and Manufacturers must be CISCA members to be recognized as having worked on the project. If you have a long list of contributors, please append them to your entry form on a separate sheet. Contractor: Company name, Contact name, Email address, phone number, city, state Distributor: Company name, Contact name, Email address, phone number, city, state Mfg. Rep: Company name, Contact name, Email address, phone number, city, state Manufacturer: Company name, Contact name, Email address, phone number, city, state Architect: Company name, Contact name, Email address, phone number, city, state Applicant: Company Name: Contact Person: Title: Mailing Address: Telephone Number: Email Address: As company representative I give CISCA permission to use photographs and any information submitted for the CISCA Construction Excellence Awards competition, promotional materials and news releases. Signature: Payment Type (circle one): Check Visa MasterCard AMEX

1010 Jorie Blvd., Suite 30,

Card Number: Oak Brook, IL 60523 Expiration Date: Ph: 630-584-1919 Date: 34

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIORâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;CONSTRUCTION

Fax: 866-560-8537

Submission deadline is January 31, 2015

www.cisca.org

2014 Entry Form

CISCA 2014 CONSTRUCTION EXCELLENCE AWARDS Judges Scoring Sheet PROJECT RATING SHEET PROJECT: REGION: CATEGORY:

Judging Criteria

There is a total possible score 80 points. Listed below are the different judging selections. The quality of the entries presentation should have important bearing on its chance to win. Poor

PRESENTATION OF BINDER/PHOTOGRAPHS/NARRATIVE

Excellent

1. Photographs – (quality of photos)

___

Photographs – (Descriptive quality) (shows the work) 2. Narrative (Descriptive quality)

___

Narrative (Presentation)

___

(Quality

of the writing)

TOTAL PRESENTATION SCORE ___________ Poor TECHNICAL QUALITY

Excellent 8

3. Quality of Job

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

4. Complexity of Job (Installation)

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

___

5. Complexity of Job (Manufacturing process)

6. Job Conditions

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

7. Overall Finished Project ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

8. Judge’s Choice

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___

TOTAL TECHNICAL SCORE ___________ TOTAL OVERALL SCORE___________

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

EMERGING LEADERS

Emerging Leaders Visit Hunter Douglas by Rick Reuland The CISCA Emerging Leaders Group enjoyed the Atlanta charm and hospitality of Ron Rice and the Hunter Douglas Architectural Products staff, June 17-18, 2014. This was the latest installement yearly educational road show. The event included two days of educational meeings, tours, a big dose of networking and an Atlanta Braves baseball game. Thoughout the event, Ron and his staff could not have been more gracious and attentive hosts. The Emerging Leaders program is an outstanding opportunity to engage younger members who may go on to become the next generation of CISCA leaders. Ron Rice of Hunter Douglas greets members of the Emerging Leaders group including Steve Udolph of Tectum, Inc.

The Emerging Leaders group gets a briefing on what lies ahead in their two-day conference 36

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIORâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;CONSTRUCTION

Ron Rice and David Bailey with the Hunter Douglas display of some of their CISCA awards.

Emerging Leaders group outside the Hunter Douglas building .

Ron Rice provides the Emerging Leaders group with an orientation briefing on the day’s activities. Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

EMERGING LEADERS Members of the Hunter-Douglas team who participated in the program wereâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;

Bid Center Coordinator Bob Krug and Senior Customer service Mitzi Redd

Project designer Michael Howard

Director of Engineering David Bailey

Customer Service Stefanie Burnette

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIORâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;CONSTRUCTION

Senior Project Designer Ben Walker

Customer Service Misty Ramey

Project Manager Christine Soler

Sample Fulfillment Coordinator Julie Sandner

Senior Project Designer Pete Dean

Project Design summer intern Hunter Pope

Architectural Design Supervisor Chris Le

The Emerging Leaders group continued their tradition of attending a Major League Baseball game as part of the event, courtesy of Hunter Douglas.

Acoustical INTERIORâ&#x20AC;&#x2C6;CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

SPEAKING OF LEADERSHIP

2014 Leadership Conference October 1-2, 2014 Omni Chicago Hotel Chicago, IL

Two fun-packed days of —

• Superior Education

• The Omni Hotel Chicago on the Magnificent Mile

• An Incredible Golf Experience at Harborside International Golf Center Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

Steven Anderson presented during the 2014 Con-

vention to rave reviews by the attendees. We have invited Steve back. Steve will present: “The Call to Authenticity: Developing Authentic Leadership in your Organization.” After the two days attendees will be able to: •Understand the importance of emotional intelligence and how it impacts authenticity • Understand how fear can keep us from becoming authentic leaders • Understand the role of passion in developing authenticity • Understand how to develop authenticity on their teams

Join CISCA for Golf at

Harborside International

Harborside International Golf Center, home to both the Port & Starboard Courses, has been Chicago’s home for golf since 1995. Located only 16 minutes from Chicago’s Loop, Harborside offers the premier golf experience in the Chicagoland area. As the only facility with two of Golfweek’s “Best Courses You Can Play in Illinois” and the home to the most expansive driving range and practice facility in Northern Illinois, Harborside delivers the best that Chicago has to offer in golf.

Located in the heart of the Magnificent Mile The Omni Chicago Hotel is one of the area’s best-loved hotels and home to Michigan Avenue’s only all-suite luxury accommodations. Every guest room exudes the lavish sophistication you expect from a fourdiamond hotel. While in Chicago be sure to take in the local attractions which include: shopping, parks, museums and music venues. Dine at Chicago’s exceptional restaurants, explore the Art Institute of Chicago or take a stroll along the beautiful lakefront.

