The PHCC CONNECT 2024 will be held in Birmingham, Alabama, Oct.7-10, at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex, with a slightly different schedule than past events. For one, the event starts with a Monday night opening reception and, for another, wraps up with an Awards Breakfast on Thursday. 

The theme of this year’s conference is “Authentic Connections” where building trust and growing relationships will be the primary focus. CONNECT provides an opportunity to gain expert education, build professional relationships and leverage the value of both.

To find out more about what’s in store for attendees and exhibitors, we talked with Cindy Sheridan, CAE, and chief executive officer of the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors – National Association:

PHC News: We know the schedule is a bit different this year. Can you tell us why PHCC made these changes?

Sheridan: Well, it’s all about our attendees and making the show as convenient as we can. This year we’re kicking off on Monday evening with an event at the Barbers Vintage Motor Sports Museum. This will give our attendees a chance to either drive over or fly into Birmingham and get settled and then join us for the opening event. And the museum is home to 1,800 vintage motorcycles spanning a hundred years.

Then, Tuesday and Wednesday features a concentrated two days of education and networking as well as the Product & Technology Showcase. Also, on Tuesday we’ll have a pep rally and happy hour on the trade show floor that will be a great celebration for our apprentices and the popular apprentice contest.

And then a big change on Thursday: We’re wrapping up on Thursday morning with an awards breakfast instead of an awards lunch. That will give contractors a chance to get back to their offices before the end of the week or to stay and enjoy Birmingham.

PHC News: What do you see as the big takeaways for the event?

Sheridan: I think it’s the education. It’s really next level this year. We have two keynote headliners and more than 20 education sessions, so we have something for everyone. Whether you are service and repair; new construction; small shop or larger business there are a lot of challenges in the industry right now, such as new technologies, regulations and continued workforce challenges.

But with those challenges comes a lot of opportunities. And we are hoping to equip contractors to take advantage of those opportunities and grow their businesses. For example, there will be sessions on getting paid on time, growing profits, learning how to leverage AI tools and dealing with regulations. And that’s just to name a few.

And I’m also excited about our panel discussions. I think contractors enjoy hearing different perspectives and solutions from various folks.

So one panel that’s got a lot of buzz already is on social media influencers. We’ve got a panel of plumbing and HVAC contractors who are making a real difference as influencers, and they’ll talk about how marketing and branding and social media is really changing and shaping consumer behavior and trends.

And another panel is on sustainability. Our members have always been proud stewards of the environment, but I think they’re going to enjoy listening to some industry experts about how to transform traditional plumbing and HVAC systems into new eco-friendly solutions.

PHC News: Can you tell us more about your two keynote headliners, Mary Kelly and Jeff Butler?

Sheridan: Sure. Mary is a bestselling author and a former U.S. Navy commander with a ton of energy. Her address will be why leaders fail and the seven prescriptions for success. She’ll share her stories and her experiences, and really help attendees focus their energies on activities that maximize the use of their time and their resources. And we’re also lucky since Mary will also lead a separate breakout session afterward in which she’ll provide practical strategies, tactics and solutions tailored to dilemmas that are faced by leaders every day.

We’ve also got an extraordinary young leader joining us. Workplace strategist Jeff Butler, who has helped companies such as Google, Amazon and John Deere build harmonious, high-performing workforces, and we’re sure he’ll do the same for our attendees. His keynote address will be on building an effective multigenerational workforce. Plus, Jeff will also be presenting another workshop on winning the talent war. 

PHC News: Let’s talk more about the Product & Technology Showcase. You’ve already mentioned the pep rally, which sounds like it ties in the trade show with the apprentice plumbing and HVAC contests – which if anyone hasn’t been to a CONNECT before take place adjacent to the trade show floor.

Sheridan: Yes, we’re really excited about this. The pep rally will feature Chris Stewart, a well-known University of Alabama sportscaster as our MC. Keep in mind that by the time of the pep rally the apprentices will have already completed their first day of the contest so I think this will be a tremendous opportunity to showcase and lift up our apprentices who are competing in the contest. 

And, of course, it’s another great networking opportunity for attendees and exhibitors.

This year the Product & Technology Showcase will feature a Technology Hub; a Knowledge Hub and a Podcast Pod where attendees can discover the latest tools, best practices and industry insights. 

In addition, we’ve got a strong slate of exhibitors and that list is growing. But we are keeping one piece that we hear that attendees really like about the trade show and that’s the intimate, unique showcase feel where it’s really conducive to one-on-one conversations with the contractors and our manufacturers and industry suppliers.

PHC News: Everyone enjoys watching the apprentice contest. We’ve already talked about the pep rally. What else can you tell us about this year’s contest?

Sheridan: We anticipate that we’ll have 20 plumbing contestants and 12 HVAC competitors. We’ve made some changes to the HVAC contest this year, but it’s still going to look and feel the same.

One of the things I love about the contest from my days at the PHCC Education Foundation is that the apprentices get to meet and network with other apprentices from across the country. And throughout the contest the apprentices also get to learn from industry leaders serving on the contest committees and attending the CONNECT. It’s an educational twofer for them and, of course, an opportunity to showcase their skills on a national stage. 

PHC News: We’ve talked about some networking opportunities already. But how else does the convention provide for networking among attendees?

Sheridan: We have events like the opening reception, the pep rally and a first-timers lunch that naturally lend themselves to networking.

But I think the best networking is the unofficial networking that happens in the coffee shop before the day starts, in the halls during the show and in the hotel bar when the day is over. I can’t tell you how many times contractors have said to me that they learned about a new software system or a new business strategy or a new recruiting strategy over a cocktail in the bar. 

PHC News: There’s always a chance to learn more about the host city of Birmingham. What type of social events do you have planned?

Sheridan: So we’ll have a couple tours on Monday for folks that come in early. There’ll be a Birmingham foodie tour and also a Magic City tour of historical and modern landmarks. A lot of people may not know this, but Birmingham is called the “Dinner Table in the South.” And after I visited there in January, I understand since it’s got a great food scene with plenty of casual places. And if you want to do fine dining, the city has at least six James Beard Award-winning chefs. Plus, the city has a thriving music scene as well as a number of sporting venues.

PHC News: Finally, if this is the first time a contractor attends a CONNECT, what would your advice be?

Sheridan: Well, first is network, network, network. You’ll always learn from any encounter with contractors in many types of businesses throughout the country who will share their problems and successes. Plus, being with a group of like-minded peers is so important and so valuable. As a result, we’ve got our Quality Service Contractors, which is hosting a lunch and learn, and our Union Affiliated Contractors have four sessions, including a round table.

And then there’s all the “education” outside of a seminar room that attendees can learn from exhibitors at the trade show.

There truly is something for everybody.

To register and check out the latest news on the conference, log on to phccweb.org/CONNECT.