In January, members of The Unified Group gathered for the 2023 Service Management Forum in Nashville to see longtime friends, cultivate new relationships and experience the excitement of Music City. In two and a half days, members shared their best ideas, practices that didn’t work and broke into more intimate discussions with the goal to help one another achieve the best versions of themselves.

For the entire first day, Randy Nemchin of Radical Guidance Consulting led the group. His primary focuses were Quiet Quitting and The Great Resignation. Ranging from large group discussions to interactive activities, Nemchin captured the attention of the entire group.

“I loved his workshop,” said Juan Flores of Blauch Brothers, Inc. “It has been one of my favorites, and it was amazing how fast the day went by.”

Day one ended with dinner at Ole Red, Blake Shelton’s restaurant, where the group experienced local live music and camaraderie.

The hot topic of the second day touched on two things the industry continues to struggle with: employee recruiting and retention. During this segment, the three presenters — Chris Stokes of Air Controls, Mike Kerner of Cox-Powell Corporation and Erick Wheeler of Dean E. Norris, Inc. — shared their tactics to acquire new employees and provide an environment to maintain them.

“I appreciate everyone in this group and their contributions,” said Steve Adams of Johnson and Jordan, Inc. “I always leave with something to take back and implement.”

That night, The Unified Group hosted an optional group activity for members that included a mixology class at Liquor Lab and ended with samples of beer at New Heights Brewery.

Day three was a half day but full of information, with the highlight being Technical Training. Jennifer Yee of J&J Air Conditioning and Bret Nielsen of Harvey W. Hottel shared the process of how their companies successfully train upcoming techs. Ultimately, members of the audience were able to ask questions in real-time and get immediate feedback.

After another excellent meeting of the best-in-class contractors inspiring one another, members of The Unified Group learned new tactics to improve their competitive advantage at their respective companies.

“Everything about this group was an amazing experience,” said Hutch Henry of EES Facility Services. “I was immediately welcomed by everyone and loved how it felt like a family event. I’m excited to keep in touch with everyone and to continue to learn and implement new ideas!”

Upcoming training sessions consist of Controls, Succession Planning, Small/Special Projects, Construction and more. If your company, or another company you know, might be a good fit for The Unified Group, contact Janet Kelleher at KelleherJ@theunifiedgroup.com.

About The Unified Group

Formed in 1998, The Unified Group is an organization of the leading independent HVAC commercial contractors in the industry. The association helps strengthen its member businesses through a variety of training and resources and is dedicated to raising the standards of excellence in the HVACR industry. For more information, visit www.theunifiedgroup.com.