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The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors—National Association (PHCC) has announced the promotion of PHCC Educational Foundation Executive Director Dan Quinonez to PHCC Chief Operating Officer.

“I am pleased to announce this expanded role for Dan, as he continues his position as the Executive Director of the PHCC Educational Foundation,” said PHCC CEO Cindy Sheridan. “Drawing on his strong association management background, strategic mindset, leadership and creative direction, Dan will assist me in driving strategy and operations for the association; he will also oversee most revenue-generating areas of the organization.”

Since joining the Foundation on June 1, 2023, Quinonez has overseen the release of new plumbing and HVAC training materials, an increase in annual giving campaign donations, expanding the PHCC Academy® to develop more post-apprentice courses, the addition of new scholarships for veterans and Latino applicants, and an industry joint effort to train the U.S. competitor for the WorldSkills competition.

“I am truly honored to take on this new role and am excited to collaborate closely with CEO Sheridan, the PHCC team, and all of our members,” said Quinonez. “Together, we will enhance operational performance and remain dedicated to delivering exceptional value to our members, all while upholding the highest standards of quality and service in everything we do.”

Before joining the PHCC Educational Foundation, Quinonez served as a Senior Account Executive for the Kellen Company, a prominent Association Management Company. In this capacity, he served as the Executive Director for the Roof Coatings Manufacturers Association (RCMA) and the Professional Electrical Apparatus Reconditioning League (PEARL), playing a pivotal role in expanding and promoting these organizations through various initiatives, including education, outreach, technical advancement, and advocacy.

His other roles included working with the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) in Washington D.C., where he advocated for the home building community. In addition, he served in the United States Army Reserves for 12 years.

Quinonez’s appointment was part of an internal structural reorganization of PHCC that is designed to increase membership, sponsorship opportunities and industry exposure.

“I am excited to head into 2025 with this new organizational structure and am looking forward to a new phase of growth for PHCC,” said Sheridan.

Trusted manufacturer renews support with $17,000 grant to expand nonprofit’s educational outreach in raising awareness of skilled trades opportunities.

Ambler, Pa. — Bradford White Corporation, an industry-leading manufacturer of water heaters, boilers and storage tanks, has partnered with Explore The Trades for the second year in a row as they continue to bridge the technical talent gap by raising awareness of career opportunities in the skilled trades and support the next generation of industry professionals.

Explore The Trades, founded in 2005, is a nonprofit organization that raises awareness about the trades with students in kindergarten through 12th grade throughout the United States and Canada. Through educational resources, the organization’s mission is to give educators, students and parents a foundational understanding of the plumbing, heating, cooling and electrical trades.

Philadelphia’s Mayfair Elementary School has been able to provide materials to students interested in the skilled trades thanks to the “Explore The Trades Skills Lab, Built by Ferguson” equipment grant program.

Through a grant from its Industry Forward® charitable giving program, Bradford White Corporation is donating $17,000 to Explore The Trades to support the organization’s expansion of its poster kit program, which has delivered more than 3,500 kits to North American classrooms since July 2021. The expansion includes a Spanish translation of the posters kits as well as an infographic series aimed at ages 5-11.

“We’ve already reached more than 700,000 students through our poster kit program — and we’re thankful for that — but widespread awareness of the trades is slow-going,” said Kate Cinnamo, executive director at Explore The Trades. “This expansion will give us the opportunity to connect with Spanish-speaking and English as a second language learners, which is so important with the K-12 Hispanic student population in the United States growing to nearly 30%. Bradford White’s support helps us reach this new audience, as well as introduce young learners to the trades in a simple, friendly way.”

Through Industry Forward®, Bradford White partners with nonprofit organizations and technical schools to educate individuals and families on the importance of the skilled trades and the role that industry professionals provide in the health, safety, sanitation, and infrastructure of their communities through strategic grant funding that supports workforce development training and education programs and industry career opportunities, events, and partnerships.

“We’re grateful for the top-of-mind awareness Explore The Trades is bringing to skilled labor, and we’re proud to be able to help them expand their reach,” said Rebecca Owens, senior communications manager for Bradford White. “Introducing the career and financial opportunities that exist within the skilled trades to today’s youth is a vital component when it comes to staffing these essential positions in the future. We applaud organizations like Explore The Trades for ensuring that introduction is happening.”

For more information about Bradford White Corporation, visit https://www.bradfordwhitecorporation.com.

For more information about Explore The Trades, visit https://explorethetrades.org/.

Birmingham, Ala., rolls out the crimson red carpet for Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors Association (PHCC) and its attendees.

“The Magic City” played host to the annual PHCC CONNECT show and the city pulled out all the stops. With mild October temperatures, it was the perfect setting to connect with fellow attendees and soak in the vibrant culture of Birmingham.

The CONNECT show began with an opening reception at the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum—recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world’s largest motorcycle collection and home to other rare cars—and ended with an Alabama Tailgate Party at Birmingham Citywalk, where visitors could enjoy an array of food trucks serving local delicacies and engage in fun games.

The trade show floor was buzzing with latest in products and technology. New this year—although one needed to be a member to gain full access to the entire CONNECT experience—the Products & Technology Showcase floor was open free of charge to local walk-ins. This indeed brought in dozens more from the greater Birmingham area.

“This is the best place to do all of the networking,” says Erica Barnes, president, General Plumbing & Air Conditioning, Inc., Lake Worth, Fla. “I love getting new ideas form the floor and seeing what’s developing over time, such as artificial intelligence (AI) or seeing what new tools are coming out.”

A cool moment during PHCC president Joe Cornetta’s CONNECT opener, 94-year-old James Lindsey of Lindsey Brothers Plumbing and Heating in Norfolk, Va., was recognized for his contributions to PHCC and the industry. Starting his plumbing career at 16, he founded his own business, which will celebrate its 60th anniversary in 2026.