Call the CISCA office to register 630-584-1919 or visit cisca.org

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

CISCA 2014 LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE REGISTRATION ATTENDEE INFORMATON Please use one form per attendee (includes spouse/companion). Please duplicate form for multiple attendees.

First Name

Last Name

Badge Name

Company Name

Phone

Address

City, State & Zip

Spouse/Companion Full Name

Badge Name LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE FEES

Early Registrations before January 31, 2014 Member – Single $585 Member & Spouse/Companion $785 Non-Member – Single $950 (Includes one year CISCA membership) Non-Member & Spouse/Companion $1200 (Includes one year CISCA membership)

Registrations February1, 2014 to May 31, 2014 Member – Single $685 Member & Spouse/Companion $945 Non-Member – Single $1050 (Includes one year CISCA membership Non-Member & Spouse/Companion $1300 (Includes one year CISCA membership)

All Registrations June 1, 2014 or later Member – Single Member & Spouse/Companion Non-Member – Single (Includes one year CISCA membership) Non-Member & Spouse/Companion (Includes one year CISCA membership)

Golf Outing Fees - (Not included in registration)

Credit card number

Circle one

VISA

$795 $1095 $1145 $1395

Golf per person (Fee includes cart, tax and gratuity)

$150

Club rental

$55

 Left

 Right

PAYMENT INFORMATON M/C

AMEX

DISCOVER

Card Expiration Date

Billing address

City, state and zip

Card holders printed name

Card holder’s signature



Check enclosed

Total amount NOTES: ONE FREE REGISTRATION IS BEING OFFERED TO EACH CONTRACT COMPANY. PRIOR TO THE START OF THE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE, AN INTRODUCTION TO PEER GROUPS WILL BE GIVEN. IF INTERESTED, PLEASE COMPLETE THE PEER GROUP APPLICATION.

GENERAL INFORMATION Hotel reservations: Room rate: $239.00 per night. Call The Omni Chicago Hotel at 1-888-444-OMNI (6664) or send an email to CISCA at cisca@cisca.org Ground transportation: The Omni Chicago Hotel is about a 45 minute ride by taxi or shuttle from the O’Hare International Airport and about a 40 minute ride by taxi or shuttle from Chicago Midway Airport. The cost is about $35-$50 dollars. Car Rental Discount thru AVIS at 1-800-331-1600 for a CISCA member discount rate. You must provide the CISCA AVIS Worldwide (AWD) number: T026999 to receive the discount rate.

FAX WITH CREDIT CARD INFORMATION TO 866-560-8537 OR MAIL TO CISCA AT 1010 JORIE BLVD. SUITE 30 OAK BROOK, IL 60523

Save the Date!

2015

Convention

April 27 - 30, 2015 The Renaissance Hotel Long Beach, CA 2015 is CISCA’s 65th Anniversary. Come help us celebrate. Mark your calendar now to attend the 2015 CISCA Convention and INTEX trade show in Long Beach, California, April 27 – 30, 2015. CISCA’s hotel is The Renaissance. The group rate is $239 a night. There are many outstanding events being planned. Don’t be left out – plan now to attend.

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

CISCABUSINESSLIBRARY

The Essence of Leadership Tools You Must Apply to Create Highly Successful

by Matt Tenney

e all know the types of people who make great leaders, right? They’re the brilliant, talented, wunderkinds who are poised to change the industry. The persuasive, outgoing schmoozers who get along with just about everyone. The industry veterans who have done it all and seen it all. Or the capable, go-to guys who are always first to walk into a room and take charge. …Or are they? All of these types can turn out to be terrible leaders. Sure, each of them might have some success at quickly mobilizing a group. But over time, they tend to become less effective because they’re not able to maximize the achievement of each person in the group. They’re more likely to think that their own ideas are the best and simply expect people to do what they’re told. If you want a much better predictor of whether or not a person will make a great leader, you should simply ask why they want to lead others. Truly great leaders don’t aspire to lead so that they can have more power, prestige, perks, or money. Great leaders aspire to lead because they want to be of greater service to the greater good. They realize that they can accomplish a lot more with the help of others than they can

alone. They apply the spirit of service not only to the mission of the organization, but also to the people on their teams. This information is drawn from an abundance of case studies, research, and tactics to help leaders make the shift to servant leadership. Here are nine tactics to help you achieve higher levels of success by consistently serving and inspiring greatness in others.

1 Show them that you care

You may have heard that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care — and it’s true! Unless your team truly believes that you have their well-being in mind, you won’t be able to develop the kind of influence that leads to long-lasting success. Look at Herb Kelleher, founder and former chairman of Southwest Airlines, as a great example of how great leaders develop influence.

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

Kelleher consistently showed employees how much he cared by doing things like coming in on Thanksgiving Day to help baggage handlers load suitcases onto planes. When he wrote a letter asking employees to find a way to save $5 a day for the second half of a year, he signed it, “Love, Herb.” Employees knew that he meant it. And, as a result of the influence Herb had built, employees saved much more than $5 a day on average, helping Southwest keep their then 30-year streak of profitability going. You can start emulating Kelleher simply by checking in with your team to see how things are going. Ask if they’re happy and find out why or why not. This will send a clear message that you actually care, especially if you follow up with actions that address any sources of discontent. And don’t forget to frequently measure your own happiness and well-being, too. You’ll bring so much more to the table and be better equipped to serve your team members if you are healthy both physically and emotionally.

