PHCC

Twelve top plumbing and HVACR students received honors in the plumbing and HVACR competitions of the annual SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Contest, held June 25-29 in Louisville, Kentucky.

The PHCC Educational Foundation supports the plumbing and HVACR contests each year. The Foundation’s Plumbing Apprentice and Journeyman Training Committee makes up the majority of the SkillsUSA Plumbing Technical Committee, and members were on hand to set up and help with contest judging. The PHCC Educational Foundation also has a representative on the SkillsUSA HVACR Technical Committee, who assists with set up and contest judging.

Plumbing competitors and their advisors participated in a tour of nearby Zoeller Pump Company as a part of their contest experience this year, learning about how pumps operate and are manufactured.

Throughout the week, nearly 6,200 secondary and post-secondary career and technical education students competed in more than 100 trades contests. This year’s plumbing honors went to:

1st Place Secondary – Nolan Moore, North Cobb High School, Kennesaw, Georgia
· 1st Place Post-Secondary – Keith Ashby, Davis Technical College, Kaysville, Utah
· 2nd Place Secondary – Benjamin Thibodeau, H. H. Ellis Technical High School, Danielson, Connecticut
· 2nd Place Post-Secondary – Brian Ehly, Williamson College of the Trades, Media, Pennsylvania
· 3rd Place Secondary – Michael Doherty, Burlington County Institute of Technology, Westhampton, New Jersey
· 3rd Place Post-Secondary – James Tarver, Manatee Technical College, Bradenton, Florida
This year’s HVACR honors went to:

· 1st Place Secondary – Ian McCleese, Collins Career Center, Chesapeake, Ohio
· 1st Place Post-Secondary – Casey Dowell, Tennessee College of Applied Technology, McKenzie, Tennessee
· 2nd Place Secondary – Jonathan Link, Waterloo High School, Waterloo, Illinois
· 2nd Place Post-Secondary – Owen Dougherty, Penn College of Technology, Williamsport, Pennsylvania
· 3rd Place Secondary – Bryant Crow, Ozarks Technical Community College-Career Center, Springfield, Missouri
· 3rd Place Post-Secondary – Blaine Feeler, State Technical College of Missouri, Linn, Missouri
Technical committee members for this year’s event included:

Robyn Bucknam, DEWALT, Mooresville, North Carolina (plumbing)
Bob Carpenter, SharkTech Academy, Atlanta, Georgia (plumbing)
Angela Collins, PHCC Educational Foundation, Falls Church, Virginia (plumbing)
Michael Copp, PHCC – National Association, Falls Church, Virginia (plumbing)
Danny Crigler, L & D Associates, Inc., Aroda, Virginia (plumbing)
Lynn Faulkner, Kentucky Association of Master Contractors, Frankfort, Kentucky (plumbing)
Roman Grier, Cast Iron Soil Pipe Institute, Atlanta, Georgia (plumbing)
Robert Hahn, Co-Chair, Eastwick College, HoHoKus School of Trades, Union, New Jersey (plumbing)
Merry Beth Hall, Co-Chair, PHCC Educational Foundation, Falls Church, Virginia (plumbing)
Victor Hatcher, Tyler Pipe and Coupling, Tyler, Texas (plumbing)
Harold Moret, Copper Development Association, Atlanta, Georgia (plumbing)
Ryan North, SharkTech Academy, West Palm Beach, Florida (plumbing)
Dale Powell, Copper Development Association, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (plumbing)
Tony Senninger, Senninger Plumbing Co., Louisville, Kentucky (plumbing)
Ron Shanaver, Milwaukee Tool, Brookfield, Wisconsin (plumbing)
Jamie Simpson, Schaal Heating & Cooling, Des Moines, Iowa (HVACR)
Maureen Vasquez, PHCC Educational Foundation, Falls Church, Virginia (plumbing)
James Walls, Cast Iron Soil Pipe Institute, Garland, Texas (plumbing)
The plumbing competition was made possible by the following generous industry sponsors:

Headline Sponsors: A. O. Smith; AB&I Foundry; American Supply Association; Bradford White; Copper Development Association, Inc.; Kohler; Tyler Pipe and Coupling; Viega, LLC; and Zoeller Pump Co.

Additional prizes, materials and on-site support provided by: A. O. Smith; AB&I Foundry; American Supply Assn.; BrassCraft Manufacturing Co.; Calculated Industries; Carhartt; Cast Iron Soil Pipe Institute; Charlotte Pipe & Foundry; Copper Development Assn.; DEWALT Tools & Accessories; Irwin Industrial Tools; Kentucky Assn. of Master Contractors; Kohler; Lenox; Matheson Gas; Milwaukee Tool; Oatey; PHCC Educational Foundation; Plumbers Supply Co.; Reliance Worldwide Corp./SharkBite; RIDGID; Rothenberger USA; Senninger Plumbing Co.; Sioux Chief Manufacturing Co.; Southwire; Tyler Pipe and Coupling; UA Local 502; Viega, LLC; and Zoeller Pump Co.

Washington—With more than more than 100 PHCC contractors, state and local chapter executives, and p-h-c industry partners descending on Capitol Hill last month for the Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractors (PHCC) Legislative Conference, the message is quite clear: the future starts now.

PHCC National President Laurie Crigler set the tone for the event prior to meetings on Capitol Hill, as p-h-c industry partners delivered a unified message to members of Congress about ongoing challenges that will have a long-term impact on the p-h-c industry and the country. “Politics is NOT a spectator sport and your involvement is key to successful advocacy at all levels—local, state and national. None of this works without you,” she said.

PHCC and its advocacy group on the steps of Capitol Hill.

