Alexandria, VA (October 23, 2023) - ACCA's Next Level, which took place October 16 - 17 in Indianapolis, IN, was a day and a half of high-impact learning aimed at helping top and emerging leaders in HVACR contracting companies grow their leadership skills. The event featured three tracks focusing on skills that are needed to effectively run a business or department: Recruitment and Skill Development; Effective Team Leadership; and Strategy and Communications.
The event started with a tour of Carrier's new 6,000-square-foot training center in Indianapolis ahead of the main event. Next Level attendees got an up-close look at the state-of-the-art labs that Carrier will use to address challenges that technicians face in the field every day and prepare them for the changes to come with refrigerant phase downs and the introduction of innovative new technologies.
The event kicked off with a keynote presentation from Jeff Butler, an author and workplace strategist, who shared insight into how HVACR professionals can leverage technology and make simple changes to attract and keep top talent. There were three additional mainstage sessions including a breakfast panel: The Power of Potential: Solving the Skilled Worker Crisis by Expanding the Talent Pool, sponsored by UpSmith, a lunch panel: Preparing Your Team for the Refrigerant Transition featuring Don Gillis of Chemours, John Maiorana of Arkema, and Kate Houghton of Hudson Technologies, and the "I've Got an Idea!" session hosted by Past ACCA Board Chair, Bobby Ring, president of Meyer & Depew Co. in Kenilworth, NJ.
"Next Level was a new concept this year and allowed us to merge some of our signature events, like the Service Managers Forum and the Office and Operations Managers Forum, into a shorter, more streamlined event that focused on leadership in general that would meet the needs of all levels of managers in a contracting company," said Barton James, ACCA president and CEO. "It was exciting to see so many companies sending multiple managers to the event, so they could learn from leading contractors who walk the walk every day."
The event also provided time for attendees to learn from each other through networking and social events including, the Welcome to Indiana Reception in the Panorama Ballroom at the Sheraton City Centre Hotel, as well as a social outing to Punch Bowl Social sponsored by Carrier, Federated Insurance, Indiana HVAC Association, Jackson Systems & Supply, and Scorpion.
"It’s great being a part of ACCA's Events Committee that helped develop the Next Level event and to see it come to life," said Kane D'Amico, vice president of Alliance Heating & Air Conditioning in Bridgeport, CT, and co-chair of ACCA's Events Committee. "What's amazing about ACCA events, like this one, is being able to reconnect with people I already know and making new connections. The sessions were very informative, and all the presenters shared real-world experiences and scenarios, which was super helpful. I look forward to sharing this information with my team and figuring out ways to implement these new ideas and best practices."
"Next Level was a great place to make amazing connections with both other contractors and vendors," said Mason Hoover, CFO of Empire Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. in Decatur, GA. "I am planning to implement a lot of what I have learned over the next six to twelve months. It will take some training, but it’s worth it to get these types of ideas that every contractor needs."
"Being new to the HVAC trade, this was a great way to meet a lot of people who have been in the industry for awhile," said Zach Martin, service manager at Boelcke Heating, Air Conditioning, Plumbing in Stevensville, MI. "Hearing what other contractors have to say and getting their insights was really eye-opening. I plan to take back what I learned at Next Level and slowly implement it at my company."
ACCA’s Next Level was sponsored by: ACCE; Adrian Steel; Agentis Air; Arkema; Chemours; BuildOps; Copeland; ECI Thermogrid; Federated Insurance; Grant Cardone Enterprises; Holman; Hudson Technologies; Indiana HVAC Association; Jackson Systems & Supply; Johnson Controls/York; Pearl Certification; Scorpion; ServiceTitan; Service Business Evolution; Sunnova, Thryv; and UpSmith.
ACCA’s next contractor event is ACCA 2024, March 11 - 14, 2024, at the Universal Orlando Sapphire Falls Resort in Orlando, FL. Registration is open for ACCA 2024 and ACCA bronze-level contractor members can register for $645, with additional discounts of up to 30 percent for gold and silver ACCA members.For more information about ACCA's Next Level, ACCA 2024, or any of ACCA's programs, please contact Melissa Broadus, ACCA director of member communications & committee liaison, at melissa.broadus@acca.org or (703) 824-8842.