Teams Over the Long Term

2 Create a healthy culture of accountability

Being a servant leader doesn’t mean that you can’t demand excellence or hold people accountable. In fact, lax standards would do everyone on your team quite a disservice. If you allow mediocrity to be the standard, you’ll find it difficult to attract and retain talented people, and you’ll set each individual up for failure in the future. Taking the subjectivity out of goals by makes them binary: Either they’re achieved or they’re not — no “kind of” or “partially” allowed. It is definitely in everyone’s best interests to set high expectations and to let people know that they’ll be held accountable. But once you’ve established standards, you should make serving and caring for team members an equal or even higher priority. By doing so, you’ll earn loyalty and boost motivation, resulting in people who do things not because they have to, but because they want to. I recommend using “team” language by

saying things like, “How can we work together to achieve this goal?” and, “What do you need from me to help you achieve it?”

3 Ask more and better questions

Highly effective leaders tend to spend more time asking questions of team members than they do giving orders. But the questions aren’t about micromanagement or secondguessing. They’re about soliciting input or feedback and finding ways to be of greater service. I recommend establishing this practice from day one. When you bring a new person onto the team, have a face-to-face discussion and ask about what goals they have: goals for the team or organization, professional goals in general, and even personal goals. By obtaining and recording this information, you’ll be in an ideal position to serve employees by helping them achieve thier goals. Be sure to check in on a regular basis to see which goals have been achieved, how

the rest have evolved, and how you can best help right now.

4 Spend less time talking In addition to asking more questions, great leaders also tend to spend less time talking during meetings and more time listening. I suggest that whenever possible, leaders make an effort to speak last, speak less than 10 percent of the time, and refrain from offering personal opinions. By following these three simple rules, you’ll create an environment where people feel safe to speak up and offer ideas. This accomplishes several important leadership objectives. First, you’ll get more input and make the most of the collective intelligence of your team members because you aren’t sending signals about where you personally want things to go. (After all, no one wants to share an idea or opinion the boss won’t like!) Second, because your team will be more involved, they’ll (continued on page 46)

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

CISCABUSINESSLIBRARY (continued from page 45) feel more valuable — meaning that you’ll create more engagement. And third, you’ll get more buy-in from team members because they’re more involved in the creation of ideas, goals, and strategies.

5 Connect work to a higher purpose Very few people have jobs that are inherently inspiring. There’s nothing particularly sexy about accounting, or customer service, or marketing. However, great leaders are able to help the people they lead see the connection between their (sometimes mundane and frustrating) work and the big picture. Step One is for you, the leader, to get clear on how your team is helping to improve the lives of customers and making the world a better place in some way. These become the mission and the vision of the team, respectively. Both should be condensed down to a simple sentence or two, and both should be something that people can picture in their mind’s eye. For instance, an effective mission for a team of financial planners would be, “We help people to achieve financial peace of mind.”An inspiring vision would be, “A world where the vast majority of people are more kind, generous, and happy because they aren’t worried about their finances.” Once the mission and vision are clear, help each team member see how their individual work contributes to the cause and remind them of both the mission and the vision as often as possible.

I suggest creating visual reminders of how your team is serving others, like photos and quotes from satisfied customers, or videos of people being positively impacted by their work. The more personal it is the better. The ideal scenario is to invite people who have been positively impacted by the team or organization to come in person and share their stories with the team members.”

6 Don’t be just a manager Be a mentor who is developing great human beings. Maybe it’s not just your team who’s feeling uninspired. Maybe you are, too. If that’s the case, make it your number one leadership goal to develop great human beings. In other words, don’t just evaluate your performance based on how well the team accomplishes the mission. Work to ensure that if any team member is asked the question, “Did you grow personally and professionally as a result of working with your leader?” the answer would be a resounding, “Yes!” Here are some ideas to help you get started: • Teach a class every week or two on skills that you’ve developed. Bonus: This sends the message to your team that you are willing to spend an hour of your salary and theirs just to help them grow. • Create a library of personal and professional development books at the office. You could even start a book club and discuss the topics as a team.

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

• If you can afford it, establish a budget for bringing in outside trainers as well. “You can take this concept even further by developing high levels of character in yourself and working to help the people on your team to do the same,” Tenney says. “Can you imagine what it would be like coming to work each day if your number one goal as a leader was to help your team members become people of the highest character? People who were devoted to serving and caring for others, and committed to doing the right thing even when it might cost them or the team in the short term? If you’re wondering where to start, keep in mind that your employees will follow your example— so make sure you’re walking the walk before you start talking the talk. You’ll transform your supervisory position from mundane to fulfilling in no time.”

Place the needs of the team above your own Self-preservation is a basic human instinct. We all want to protect ourselves, our positions, and our futures. The problem is, sometimes that impulse causes leaders to hold back from developing their team members. If they know everything I know and are able to do everything I can do, they might replace me! these leaders think. Well yes, says Tenney—that’s precisely the point! “Great leaders aren’t afraid of being replaced,” he asserts. “In fact, they look to replace themselves as soon as

possible by helping their team members develop the requisite experience and skills. Why? It’s a win-win. Think about it: If you empower the people you lead, the team will be much more productive and successful. Plus, it’s a clear sign to senior leadership that you yourself are ready for more responsibility and should be in charge of a bigger team.”