Moreover, PHCC continues to educate members of congress of the tremendous opportunities within the plumbing and HVAC trades, “Part of the answer to job growth in this country has to be the continued development of the skilled trades. It’s not just talk anymore,” says Mark Riso, Vice President of Legislative Affairs, PHCC.

PHCC members expressed key support for workforce development through the Promoting Real Opportunity Success and Prosperity through Education Reform (PROSPER). Riso added that he is happy with the “positive knowledge on Capitol Hill, as lawmakers continue to look at apprenticeship programs.”

Zach Boren, Director of Policy and Standards for the Office of Apprenticeship for the Department of Labor, shared the latest from the Department’s Task Force on Apprenticeship expansion. While citing statistics, Boren noted that more than six million jobs are unfilled and more than eight million workers lack the necessary credentials.  “Apprenticeships are the key to closing the nation’s skills gap as they are a customizable, flexible and proven business-driven model for developing workers,” Boren said.

PHCC vice president of Legislative Affairs, Mark Riso and PHCC president, Laurie Crigler.

In the coming months, the department will support innovative, work-based learning approaches, technology modernization, and state initiatives to expand apprenticeship programs. By modernizing the government’s role in apprenticeships while developing new programs, they expect to achieve President Trump’s goal of attracting one million new apprentices over the next five years. This fall, the Department of Labor will again host National Apprenticeship Week (NAW) to highlight the benefits of apprenticeship.

In addition to workplace development in the trades, during several events and meetings with Congressional members and their staff, PHCC members advocated for increased water system infrastructure spending, and career and technical education, while thanking congressional members for recently passed tax reform.

Rep. David Schweirkert (R-AZ)

PHCC also expressed support for workforce development though reauthorization of the Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (WIFIA). Members of Congress are aware of the country’s infrastructure problems, and Riso reiterates that they are not taking for granted the shape of the water systems in this country. “Flint was a wake-up call; we are impressed with members of the Hill’s knowledge of the degradation of the country’s water systems, and the steps needed to resolve the overall problem,” says Riso.

At the Congressional Breakfast, guest speaker Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA) gave his insights into the president’s infrastructure initiative, stating, “We’ve been living off the infrastructure investments of our parents and grandparents, and haven’t been making the same investments (as they have).”  Costa added that Congress will need to figure out how federal components can help fund infrastructure improvements, “and this can only happen in a bi-partisan fashion.”

One of the highlights of this year’s conference was the annual Congressional Reception at Rayburn House Office Building on Capitol Hill.  Several members of Congress including Rep. Steve Chabot, Rep. Tom O’Halleran and Rep. David Schweikert attended the reception and spoke in favor of PHCC’s support of WIFIA and the PROSPER Act.

Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA)

Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ), who serves on the House Ways and Means Tax Reform Subcommittee, gave a behind-the-scenes look at the complexities involved with passing the massive tax reform bill. “The first step was to pass tax reform,” he said. “The calculator won. Now we can start seeing some great things in our society.”

PHCC’s next legislative event in 2018 will be an education session at CONNECT 2018, “Decoded: Legislative and Regulatory Rules and Regulations Solved!” during which Riso and vice president of Regulatory Affairs Chuck White will explain the complex rules and regulations that keep contractors up at night. The next PHCC Legislative Conference is scheduled May 7-8, 2019, on Capitol Hill.

“PHCC is a conduit to help its members partner with lawmakers; to partner with the process to be able to design laws and rules to improve the quality of life for everybody,” says Riso.

Inside the Plumbing Museum, rainwater harvest system on display

While visiting the Plumbing Museum, Watertown, Mass., this past week, Mechanical Hub learned about the museum’s newest, working rainwater harvesting exhibit coming soon. “We have a lot of local vo-tech students come through here and they definitely will be interested in the new display. This will be another educational opportunity offered by the Plumbing Museum,” says Linda Veiking, event coordinator.

Concurrently, the Plumbing Museum Board of Directors held its annual meeting to discuss new opportunities and projects, one of which is the water reclamationsystem display, which is in collaboration with the Artists for Humanity.

The Plumbing Museum opened in Worcester, MA in 1979. The Manoog family hosted the Plumbing Museum until 2008. Mr. Manoog’s father, Charles, began collecting antique commodes, claw-foot tubs, ornate sinks and other plumbing items beginning in the 1950s. A museum for these items was established by son Russell in 1979. In its Worcester location, the American Sanitary Plumbing Museum had hosted curious visitors.

Mark Perrone (J.C. Cannistraro, Inc.) and Linda Veiking, event coordinator.

In 2007, J.C. Cannistraro was presented with a unique opportunity. Through the company’s association with the Plumbing Heating and Cooling Contractors (PHCC) of Greater Boston, word had traveled that Russell and BJ Manoog, curators of the American Sanitary & Plumbing Museum in Worcester, were looking for someone to continue operation of the museum after their retirement.

The building that is now home to The Plumbing Museum was once the property of brothers Abraham and Edward Howard who supplied their thriving Watertown, Massachusetts ice business with ice, wood and coal from their Charles River storage yard and ice house. The brothers’ father, skilled merchant and Civil War veteran Frederick Howard, started in the ice trade in 1842. Following in their father’s footsteps, the brothers grew the business and it became the Metropolitan Ice Company around 1925. With progress in home heating and refrigeration the ice trade became obsolete. The property surrounding the ice house was sold, and industrial growth changed the landscape.

In 1984, J.C. Cannistraro, Inc., under the direction of John Cannistraro, Sr., purchased the ice house from the Jac-Pac Company, a frozen meat distributor, and relocated his company from a small garage on Pleasant Street in Watertown. During the next twenty years, numerous additions and developments were made resulting in the large complex that is now the J.C. Cannistraro, LLC corporate offices and prefabrication facility.

Piping sculpture outside the museum.