The annual CONNECT Show opens with an opening breakfast emceed by Bruce Carnevale, CEO, Bradford White, a staunch supporter of the association and the skilled trades. Carnevale gave an update on the company and talked about the impending NAECA 4 regulations coming down the pike in 2029, with the eventual movement away from atmospheric venting to all condensing. The Department of Energy (DOE) says the standards will require minor updates to gas-fired storage water heaters, while electric storage water heaters more than 35 gallons will require heat pump technology.

A yearly staple at the CONNECT show is the PHCC Educational Foundation’s National Plumbing and HVACR apprentice contests where plumbing apprentices roughed-in a bathroom—including the drain, waste and vent lines, a toilet, a sink and shower. HVACR apprentices demonstrated their knowledge with a written test, and put their hands-on skills to the test with brazing, pressure testing, refrigerant recovery, and diagnosing and repairing a package unit system. This year, Logan Cunningham with John J. Maurer Inc., Cataumet, Mass., took top prize for plumbing, while Dane Gonser with Emcor Services Fagan, Kansas City, Kansas, was the winner of the HVAC portion.

This year’s theme, “Authentic Connections,” highlighted the importance of building trust and fostering relationships within the industry. From the daily keynotes featuring best-selling author and Navy commander Mary Kelly, who uncovered the key factors behind leadership success and failure to Jeff Butler, who with the help of the three “Cs”—cadence, collaboration and communication—explored actionable strategies to effectively manage cross-generational challenges and leverage the diversity of your multi-generational workforce as a competitive advantage.

Another highly informative and interactive session featured some of the industry’s most recognizable social media personalities who gave advice in a session aptly named, “What the Hell Is an Influencer?” In addition to friends George DeJesus, George’s Drains LLC, Morris County, N.J., and Mike Prencavage Jr., The Family Plumber, Los Alamitos, Calif., last-minute, heavy-hitter fill-ins, Dustin Van Orman, Any Hour Services, Orem Utah, and Roger Wakefield, Richardson, Tex., stepped in to inform attendees how to use social media in an effective way, for business of course.

The final keynote on reverse mentoring, moderated by yours truly, featured Erica Barnes, president, General Plumbing & Air Conditioning; Daniel Birmingham, project manager, JRC Mechanical, Chesapeake, Va.; Chris Johnson, owner, Charles Chester Plumbing & Heating, Elko, Nev.; Chase Johnson, general manager, Charles Chester Plumbing & Heating; and Tyler Arndt, Arndt & Sons Plumbing, Brooklyn, Wis., as they shared their experiences and how their ideas and contributions could help their companies thrive in the future.

Also new this year to CONNECT was live podcasting from the tradeshow floor. The magic of spontaneous discussions, solutions, and insights came alive with some of the industry’s top podcasters. These media personalities hosted high-profile guests as they shared their particular insights to the industry.

Oh, and why is Birmingham called the Magic City, you may ask? Including other names such as “The Iron City” or “The Pittsburgh of the South,” Birmingham is referenced as the Magic City because its soil contained the three necessary elements to produce steel: limestone, coal and iron ore.

Next year’s CONNECT will take place in Grand Rapids, Mich.

After serving customers in Apalachicola for more than four decades, Gunn Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. (Gunn) is joining Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical (Hiller), the region’s premier provider of plumbing, HVAC, and electrical service, installations, and repair. The former Gunn headquarters will operate as Hiller’s 18^th regional location, and its 2^nd location in Florida This merger follows a previous acquisition (Roussos Air Conditioning) in Panama City in 2022.

Since its inception, Gunn has earned a reputation as one of the Franklin and Gulf County area’s most trusted providers for residential and commercial heating, air conditioning service, repair, and replacements. As a family-owned and family-operated company, Gunn Heating and Air Conditioning promises quick, accurate diagnoses and long-term solutions to its loyal customers. As owners Jimmy and Shirley Thompson began considering the succession of the company, caring for their valued clients in the years to come was their top priority.

“Our team is thrilled to be joining Hiller’s Florida operations”, remarked Jimmy Thompson, one of Gunn Heating & Air Conditioning’s Owners. “When looking for companies to partner with, our primary goal was to ensure that each of our loyal clients would receive the best customer experience possible. We’re extremely confident”, he continued, “That under the Hiller brand, these incredible families and businesses will be well taken care of in the future.”

Hiller, like Gunn, is also a family-owned and family-operated business. For over 34 years, Hiller has operated with its original founder at the helm, earning the loyalty of its clients through a commitment to expert technical skills, exceptional service, and integrity. Hiller’s priority is always the thoughtful care of its clients. Former Gunn Heating & Air Conditioning customers can continue to expect the elevated standard of care they are accustomed to under its leadership.

“Since expanding into Florida, we have greatly enjoyed serving families across the Panhandle”, remarked Jimmy Hiller, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical. “We are so excited for the opportunity to partner with Gunn Heating and Air Conditioning, who has developed a legacy of extremely positive client experience across the Apalachicola area. We are looking forward”, he continued, “To carrying their mission forward for years to come.”

Hiller was founded in 1990 by Jimmy Hiller, the company’s single employee. Over the past three decades, Hiller has grown exponentially as a direct result of its commitment to its values; professionalism, integrity, quality, and caring. Today, the organization includes over 600 “Happy Face” trucks and 880 associates across 18 locations in 7 states.

After opening in Panama City and the surrounding areas in 2022, homeowners in Florida have enjoyed Hiller’s industry-leading technician training and education, 24/7 emergency services, instant online appointment booking, and real-time technician tracking. Families across the Greater Apalachicola area can expect these benefits, and Hiller’s exceptional customer experience, in the months, years, and decades ahead.