8 Measure the things that really matter Most of us do a fairly good job of measuring our progress toward quantitative goals. In our personal lives, for instance, we measure progress toward checking items off of our to-do lists, losing weight, or making money. Likewise, large organizations measure things like sales numbers, expenses, and quarterly profits. What we need to do a better job of measuring is who we are and how well we treat each other. When we measure these things, we make a much better effort to improve in them. Remember, it’s who we are and how well we treat each other that drive long-term success. As a leader, I suggest that you seek feedback on how well you live the values of the organization and how well you treat the members of your team. You should also measure those things in your team members. By doing so, you’ll make it clear that they’re important and that people must develop these areas to be considered for a leadership position.

9 Practice mindfulness to become the Ultimate Leader Mindfulness training — a simple, science-based practice for training attention and developing emotional intelligence—was the foundation of the transformation that I underwent in military prison. In Serve to Be Great, I describe how the practice of mindfulness helps leaders become the best they can be. Most people want to do a better job of serving and caring for the people around them. Mindfulness training helps us close the gap between intention and action. The practice has been proven to be extremely effective at increasing resilience during stressful situations, which will allow you to live up to your ideals of serving and caring for others even when you’re under intense pressure to hit a goal. The practice also gradually makes kindness, compassion, and a spirit of service your natural response to the people around you. Beginning the practice is very simple. Just pick a simple activity like drinking water and make an effort to let go of thinking and be fully present for that activity. Commit to being mindful each time you drink water for a week. The next week, continue with drinking water and add another activity. After a couple months, you’ll be practicing mindfulness during most of your day. You’ll notice that you’re happier, more resilient to stress, and more present for the people in your life. When you focus on serving and caring for the people on your team, you’ll earn their loyalty and build a

tremendous amount of influence with them — and influence is the essence of leadership. Great leaders are able to influence people’s behaviors in ways that help them achieve higher levels of success and thereby create and sustain high performance teams. There is no better way to build our influence with others than to serve them. People are much more likely to follow us when they know that we truly care about them.”

Matt Tenney, author of Serve to Be Great: Leadership Lessons from a Prison, a Monastery, and a Boardroom (Wiley, ISBN: 978-1-118-86846-1, $25.00). Tenney’s extraordinary past provides him with a unique perspective on the power of servant leadership. In Serve to Be Great, Tenney tells the compelling story of how his attempt to embezzle government funds led to five-and-a-half years in military prison. During his sentence, Tenney’s perspective shifted from selfish to servant, prompting him to live and train as a monk for three years, and finally, to become a social entrepreneur. Tenney has cofounded and led two non-profits, as well as a speaking and training company devoted to helping leaders achieve greater long-term success while also making our world a better place.

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

SPECIALFEATURE

EPDs, HPDs and Red Lists (oh my)! A deeper look into health product declarations This article originally appeared in Walls & Ceilings magazine, November 2013. Copyright of BNP Media LLC.

by Chris Dixon

he latest Green Globes and LEED green building rating systems have introduced new building materials credits that move away from simpler singleattribute credits and points we have all grown used to. Both rating systems are instead now placing more emphasis on transparency and disclosure. Green Globes offers a new credit that rewards project teams for submitting building materials’ Environmental Product Declarations, something this author wrote about at length not too long ago. LEED has introduced a similar credit that, in addition to rewarding teams for submitting EPDs, also includes credit for submitting Health Product Declarations. In a white paper entitled “A More Effective Approach to Selecting Materials & Resources,” Green Globes explains that HPDs, in their current state, are misleading to the design community because they simply list hazardous (or potentially hazardous) ingredients that come from several “red lists” without addressing the actual risk (or lack thereof) to people and the environment. By contrast, EPDs include thorough Life Cycle Analyses and are consensus-based, making it possible to conduct a meaningful evaluation between one EPD

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

and another. LEED V4 rewards submittal of HPDs among several options that project teams may pursue for points under its new building product disclosure credit. The intent of the credit is to: “REWARD PROJECT TEAMS FOR SELECTING PRODUCTS FOR WHICH THE CHEMICAL INGREDIENTS IN THE PRODUCT ARE INVENTORIED USING AN ACCEPTED METHODOLOGY AND FOR SELECTING PRODUCTS VERIFIED TO MINIMIZE THE USE AND GENERATION OF HARMFUL SUBSTANCES.” In addition to and/or in lieu of submitting HPDs, LEED V4 allows manufacturer-prepared content inventory, a Cradle to Cradle certificate, or some other material reporting program approved by the USGBC (but not defined). For some reason, these other options have been ignored by a handful of architecture firms that have sent out some very strongly written, and downright threatening, letters to select building material manufacturers demanding that they immediately fill out and publicly post HPDs. The letters stipulate that not doing so by such-and-such date will result in those manufacturer’s products being stripped from resource libraries,

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Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

SPECIALFEATURE

Developers believed

specifications and projects. Although only a few dozen of these “Do this or else!” letters have been sent by fewer than 10 architecture firms, they have grabbed the attention of the unlucky recipients. WHAT ARE HPDS AND WHERE DID THEY COME FROM? The Health Product Declaration Standard was developed by a small group of architects and manufacturers named the Health Product Declaration Collaborative. It was created to be the industry standard format for conveying details about product content and associated health information.” Its developers believed that HPDs would allow designers to “specify products with full knowledge of what’s in them and how they will impact a buildings environment and occupants.” As I discovered after digging into one of the few HPDs I could find, this could not be further from the truth.

that HPDs would allow designers to “specify products with full knowledge of what’s in them and how they will impact a buildings environment

BREAKING DOWN AN HPD Each of the manufacturers involved in the development of HPD standard reportedly provided all necessary information for a product (or products) during a pilot stage of the standard’s development, an exercise that was to culminate with a collection of actual HPDs. But you will not find these HPDs on the collaborative’s Web site. Nor will you find them at each of the participating manufacturers’ Web sites. I could find only one. It turns out that one HPD is more than enough to illustrate the utter fantasy contained in the belief that an evaluation of a HPD will do anything to make a building greener or occupants safer. 50

and occupants.” The HPD I found is for wall protection specialties such as crash rails, corner guards and wall coverings. Only two ingredients are listed in the HPD; a corn-based plastic called polyactide (PLA) and a flame retardant called melamine polyphosphate. Both ingredients are reported as having, “No warnings found on HPD priority lists.” The HPD priority lists are a collection of roughly 30 “red lists” of chemicals of concern including governmental and nongovernmental, all of them referred to as “authoritative” on the HPD collaborative Web site. In the hands of a designer that trusts that the HPD is what its developers claim it to be, this manufacturer’s HPD declares the products sustainable and healthy, no warnings found – specify with abandon! DIGGING A LITTLE DEEPER On a whim, just to see what happened, I did an internet search for “polyactide resin” and was surprised to get a laundry list of results that paints an entirely different picture

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

portrayed by the HPD. I learned from an article on about.com that PLA is typically made from genetically modified corn, the largest producer of PLA in the world being the world’s largest provider of genetically modified corn seed, and that the future costs of genetic modification to the environment and human health are still largely unknown and could be very high. I also learned from an exhaustive Life-Cycle Analysis on PLA done by the Athena Institute in 2006 that:

• PLA degrades only with diffi-

culty, and will not degrade in a home composting project, which means reliance on a commercial operation, of which few exist in the United States. Claims about the biodegradability benefits of bio-based plastics are in the realm of conjecture.

• If PLA is incinerated, the same

results could be expected as for conventional plastics.

• PLA production requires con-

siderations such as the possible requirement for more water on the use of ancillary materials such as nitrogen fertilizer, pesticides and herbicides to grow corn as compared to many other crops.

• While conventional plastics can

be recycled, PLA cannot be mixed with other plastics for recycling. In fact, if PLA plastic is mixed with PET plastic, the potential to harm the existing extensive PET recycling infrastructure is likely because of the

incompatibility of the two materials. And finally, in an article by Scientific American, I learned that PLA bottles could take anywhere from 100 to 1,000 years to decompose in a landfill. In landfills PLA excludes methane when it decomposes – and methane is a potent greenhouse gas. That PLA may not be much better than the plain old plastic its designed to make obsolete. None of this information is contained in the HPD. I then searched for the second ingredient listed in the HPD, melamine polyphosphate. While I did not get as many results as for PLA, I did get one of huge significance – a Green Screen assessment. The Green Screen rating for melamine polyphosphate was given a Benchmark Score of 2 based on HIGH systemic toxicity, and MODERATE carcinogenicity and mutagenicity. This is significant because the HPD standard rules require that Green Screen assessments and chemicals listed as hazardous in the assessment be reported in the body of the HPD. None of this was included in the HPD, leaving the reader to conclude, erroneously, that there is nothing hazardous to report. CONCLUSION I have merely scratched the surface here in showing just how difficult it can be to believe what you read, and rely upon something like an HPD to make intelligent decisions about healthy, environmentally

I think that the HPD is a step in the right direction, but there is still much to be done before we have something that can be used with any confidence.

friendly building material selection. It comes as no surprise then that many manufacturers are resisting the demands from designers to develop HPDs, since it is clear that HPDs will not necessarily help them make the “right” decisions. Without a truly consensus-based development committee in charge of developing the HPD standard, it will remain in the realm of wishful thinking. I believe that a transparency standard could be developed that would satisfy (and better serve) all parties – including those designers currently demanding HPDs from manufacturers, but this will require involvement of all concerned stakeholders in an open, consensus-based process. I think that the HPD is a step in the right direction, but there is still much to be done before we have something that can be used with any confidence.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Chris Dixon is a registered architect, Certified Construction Specifier and LEEP AP. He serves on GBI’s Green Globes Technical Committee and is a former USGBC Materials and Resources Technical Advisory Group member.

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

ACOUSTICS at Large

Questions About Acoustics? Here Is Your Forum: by Keith Peterson

hroughout my carrier I have had the pleasure of working on projects with many great architects, engineers, contractors, and manufacturers. In recent years awareness about the importance of acoustics in architecture has increased. Acoustics is an important topic that comes up on just about every project. The purpose of this forum is to create an open dialog on the topic of acoustics as it pertains to the built environment. CISCA members can use this as an information resource. I am going to use technical terms, but we are going to make this very real world and take some of the mystery out of this topic. There is something intimidating about acoustics, because we can’t see sound. So how do we control what we can’t see? We have to learn what to look for and how to qualify architecture in an acoustical manner. Once we learn how to do this it becomes much more manageable and a lot less intimidating. Defining the terms Basic architectural acoustics can be broken out into two topics. There is more to it than this, but it is a good starting point: • Interior Room Acoustics: How sound behaves within in a space. (The room is reverberant, echoy, dead… I can’t understand what is being said… This orchestra sounds incredible in this space… etc.) • Sound Isolation: How well boundaries of a space stop sound from going out or coming in. (We can hear the street noise…We can hear the neighbors dog running around upstairs... I can’t believe how quiet this space is for being in the middle of the city…etc.) Between these two topics I am sure that one of you has a real world question to ask. Here is a sample question to get things moving; this was a problem that I had to address last month: Q: “ I have a problem with the tenants in my building. One of the tenants is a DJ and the other one is a Law Office. You can see where I am going with this; can I put 52

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

some acoustical panels up in the law office to stop the sound?” A: No. Acoustical panels are interior room treatments associated with an NRC value. They are meant to control reverberation within a space, and they have very little effect on transmission loss. A solution to this problem would be to increase the STC rating of the wall assembly and any other potential sound paths. This could be as simple as adding a layer of dampening drywall, or as complicated as building a decoupled assembly using isolation clips and additional framing and drywall. It all depends on how many decibels we need to reduce the noise to please the Law Office. Feel free to ask for more details on my answer or come up with entirely new questions. Every issue will have two new topics to learn about and ask questions on. From time to time I may also get on the soapbox to offer a particular view on some industry related issues. This will not be meant to attract converts, but simply to expand the discussion and create understanding. Definitions: The good people at Owens Corning have put together a nice list of acoustics terms and definitions. If I use a term that is unfamiliar to you, use this as a quick reference. We can also explore any of these definitions in more depth in our Q and A. http://www2. owenscorning.com/around/sound/glossary.asp Contact Keith Peterson with questions or comments at: Keith@kpetersonassociates.com Keith Peterson is currently the President and CoFounder of New England based K. Peterson Associates Inc, an independent manufacturers’ representative firm specializing in high quality architectural products. Keith Peterson holds a Bachelors Degree in Acoustics from Columbia College Chicago and has a working relationship with many of the contemporary experts, on the topic of Architectural Acoustics.

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LEGALLY SPEAKING

Music Industry Discord Over How to Tune Up Copyrights by Daniel N. Myers ntellectual property law resides in principally three Utah — announced the introduction of a Senate comareas: patents, trademark and copyrights. Of the panion to the House of Representatives’ Songwriter three, patents involve the right of an individual to Equity Act. That measure, introduced back in February make, create, design and produce any object or prodby Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA), has 11 Democratic and uct consisting of two or more materials, and to sell five Republican cosponsors. or distribute it in commerce, keeping all the profits. Current statutory law is not keeping pace with the Patent law goes way back to the beginning of the U.S. advances in music technology. For example, under the and includes patents for a wide range of materials from Copyright Act of 1976, federal ‘rate courts’ are unable the earliest cotton gins to the newto consider sound-recording royalty est computer and technology fixes rates when they determine the pertoday. formance royalty rates for songwritTrademarks cover the one or ers, composers and publishers. As Patents involve more words, of a new or suggestive a result, the American Society of the right of an intimacy, that can denote a person’s Composers, Authors and Publishers legitimate interest in a particular (ASCAP) says that its members fail individual to make, product. Words such as vacuum, to receive what they consider fair create, design oven, television, radio, and huncompensation for their songs. dreds and hundreds of other words The bill also targets the fedand produce any have been registered as trademarks. eral Copyright Royalty Board. The object or product Agents for Coca-Cola® have been measure would require the board consisting of two known to circle the U.S. questionto ensure songsmiths receive ing people who sell products other fair market value for their music. or more materials, than Coke and charging them with Songwriters have said the 9.1 cents and to sell or distrademark infringement if they don’t they receive per song is too low. specify exactly what they sell. This compensation has risen only tribute it in Finally, copyright covers the cre7.1 cents since 1909. This new legcommerce ation of an illusion or dramatic preislation would vest in the board the sentation, written in verse, song or rights to set rates based on material by music, that can be listened to and and other information submitted to enjoyed. Of the three forms of intelthem. lectual property law, copyright can be the most easy, Opposition to this legislation has been voiced by the yet the most distressful, of forms. It’s easy because it National Association of Broadcasters, which represents essentially provides rights to something you did for no radio and television stations. Dennis Wharton, NAB particular reason and, perhaps, with no articulate meanexecutive vice president of communications, said biging. But it can be stressful in that the rules governing ger paychecks for songwriters might “jeopardize the copyright are changing rapidly, but the statutory laws future of our free locally focused” broadcasts. On the are not. other hand, songwriter Paul Williams, president and For this reason, recent acts of Congress have laid chairman of ASCAP, said that his group’s members are this whole area open for significant changes. In May of ready for reform. “The time has come to modernize this year, three senators — Lamar Alexander and Bob the music licensing system in a way that allows them Corker of Tennessee, as well as Sen. Orrin Hatch of to thrive alongside the businesses that revolve around

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

their music,” he said in a written statement. In late June of this year, songwriters Rosanne Cash (daughter of Johnny Cash) and Paul Williams, as well as representatives of the Recording Industry Association of America, NAB, Pandora Media, Sirius XM Holdings and other organizations, agreed that changes to the licensing system are needed. The problem is, however, that they could not settle on which changes are really urgent. All of this was given as testimony before the House Judiciary Committee’s court, intellectual property and the internet subcommittee. The songwriters and others connected with the creation of music called for what they considered fair market value for tunesmiths’ works. On the other hand, NAB and other industry record playing media spelled out their opposition to the bills, noting that these statutes will “widen this digital disconnect” between terrestrial radio and its satellite and online competitors. These hearings will continue and the scope of the legislation is liable to change before final enactment; however, be assured that changes are coming to copyright law and it’s liable to be expanded greatly well beyond its present borders.

© 2014 Daniel N. Myers PC. This information is not intended to provide legal advice or opinion. Such advice may only be given when related to specific fact situations that the law firm of Daniel N Myers PC has accepted an engagement as counsel to address.

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

SEALTHEDEAL

Where’s Your Competitive Difference? by Tom Woodcock

id you leave it at the house? Is it under the couch? Where could it be? What am I talking about? Your competitive difference that’s what! Many of the contractors I assist assume they’re better than their competitors. When we drive down to see what exactly makes them different we tend to hit a common conclusion, job performance. Sounds good but in reality a high number of contractors usually lead with performance. In the eyes of the customer, if performance is equal then the focus shifts to price. The reason this is the case is that it takes time to determine exactly what truly separates one contractor from another. A true separating factor has to be quantifiable to the customer. If they don’t perceive any additional value in using you, they probably will choose bottom dollar for their project. Ask yourself, “What does make us different?” Make it an honest self analysis. Here are some things that are not separating aspects: 1. Performance: This is the ante. Clients expect all contractors know how to perform. 2. Good Personnel: Everyone promotes that they’ve hired the best talent available. 3. Guarantee of Work: The expectation is you’ll stand behind the work you do. 4. Equipment to do the Job: Customers believe you’ll have the tools or get them to do the project. 5. Longevity: Unless your over 100 years in business, don’t bother promoting it. Many firms fit in the 10-70 year old range. These items are the basics to even come to the table and bid. It’s incredibly lazy to lead with these points. Finding what makes you different is not an easy exercise. Thus, many contractors never do it. As you sit back wondering why your competitor consistently gets work while you’re fighting and clawing for each job you get, remember this piece. So what are some true points of difference to promote? Well hopefully it varies from firm to firm. Unique aspects of your business need to be marketed to the customer base. They also need to be carried by your sales personnel. It is critical to have the message consistent between the two. Here a couple suggestions: 1. You: That’s right! You! You are one of a kind. What do you bring to the table? Education? 56

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

Personality? Personal experience? Whatever it is, sell it! 2. Exclusivity: Any products, techniques or software that you solely have, are very attractive to a client. It actually gives you something to sell. 3. Innovative Expertise: Are you specialized in green building, advanced technology or restoration capabilities? If so, let people know. 4. Certifications: Some are worthless but right now DBE, MBE, WBE, LEED and alike are hot items. Maximize these qualifications. 5. Performance History: What projects have you done that are unique and display your range of capabilities? Clients want the best. Taking the time to do an internal evaluation with key staff members to find these types of differences can give you a bit of an edge in the bidding process. Once you recognize your client’s buying hot buttons, you can push them with these points of separation. Of course the examples I’ve listed are not the only points. The key is to answer this question: “Can my competitor make the same claim?’ If so, then it’s not a true separating factor and won’t move the client closer to using you. The majority of those that read this article will completely blow this off. They’ll continue to say, “we give top performance in the field’, then the competitor says, “we give super performance in the field”, and still another states, “we give super duper performance in the field”. Get my point? It is imperative in such a competitive environment that you gain distance between you and your opponents on bids. You have to give the client a reason, not just to use you, but pay more to use you! What a novel concept. Think of the cell phone in your pocket. Why did you choose that particular phone? Was it the features, value, or signal strength? Or did you simply say, “give me any phone, just make sure it’s the cheapest”? Then why would you present your business in the same fashion as a competitor? Are you not worth the consideration of a cell phone? Tom Woodcock is a nationwide speaker and trainer specifically to the construction industry. His book :”You’re Not Sellin’, They’re Buyin’!” is rapidly selling across the country. He can be reached at his website: www.tomwoodcocksealthedeal.com or at 314-775-9217.

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Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

SPECIALFEATURE

Top Six HR Risks Facing Small By Jeff Rosset Based on experience working with hundreds of companies, and the stories heard from businesses every day, this is a list of the top 6 HR risks that small businesses are facing in 2014. Please consider the following components, as well as how to apply the suggested solutions into your business today:

Being Sued by a Disgruntled Employee

This fear is always in the back of a business owner’s mind, and for good reason. Recent data from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) shows that there were over 93,000 discrimination charges filed in fiscal year 2013 – up over 23% since just 2006 (source: http:// eeoc.gov/eeoc/statistics/enforcement/charges.cf). Needless to say, it’s imperative to ensure that your workplace is free from discrimination and harassment. Your best chance at successfully defending against an employee lawsuit is to secure documentation that would prove to a reasonable person that the employee was treated fairly and consistently with company policy. Examples would be an up-to-date employee guidebook, consistent performance review documents, termination checklists, & complete job descriptions. Remember, juries

are made up primarily by employees (not employers). Having the ability and documentation to demonstrate that the company treats its employees impartially and consistently goes a long way in terms of reducing an employer’s exposure to liability.

Having Non-Compliant Personnel Files

To avoid penalties or other consequences, your business must be sure to retain appropriate records according to state and federal compliance regulations, and also that information stored in a personnel file doesn’t contain protected information (which should be stored separately). For example, any record that includes protected and/or non-job related information such as date of birth, marital status, dependent information, medical information, immigration status, national origin, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, criminal & financial history, subjective statements or accusations, etc., should be filed separately from a personnel file.

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

When determining whether or not to place information and documents in a personnel file, be sure to consider relevance: Would the information be relevant to a supervisor who may review this file when making employment decisions? Is the information related to the employee’s performance, knowledge, skills, abilities, and/or behavior? If it is, then it should be placed in the employee’s personnel file. Finally, be sure that these files are limited to those who “need to know” only; typically this is just the Human Resources staff.

Mistakenly Class Employees as 10

Mistakenly classifying an employee as an Independent Contractor (1099) can result in significant fines and penalties which may include back taxes, IRS penalties, liability for workplace injuries, retroactive benefits, attorney’s fees, and other monetary damages. The IRS uses 20 factors to determine whether or not an employer has

Businesses in 2014 enough control over a worker in order for that individual to be classified as an employee. Designed only as a guideline, this checklist can help determine whether you possess enough control to demonstrate an employeremployee relationship. Here is an overview of 5 out of the 20 factors on the checklist: • Training (Contractors are already trained) • Services offered (Contractors offer services to the public) • Assistants (Contractors hire and pay their own staff) • Work hours (Contractors set their own schedule and hours)

sifying 099s • Expenses (Contractors cover their own business expenses)

Losing Top Performers

You can download the complete 20-factor IRS Independent Contractor Checklist on the Free Resources Center at www.midwesthr.com/resources Now that the job market is picking up some momentum, small businesses are at risk of losing their most valued and productive employees to competitors. While different surveys report varying results, generally speaking, the top five factors impacting employee workplace satisfaction are: • The employee’s relationship with his/her direct manager

It’s recommend that you complete an audit of your workplace and give yourself a grade on each of these factors as they relate to your top performers, as well as comparing your results to other similar businesses in your geographical region. Based on the results of your workplace audit, you may need to consider making some adjustments to your organization’s pay structure, benefit offerings, management style, job duties and/or career planning.

• The employee’s salary • The employee’s benefit plans • The employee’s opportunity to use his/her skills and abilities • The employee’s opportunity for advancement

Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION | Summer 2014

SPECIALFEATURE

Being Unprepared for the PPACA

Very few employers will find themselves unaffected by the PPACA (Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act). While the Employer Mandate for large employers to provide health insurance to their full time employees (or be penalized) will now not take effect until 2015, there are many changes that are effective before then that will likely end up impacting most employers. For example, lifetime and annual benefit limitations and plan provisions excluding coverage for pre-existing conditions are not permitted after Jan. 1, 2014. Additionally, there are preventive service benefits that must be offered through most group health plans. Insurance carriers and self-funded plans are no longer able to limit liability by imposing annual and lifetime benefit limitations. Therefore, the financial risk of offering group health plan benefits has risen and so too will the cost of coverage. It is critical for all employers to ascertain the impact of potential rising costs of coverage, and evaluate the non deductible expense of PPACA penalties and the effect of moving employees from full-time to part-time status. Employers will need to gauge the affordability of different group health plan designs in order to forecast and plan for the impact of The PPACA on the employer’s “bottom line.”

Finding the Right People

For any small business, especially those with a tight-knit culture, it is imperative to make every new hire the RIGHT hire. When a business makes the wrong hire, there are not only financial consequences, but the risk of causing internal unease as well. That said, businesses must be very careful and strategic when hiring. Be prepared to invest substantial time reviewing and sorting job application and resume submissions when seeking prospective candidates. In your interviewing process, remember that the best predictor of future job performance is past performance. To that end, consider using a behavioralbased interviewing technique, and don’t forget to run a background check as well as verify the candidate’s references. In addition, remember that often times your best (and most cost-effective) recruiting source are your current employees. So, it’s wise to start by asking if they know anyone who would make a good job employee AND culture fit. You may even choose to financially incentivize current employees who bring you successful employees.

Summer 2014 | Acoustical INTERIOR CONSTRUCTION

About MidwestHR MidwestHR supports growing companies by helping them simplify their business through HR Outsourcing. MidwestHR is a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) headquartered in the Chicago area. As a PEO, we provide business owners with relief from dozens of time-consuming HR & employment related functions, while helping protect the business from ever-increasing HR demands and liabilities. In addition, our clients have the ability to offer “Fortune 500 type” benefits, while being able to better control their premiums in the process. Jeff Rosset (847) 722-0571 Mobile (630) 836-3012 Fax www.linkedin.com/in/jeffrosset www.MidwestHR.com Client Videos & Case Studies Disclaimer: The HR-related content of this article was produced in conjunction with The HR Support Center, a strategic resource partner of MidwestHR. This message does not and is not intended to contain legal advice, and its contents do not constitute the practice of law or provision of legal counsel. The sender cannot be held legally accountable for actions related to its receipt.

New Members (New Members continued from page 30) Rice Associates, Inc. Farmington MI Select Drywall & Acoustics Woodbridge ON Canada Shamel International Industries, Trad & Cont. LLC Muscat, Oman Sorlie Acoustics, Inc. Duluth MN Southcoast Acoustical Interiors, Inc. Fontana CA Sure-Board for Shear City of Industry CA Sydeco Acoustics Inc. New York NY Sydeco Acoustics Inc. New York NY Telesteps/Regal Ideas Lindon UT The Raymond Group Orange CA Threshold Acoustics, LLC Chicago IL Tuckman Barbee Construction Company Upper Marlboro MD Wal-Mark Contracting Group, LLC Orlando FL Whisper Walls Aurora CO

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